| Author | Message | ||
| Mark Radius (24.247.233.200)
Rating: |
Well, our MC-9 is finally spray foamed and we are getting ready to begin reassembling the interior. I plan on re-using the aluminum ceiling panels, but I want to cover them in something. I am thinking of using a light colored automotive vinyl so the ceiling will be easy to keep clean. I am also thinking of glueing the vinyl on before I re-install the panels so I can wrap the material behind each panel. Any thoughts, pro or con, on doing this, or on the use of automotive vinyl? Also, what is the best adhesive to use? It seems that the adhesive is the "weak link" that causes so many ceiling treatments to come loose after a few years. I want to avoid that pitfall, if possible. Thanks in advance for the advice!!! MR '81 MC-9 | ||
| Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.164.132.118)
Rating: N/A |
Give this some consideration. Use a white or off-white very short pile commercial carpet on the ceiling. It has several advantages in that it goes over the installed original ceiling panels that have been pop riveted in place. It will bridge the gaps between panels and not show the rivets. It can go up in one piece for the living area, another for the bath and another for the bedroom without stretching like vinyl will. Put the seams at the doorways and they will be covered by the door frame. Makes for a very neat, easy installation compared to vinyl. If you can find it, use Clear-Tite contact cement. My original carpet installation is going on 12 years without a bit of pulling away from my original metal ceiling panels like you are planning on using. If you can't find that glue, test what is available with carpet scraps on the ceiling. Make sure it will withstand the heat of summer days. As to cleaning, unless you spray soda or champagne on the ceiling, it just doesn't get dirty. When road dust makes it a little dull, carpet cleaner works great. Spray on and vacuum off, just like the floor carpet. It quiets and adds insulation and gives a warm cozy feeling to the bus. It works great on the walls too, hiding all sorts of sins there. For the walls, it comes in almost as many patterns and color combinations as wallpaper. And it's just about indestructable. Think about bringing in the big plywood sheets or wall studs and snagging a vinyl ceiling or bumping a carpet ceiling. Carpet wins every time, without a trace of damage. I have done both carpet and vinyl and will never do another vinyl ceiling again. If you unwisely J decide on a vinyl ceiling, use automobile headliner foam for the base. Install it with the fabric side to the vinyl so the vinyl will stick to the foam. If you go foam/vinyl directly, it will not stick properly and will separate and cause 'bubbles' in the vinyl. Good luck with the decision and the project. Jim | ||
| Jojo Colina (Du1jec) (68.8.172.117)
Rating: N/A |
go to http://www.ronthebusnut.com/Product_Details.asp?ProdID=1550001. He has beige ozite headliner material that is great for covering your ceilings. It is short pile fabric which is made for headliner. It is reasonably priced as well. | ||
| Mark Radius (24.247.233.200)
Rating: N/A |
The carpeting idea is interesting. I have seen it done once in a very nice GMC. The color choosen was a bit dark for my taste, but it did look very nice. You have a good point about "Construction damage". Is this ozite material similar to what you are talking about Jim? Any ideas on where I can get that Clear-Tite adhesive? | ||
| Ace (24.28.44.126) Rating: N/A |
With all due respect to the retailer that sell the ozite type material for the headliners, I would stay away from it if you do any cooking or smoking in your coach. It cleans up but not very easy! Try going with a vinyl or naughehyde and if you want a cushion feel/look, they too can be applied over a thin padding. The newer high end coaches put the ceilings up in panels that are removable for easy access to wires, ducting, and to clean them. Since I don't have wires of any kind in my ceiling, I opted to use 4x8 sheets of textured fibreboard found at home depot. Looks good, is brightly colored which reflects the lighting very well, and most of all cleans easy! It's also very easy to put up. Easier than you would think!  Hope this helps! Ace | ||
| Don KS/TX (64.24.4.169)
Rating: N/A |
I dislike the carpet idea too. I just hate it when my cup of coffee gets carpet fuzz in it, and I have not seen any that really cleans easily and is light. It seems like somehow there is diesel dust creeping thru cracks and making it look dirty too. You might look at mine at http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b3028fd9257c¬ag=1 for what plain old naugahyde can do for a ceiling. | ||
| Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.150.54.59)
Rating: N/A |
