Canvas over reflectix?

[Emma T]

Hi all, total renovation amateur here! Really appreciate all help.

I have a bare fiberglass wall on my vintage egg and am going to put reflectix down (I know about the air gap etc. but I'm not planning to 4-season with it, and it's the cheapest option for my budget by far) -- and I'm wondering what you think about covering the reflectix with durable cotton canvas rather than carpet? I found some for a great price in a beautiful color. Is there anything I should be wary of with regards to using canvas?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Emma T

Hi all, total renovation amateur here! Really appreciate all help.

I have a bare fiberglass wall on my vintage egg and am going to put reflectix down (I know about the air gap etc. but I'm not planning to 4-season with it, and it's the cheapest option for my budget by far) -- and I'm wondering what you think about covering the reflectix with durable cotton canvas rather than carpet? I found some for a great price in a beautiful color. Is there anything I should be wary of with regards to using canvas?

I would never use cotton. You want a sythetic that doesn't hold water. It would be a real shame to put cotton on the walls snd ceiling only to need to replace it each spring. (mold and mildew)

[ROBERT ONEILL]

I would think that reflectix would not last long glued to the wall as any thing that touchs it would make it start to losen from the fiberglass and the sweat on the wall cause it to also come loose and trying to remove all of it later would be a real problem. If you read on the forum post here you will find other things tha others have use as cheap fixes for the walls and ceiling. Spending more on something else would better. Buy once, cry once applies here. Cheap indoor outdoor carpeting woul work better. Go to Home Depot and look at what they have and price it with glue and see what you come up with. I would say others on here would suggest the same. But whatever you do, just enjoy the "good old egg".

[Jon in AZ]

Scamp has used RayFoil (like Reflectix) behind the marine headliner since 1985, and it lasts for decades. Just use the right adhesive. 3M90 for small areas and auto headliner adhesive for a whole trailer installation.

I agree you’ll want something better than thin canvas over it. Even if you use a synthetic canvas, it will show every bump and wrinkle. Have to say, marine headliner is a great product. It’s available from a number of suppliers in a variety of colors and textures. Unlike carpet it has no backing, and it’s slightly stretchy to fit the curves.

[k corbin]

cotton fabric mildews like crazy. It is going to get wet from the humidity created by your breathing while you are asleep. The cotton will also hold dirt. You won't be able to take it down and toss it into the washing machine.



Stick with a polyester headliner product made for marine use. Get on thin enough to conform to the curves. Polyester won't mildew and it can be cleaned with one of the handheld upholstery cleaning machines.

[CarlD]

I glued reflectix on my walls and covered them with vinyl I got from Joaan Fabrics. It has a nice feel to it and doesn't condense moisture. It does show the texture of the reflectix so if you use it, do a nice job applying the reflectix. You can probably get a small piece and test it on a piece of scrap plywood to see if you like it.

[gyuill]

Escape uses refllectix glued to the walls and then a foam backed vinyl that works very well. I had a Casita and now an Escape and would never go back to carpet on the walls

Graham
Opelika Alabama

[vintageracer]

Cotton is very flammable.

You should always consider the Flammability of ANYTHING you add to the interior of your trailer particularly when it comes to fabrics.

[Defenestrator]

I'd also suggest something like a closed-cell foam rather than reflectix. As a radiant barrier, Reflectix/Rayfoil/etc rely on having a specific size of air gap on the "warm" side. Sandwiched between two layers, the R-value is more like 0.6 rather than the 6 that Scamp and some others like to claim.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by ROBERT ONEILL

I would think that reflectix would not last long glued to the wall as any thing that touchs it would make it start to losen from the fiberglass and the sweat on the wall cause it to also come loose and trying to remove all of it later would be a real problem. If you read on the forum post here you will find other things tha others have use as cheap fixes for the walls and ceiling. Spending more on something else would better. Buy once, cry once applies here. Cheap indoor outdoor carpeting woul work better. Go to Home Depot and look at what they have and price it with glue and see what you come up with. I would say others on here would suggest the same. But whatever you do, just enjoy the "good old egg".

As Jon says,a reflectix equivalent has been used to insulate Scamp trailers for 35 years so far. It has worked well without loosening. Not only does it remain attached to the fiberglass when properly applied, but the "marine fabric" used as the liner remains attached as well and has proven durable, pleasant, and low maintenance.
This combination prevents "sweat on the wall" and offers unsurpassed function and comfort in this application.
Of course, there are alternatives, but I am one of those "others" who does
not "suggest the same", and emphatically disagrees with your conclusions.

[thrifty bill]

+10 Scamp solution is well proven to last decades.

+10 I like the smooth finish wall covering on my Escape, and its much nicer/cleaner than the carpet wall covering on the Casita I owned prior.

I would not venture past one of these two proven solutions.

As a retired engineer, we used the term "engineered by Xerox". This actually meant we copied a proven solution. No need to come up with something "better".