Wall Coverings

[Mike Whitney]

Greetings all,

I'm wondering if anyone has used carpet squares (adhesive back or adhesive added) to line their trailers.

I have an '87 Lil Bigfoot, currently gutted and in my garage. I've redone the floor (fiberglass, new 3/4" ply etc) and the walls are lined with a 1/2" foam and then covered with a stretchy fabric with a thin foam backing. By now, the fabric has almost rotted, sags and is quite stained. I've pulled it all of the bottom and removed the foam insulation, revealing the fiberglass interior. There is a coating of pink adhesive that I've tried to remove so when I reinstall, everything will adhere.

Anyway, back to my question - does anyone have any suggestions for a plush covering that could effectively go over the foam? I'd thought carpet squares (easy to work with vs a roll of fabric).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/solutions.
Mike

[Frederick L. Simson]

I'm wondering if anyone has used carpet squares (adhesive back or adhesive added) to line their trailers.

This sounds like a unique idea.

How confident are you that you can get all of those butt seams to stay stuck, and not open up cracks?
I know that the fiberglass shell on MY trailer flexes and moves like a living, breathing thing as it travels down the road.

[Kevin K]

I don't think carpet squares will stay up after the sun heats up your trailer and all the trailer movement when you go down the road. Just my opinion.

[Loren G. Hedahl]

The adhesive on the carpet squares was intended for a flooring application where gravity assists in keeping them down.

I think they would stay up provided you apply contact cement to the wall, then let it tack off before sticking up the carpet squares.

Another idea that might work would be to use some PL polyurethane adhesive, available at HD or Lowes, to assist. Put a small amount at each corner and one in the center. Then stick it up.

The original adhesive will hold it up long enough for the PL to set up permanently.

[Kent I]

Dear Mike,

I think that what adhesive you use may depend on the backing on the carpet you use. I purchased Jeff bond 2000 Foam adhesive from Escape trailers, their supplier is J. Ennis fabrics when we purchased the materials to add foam insulation /wall covering We spent some time talking to Reace and witness a demonstration. Cold weather prevented us getting at this project.

Foam for underlay has been suggested as a possible insulation source.

[Tom U]

Greetings all,

I'm wondering if anyone has used carpet squares (adhesive back or adhesive added) to line their trailers.

Mike,

Years ago I lined the sides and roof of a metal campershell with carpet squares. they stuck fine and lasted for the three years before I got rid of that truck. I slept in the back of the truck on ski trips, the insulation really helped.

I think that Frederick's point on skin flex with fiberglass is valid. However, if you used an adhesive on the edges it should work. Also, depending on the pattern, you can rotate the squares for a parquet look.

[Mike Whitney]

Thanks all for the replies. I apologize for the late response.

Fred/Loren: good call on the movement and the butt seams. I was wondering about heat and the adhesive. On the floor it was mentioned that gravity is on our side, so things don't have anywhere to go, really. Separate thing, but with my new floor in, I had planned on using the square peel 'n stick tiles. I won't go the cheapo route (10 Cent tiles from a rental home reno) but HomeDepot sells some 'modular' tiles that actually have a 1" lip that each adjacent tile sticks over top of. I think for the floor this method would be good.

****back to the walls****

I like the suggestion about contact cementing the walls first. This seems like a good solution in my mind. Does anyone know how contact cement holds up in the heat? I imagine that it would be somewhat flexible, allowing movement with the trailer.

Kent, thanks for your comments. I know you're close by and it's good to hear of some 'local' solutions. I'd be tempted to contact Escape as well and get an overview/live demo from them. The Lil Bigfoot came with the .5" foam, in fact. It was glues to the fiberglass with a pink adhesive. Even the wheel wells were covered with the pink stuff (and actually covered with carpet -it's held since 87). The foam was then topped with a beige, think fabric that seemed to have a foam back - just very slight. Over the years it's disintegrated and turned to dust in many areas.

For anyone whose interested, the interior was a mix of the fabric mentioned above and skin ply that had a faux wash of some sort. I was thinking of facing the skin-ply sections with a neutral wallpaper so that the trailer won't be wall to wall carpet, if this method turns out. My only concern beyond the adhesive not working is whether or not these carpet squares will lay nicely around the curved corners. The tops should be fine because there are cabinets on both ends that span the with of the unit...so I wouldn't have to worry about the tops.

Tom - Good to know you had success...thanks for sharing.