Let me dipel a couple of myths about carpeted ceilings. They do not shed fuzz except just after installation. Vacuum the carpet to remove the cut fibers. With a little care, they don't get dirty. Most carpet sold today is "Scotch-guarded" and is readily cleaned if it does become soiled. We had a very white carpet in the MC-8 for 9 years when I decided to install an additional a/c. Due to vent opening changes, I replaced a section of the ceiling carpet. You could not tell where the old left off and the new began. We cooked and smoked (and friends smoked)in it for the whole time. Never a problem. Ozite and real carpet are two different items. Ozite will not hide surface imperfections and does get dirty quickly. It is difficult to apply contact cement to because it is so thin and porous that the glue comes through to the surface unless used very sparingly. I use it in the bays. Works great there. Clear-tite is made in MA and is marketed in the Eastern US. I tested several other brands of contact cement including Titebond, Carder, several 3-M products, the green automotive stuff, the blue automotive stuff and others and found none could compare to the Clear-tite. The fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) panels make for a very cleanable, durable ceiling. I've used that stuff for each bath ceiling I have done. Great product, but I want something a little "warmer and cozier" than that for the living areas of the conversion. So, Mark, listen to all of us opinionated bus-nuts and then pick what is right for you, carpet, vinyl, FRP, wood, metal or a combination of several. Ain't no wrong way to do it if it looks good and stays up. Jim | ||
| Jojo Colina (Du1jec) (68.8.172.117)
Rating: N/A |
I used the ozite sold by ronthebusnut in my bus and it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. It was bonded to the ceiling by spraying contact cement on both the ceiling and the ozite. Believe me it is not thin and porous in the least bit. It hides a multitude of sins to boot. Also with an experienced installer doing the work seams are undetectable. My uncle has a winnebago diesel pusher and it is the same stuff he has in his ceiling originally put in by winnebago. I have had it in over a year and although we do not smoke, we do cook and it is fine. The discussion may be moot as it seems from his website that ronthebusnut only has 10 rolls left. This may not be enough to finish one bus. | ||
| Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.149.75.50)
Rating: N/A |
Home Depot has a billion yards of it and they keep re-stocking. Getting it is no problem. I'm glad you sprayed the glue on since rollering will cause it to bleed through. Whatever works for each of us is the right answer. Jim | ||
| Ace (24.28.44.126) Rating: N/A |
Having been in the flooring business for some 30 plus years, I would have to say that Ozite carpeting is NOT found 1/4 inch thick. You may have something very similar such as a commercial level loop with a backing, but I don't think it is Ozite. Ozite is very thin and plyable. It has NO backing such as jute, mylar, action back, or the new soft back. Glue, of any kind put on too thick by means of rolling, or trowelling will almost definitely bleed thru. As far as carpet on the ceiling NOT getting dirty from smoke, smoke either from cooking or your lungs? You might want to try looking at it REAL close. Unless you have a very good venting system, your carpeting most definitely has smoke stains, that can't be seen, of some sort not to mention the smell it holds! Not that anyone will climb your walls to sniff your ceiling, but it DOES/WILL smell! But, like you said, if it works for you and your happy with it, so be it! I would rather put forth my coziness in other areas such as the floor or walls! It works for me! Ace | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.209.217)
Rating: N/A |
The new coaches have some very nice carpeting on the walls and ceilings. There is one major supplier for this material, and I can't remember their name. They have the market almost cornered. And from the way the salesguy does his job, they're eager to keep it that way. I spoke with their sales guy at a trade show this spring. They have a number of specials available of overstocked, turn backs, returns and the like. For a price, they'll even weave in your name or whatever you like for the rear wall of your coach. Material comes sized ready to fit roof panels. He seemed really interested in supplying me with just one bus's worth of roof carpeting, rare at a trade show, where they are inking multiple orders to ongoing clients, and busnuts like us are just one shot, cheap, pests. (well, we are, aren't we? roflmao!) When the time comes, they're getting my business! Now if I could only find that card with the name on it... Anyone else know the name? happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (24.127.74.29)
Rating: N/A |
