Interior or exterior finish first? - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-09-2021, 06:08 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
Interior or exterior finish first?

Afternoon everyone, I am currently rebuilding a 73' 13'er for our daughter. I have learned so much from this forum, many thanks to everyone. I have built a new frame, new rear floor, roughly 80 hrs since November 2020 fiberglassing, sanding, gelcoat, sanding, painting ect. Very tiring, yet fun. A ton of my time has been spent repairing and improving the interior FG furniture pieces. I am aspiring perfectionist who struggles (very much) to be one, but its coming along. My question to you is, should I finish the interior first, or paint the outside. I can see many Pro/Cons to each. I pan to roll and tip, Total boat marine products, fighting lady yellow below and oyster white on top. Interior will be completely redone except the ensolite, which so many convinced me to leave. I just need to caulk the seams and paint. New electrical, brand new 3 way Dometic. New electrical with power center and lighting.
The biggest I see of completing the outside is, having a nicely painted unit sitting vulnerable to the next month of in and out working on the inside. Suggestions?

Some pics of the stages...early on
Attached Thumbnails
Screenshot_20210209-164232_Gallery.jpg   20201108_120626.jpg  

20201109_173928.jpg   20201108_152528.jpg  

Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 06:11 PM   #2
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
New Frame and cabinet mods
Attached Thumbnails
20201221_185816.jpg   20210109_121029.jpg  

20210121_134241.jpg   20210122_103452.jpg  

Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 06:12 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
More cabinet mods, new rear floor and windows pulled
Attached Thumbnails
20210125_123208.jpg   20210125_123240.jpg  

20210204_072312.jpg   20210209_151626.jpg  

Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 06:14 PM   #4
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
Dry fit to make sure everything still fits!
Attached Thumbnails
20210205_105252.jpg   20210205_105029.jpg  

Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 06:16 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
Posts: 4,137
Registry
On the exterior, paint last, once everything else is done. Otherwise, you will tend to mar your beautiful paint job as you fix stuff.

On the inside, I'd paint cabinets prior to installing them. Easier paint when they are sitting in a workshop, than once they are inside the trailer.

Doing some great work there!
thrifty bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 06:23 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
Thanks Bill, I agree completely with your strategy. I guess my biggest concern with be, whatever I use to secure the cabinets (Cap screws, bolts or rivets) and the paint. It will be hard to paint nicely around them/overtop
Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2021, 08:44 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
On my Boler 1700, I used stainless machine screws together with washers and nylock nuts to re-secure cabinets and benches. I used color matched removable (not hinged) plastic caps. If you decide to go this route, you could take off the caps and mask the snap cap bases while painting the exterior.

To seal the snap cap bases to the body, I used butyl but a marine sealant could instead be used.
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 08:25 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
FRED SMAILES's Avatar
 
Trailer: 13 ft Boler
Posts: 1,175
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sspence View Post
Thanks Bill, I agree completely with your strategy. I guess my biggest concern with be, whatever I use to secure the cabinets (Cap screws, bolts or rivets) and the paint. It will be hard to paint nicely around them/overtop
Have you considered glassing in some wood blocks and mounting the interior pieces to those? Would eliminate all bolts/screws through body. I used that method on a rear over cabinet, works great.
Some pics here around post 97 in the signature link
Fred
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...3&d=1374471904
__________________
I'd rather do it myself, done right or not. Isn't that what a hobby is all about?
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ler-55601.html
FRED SMAILES is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 09:59 AM   #9
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
Morning Fred....I really do like the overall finished product of the glassed in blocks better yes...I just need to decide if I want to cut the ensolite an mess around with all the steps...sounds lazy, but I know the process and it is a large one....Rethinking it now...
Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 11:18 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
Posts: 2,445
Since you are installing wood cabinets and fitting them to the contour of the shell I would glue and screw them in place from the outside.
I used aircraft cowling washers and screws sealed when installed with a good quality sealant and adhesive. I used polyurethane adhesive and sealant.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...s/04-00398.php

100* SS screws to match the above washers.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...1207-C10-8.php