Buswarrior - Sardo?? RJ | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.233.25) Rating: N/A |
Buswarrior, please keep pondering on it. Try this: Before you go to bed at night, program your subconscious to dredge it up and have it available to your conscious by the next morning. Cause I'd like to know more about this stuff when you remember! Scott : ^ ) | ||
| Johnny (63.159.194.58)
Rating: N/A |
Hmm, carpeted ceiling...... This sounds like a VERY good idea! Thanks! | ||
| Merlin Moon (Mrmerlin) (65.24.96.77)
Rating: N/A |
My two cents ... the Ozite in my bus is 15 years old. Still hanging on the ceiling nicely, but has picked up ugly darkening from cooking, and probably smokers (from former owner). We tried using a vac cleaner ... a waste of time. Spray carpet cleaner and then vac ... still no luck. Today we are carefully pulling it down and will be replacing it with a high grade vinyl. BTW ... although the Ozite is a synthetic fiber, it still harbors odors that seem to be permanent. We looked over the possiblity of restoring the ceiling with commercial carpet after the Ozite is removed. Picked up many samples and fussed with them, but decided on a nice smooth off-white vinyl material instead. A local trim shop had two huge rools of the highest grade marine trim vinyl on sale ... soooo ... we bought. | ||
| FAST FRED (65.56.27.9) Rating: N/A |
A company called Quantum has Ozone generatios that many used car hustlers use to eat the tobacco stink. There avilable in 120 or 12V and do a great job of removing every odor in a couple of days. Some boats even use permenant mounted units to prevent green slyme from growing on the interior during a summer lay up . Dont use the unit when folks are aboard , and do air it out for a few min before re occuping the coach. FAST FRED | ||
| Mark Radius (24.247.233.200)
Rating: N/A |
Hey Fred, I wonder if it would be a good idea to install one of those ozone machines on board a bus for the same reason as the boat? Well, maybe not the green slime, but to get rid of any odor problems or mildew etc. while the coach is not in use? | ||
| FAST FRED (65.58.186.21) Rating: N/A |
For most coaches that have a stock interior , a good scrub of everything with Comet , or equal will get rid of most everything. A coach not in use , is sorta like an empty fuel tank , in certain circumstances there will be condensation all over the overhead. If its scrubbed clean no problem , but if it has food smoke , or just normal dust , it could grow a film of green slyme too. If I had a coach with rug stuck on the overhead (sorta hard to get the cooking residue out) I would go with the Ozone unit , when NOT on board. Would also help for folks that are allergic to fumes from glue, plastic , chip board ect. NO, I don't own an Ozone generator co. FAST FRED | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.213.183)
Rating: N/A |
Hello all. Finally remembered to look for the name of that carpet/fabric manufacturer that the new coaches use. John Holdsworth & Co LTD Fellow I talked with at the Trade Show up here in Toronto that was so helpful and interested in taking care of one little busnut and the distributor of Holdsworth's product: Paul Poziemski North American Fabrics Inc 1155 Cleveland Avenue, Wyomissing, PA 19610-2217 e-mail: nafipa@aol.com telphone: 610-374-3108 Product comes sized ready for install in stock coaches, ceilings, walls, rear wall and custom weaving work for those whose pocketbook can keep up with their dreams! Every colour and combinations you can think of. Support in install methods and materials too. From time to time, they have overruns and cancelled orders on sale for deep discounts. As an example, one of the patterns I priced was $35 a yard, 59" wide (for ceiling use) One very nice plainer pattern was on discount for $15 a yard, because of a bankrupt customer who had ordered a couple hundred yards. I have no interest in this company, just really impressed by Paul's thoroughly genuine interest in one little busnut, when he sells mass quantities to MCI, Prevost and transit properties. And the stuff really holds up in the harsh environment of a working coach. In the interests of all of us, if you are talking with him, reinforce his interest and support of us! Be sure to thank him for showing interest in the little guys. So many of them out there don't give a rats behind about us! happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Scott Whitney (66.214.200.214) Rating: N/A |
Thanks Buswarrior! I have put in an inquiry to Paul. I was going to mention your name as the referral, but I don't know your name! : ^ ) Scott | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior) (64.229.210.188)
Rating: N/A |
Hello Just tell him the tall guy, with a beard (at that time), converting a personal MC8 in Toronto. He might remember. I didn't tell him who I was, either! happy coaching! buswarrior |