I used these and then painted over them.
The result was a very solid shell, reinforced by the cabinets making it a monolithic
structure.
redbarron55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 10:49 PM   #11
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by FRED SMAILES View Post
Have you considered glassing in some wood blocks and mounting the interior pieces to those? Would eliminate all bolts/screws through body. I used that method on a rear over cabinet, works great.
Some pics here around post 97 in the signature link
Fred
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...3&d=1374471904
So fred...I went for the glassed in blocks. They worked very well and are extremely sturdy. I also started caulking the seams in the ensolite, better than I figured it would end up! Thx for the push 😁
Attached Thumbnails
20210210_210131.jpg   20210210_210153.jpg  

Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2021, 06:19 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Name: JD
Trailer: Scamp 16 Modified (BIGLY)
Florida
Posts: 2,445
With the cabinets bonded to the glass , glued and screwed there will be no leaks at the fasteners. The leaks at the pop rivets are because of the poor fastening differential movement between the shell and the inside part. Properly bonded and sealed there will be no movement and no loosening and no leaks.
Look at the rear cabinets in the Scamp. They are wooded and they just used wood screws with no particular sealant and ! Surprise ! no leaks there.
Glue and screw and relax. You will have a tight, stiff, leak free ( at those screws, still can leak at the windows.)camper.
redbarron55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2021, 07:37 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
FRED SMAILES's Avatar
 
Trailer: 13 ft Boler
Posts: 1,175
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sspence View Post
So fred...I went for the glassed in blocks. They worked very well and are extremely sturdy. I also started caulking the seams in the ensolite, better than I figured it would end up! Thx for the push ��
Right on! Now your farther than I in that dept. my sink area and closet are still rivited.
Fred
You work pretty quick, but after looking over your work area in the pics
things would probably go faster if you didnt have to walk across that MONSTER shop to get a clamp,,,, beauty!
__________________
I'd rather do it myself, done right or not. Isn't that what a hobby is all about?
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ler-55601.html
FRED SMAILES is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2021, 08:33 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
Yep I envy that shop and would love to have one like that, including the tall overhead door.
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2021, 10:02 AM   #15
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
Haaaaa, I thought you were referring to the HUGE mess I have, tough to keep a clean shop at this stage! Soon. I'm doing the final stages of prep to paint the inside furniture, paint the inside and then install time. I also thought last night I may paint the top first, then continue with the bottoms section. I have heard that with the windows out they can take a different shape and make it tough to re install the front and rear, any truth?
Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2021, 10:06 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sspence View Post
have heard that with the windows out they can take a different shape and make it tough to re install the front and rear, any truth?
Not the windows as much as the interior cabinets help support the shell, yes. A floor-to-ceiling brace is a good idea. A 2x4 between pieces of plywood is one way to do that. Wedge the 2x4 in place to apply a little upward pressure.
Jon in AZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-11-2021, 10:33 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sspence View Post
I have heard that with the windows out they can take a different shape and make it tough to re install the front and rear, any truth?
Re-installing the front and rear windows I have read can be challenging. Google other threads in this forum for proper technique for putting in the rubber seals. Some people just have a glass shop do it.
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 03:12 PM   #18
Junior Member
 
Name: Scott
Trailer: 45' allegro bus 45 - 73 13' boler
British Columbia
Posts: 22
1st coat of primer went well. 3/4 gallon used
Attached Thumbnails
20210214_121010.jpg  
Sspence is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2021, 04:57 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Name: Eric
Trailer: Boler
TN
Posts: 190
Registry
I would suggest Paint the exterior before installing the windows. Once the exterior is completed you can install all your lights and make sure everything works.

Of course I tend to work inside and outside depending on the day, how I feel, what parts I have available and how bad my ADD is that day.
Eric Frye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2021, 05:34 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
Send a message via Yahoo to Darwin Maring
Windows
https://www.recpro.com/rv-windows/
Darwin Maring is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
boler


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
interior finish for love bug AnnS Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 16 07-03-2019 10:28 AM
First Burro, first post, first question :) Can i lie on the roof to do vent work? Colleen Rae Hi, I am.... 13 03-30-2015 08:38 PM
exterior access hatch and exterior shower aimeelightsey General Chat 36 10-06-2012 03:15 PM
Exterior Finish Landy Luther Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 2 06-24-2010 11:44 AM
interior finish JIM DUNNE Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 5 05-09-2009 11:56 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:09 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.