Wallpaper Bubbles from Heat?

New Kid on the Block · 03-20-2016, 12:45 AM

Hi There, Has anyone experienced wallpaper bubbling and creasing due to heat? We bought a FF today that is from Phoenix. The owners said the bubbles were due to heat. Any thoughts on the subject? Can the paper be removed and replaced? Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

**LJAZ** · 03-20-2016, 09:34 AM

Mine is a 2009 and still looks as good as new. No bubbles at all. Sounds like the wallpaper wasn't installed properly, or if you have a later model maybe they changed suppliers?

Eagle · 03-20-2016, 10:28 AM

I haven't experienced that in my 2012 ~ however at a camper show this weekend, I walked thru a $70,000 5th wheel toy hauler and bubbling was evident on one wall.

Michigantraveler · 03-20-2016, 01:43 PM

Our used 2008 had some weird bumpy wallpaper under the kitchen window and some swelling further right of that. We think it got wet at some point. My husband sanded the bumps down but the swelling remained. We covered the wall with Smart Tiles and it is not noticeable. However, a common problem caused by cold is a cracking vinyl floor. We have that at the entrance and under one bench. We have a thick carpet piece at the enterance to catch dirt so it doesn't show. We may tile over the whole floor with waterproof vinyl tiles in the future.

New Kid on the Block · 03-20-2016, 07:15 PM

Thanks for the input. The Smart Tiles is a perfect fix for the kitchen and bath backsplashes. I will definitely do that. We don't have any issues with the cold here, but with temps often exceeding 110, the heat can be just as damaging. If its not one thing, its another.

Thank you!

Michigantraveler · 03-21-2016, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by New Kid on the Block

Thanks for the input. The Smart Tiles is a perfect fix for the kitchen and bath backsplashes. I will definitely do that. We don't have any issues with the cold here, but with temps often exceeding 110, the heat can be just as damaging. If its not one thing, its another.

Thank you!

Isn't that the truth. It seems like the roof could really be affected by heat, especially if it cools way down at night.

gmw photographics · 03-21-2016, 08:48 AM

Just a guess here, but I would think the problems you are seeing in wall and floor coverings are not strictly caused by temp variations. Probably more likely caused by incorrect surface prep before installation. My funfinder has been in temps as low as 10 below zero, and above 100 degrees and ( knock wood ) has none of those issues ( yet ! ).

Michigantraveler · 03-21-2016, 09:05 AM

Re: cold cracking floor.
What Can We Do To Stop The Linoleum Floor In Our RV From Cracking?

gmw photographics · 03-21-2016, 09:32 AM

With all due respect to what the guy in that link suggests, that is contrary to what the install guide says to do when installing beauflor vinyl sheet flooring. This brand and type of material is what is in my funfinder, and is common in many brands of RV's. The product was developed for the RV and manufactured housing industry. It is designed for wide temperature variations.

This flooring sheet effectively "floats" on the surface. It is only glued around openings cut in the floor ( like where the commode drain goes through, etc ) and is to be stapled down around the perimeter.

EDIT: the install and repair guide for this flooring can be found online.

Michigantraveler · 03-21-2016, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw photographics

With all due respect to what the guy in that link suggests, that is contrary to what the install guide says to do when installing beauflor vinyl sheet flooring. This brand and type of material is what is in my funfinder, and is common in many brands of RV's. The product was developed for the RV and manufactured housing industry. It is designed for wide temperature variations.

This flooring sheet effectively "floats" on the surface. It is only glued around openings cut in the floor ( like where the commode drain goes through, etc ) and is to be stapled down around the perimeter.

EDIT: the install and repair guide for this flooring can be found online.

Well maybe your RV is a different year than ours. There are many, many links talking about cold cracking. The Cruiser RV factory video shows them just rolling the vinyl over the frame and plywood in a big sheet. All that holds it down is the walls attached over it. Ours doesn't look like quality flooring at all.

Michigantraveler · 03-21-2016, 01:08 PM

Here is part one of the three factory tour videos on YouTube. No time for quality?
http://youtu.be/jIvTq3YISZQ

gmw photographics · 03-23-2016, 09:44 AM

As to the idea of whether it "looks like quality" or not, I'll leave that to the subjective view of each person. What I will say here is mostly a guess about this flooring product ( beauflor ). I think the big differences between this product and those designed for residential use, is the thickness. Two things come to mind: the thicker the product, potentially more expansion and contraction issues when going from below zero to over 100 degrees. The second is weight. To those two design issues, thinner is better. Beauflor is definitely very thin.

Your comment about cruiser "not gluing it down".....that is the correct way to install this product, according to the manufacturer of the material.

In my sticks'n bricks home, I have two different brands of laminate flooring, and I've installed other types/brands in my rental properties, and in friends homes over the years. I have always followed the recommended install procedures of the company that made the product, and in every single case, it has worked as advertised.

So that's my take on it, but if others like to install using their own procedures, those may also work. I just don't have any experience doing it "my own way", vs what the manufacturer directs.

When you re-floor your trailer, take pictures and let us know how it comes out. Always looking to see how others do things to mod their trailer.

gmw photographics · 03-23-2016, 09:52 AM

A little further thought on flooring cracking in these trailers. I have sometimes wondered if part of the problem is that in places, the flooring is held "down" to the substrate by things like the cabinets. In those places, the flooring can't "float", as compared to for instance "in the middle of the room", it is allowed to float. During a contraction event ( very cold weather ), perhaps that is what is causing failure of the material.
All speculation on my part.

Hey....here's an idea, do as I did this winter.... I'm in Arizona right now wrapping up this winter stay ! There you go.... "I had to come down here where it's warm to protect my floor...."

Michigantraveler · 03-23-2016, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw photographics

A little further thought on flooring cracking in these trailers. I have sometimes wondered if part of the problem is that in places, the flooring is held "down" to the substrate by things like the cabinets. In those places, the flooring can't "float", as compared to for instance "in the middle of the room", it is allowed to float. During a contraction event ( very cold weather ), perhaps that is what is causing failure of the material.
All speculation on my part.

Hey....here's an idea, do as I did this winter.... I'm in Arizona right now wrapping up this winter stay ! There you go.... "I had to come down here where it's warm to protect my floor...."

We are considering one of these floors.
https://www.floorstoyourhome.com/vin...-products.html

Exactly! Our floor is the floor straight from the factory. Nothing tells us what brand it is, but it looks cheap to us. The cracks occurred at the entry between the closets and the kitchen wall and under the right dinette bench. The trailer was bought in Michigan and sold to us in Michigan.

gmw photographics · 03-23-2016, 02:32 PM

Regarding the choice of flooring, while I would not choose to put this beauflor in my sticks 'n bricks home, for me, it's fine for here in a camper. Miss Dog seems to find it ok !

...she sez.... I'm tired !!

gmw photographics · 03-23-2016, 02:37 PM

I looked at the link you have above. I agree that would be likely the easiest way to refloor one of these things when it's all together as they are with cabinets in place. I'd simply lay these down and leave the gap at the edges per instructions, and then add a simple piece of moulding to finish it off. This would be easy project completed in just a few hours. Show us some pictures when you do it if you would please.

Edit: although in my trailer this would not work as I have a flush-floor slideout.

Michigantraveler · 03-23-2016, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw photographics

I looked at the link you have above. I agree that would be likely the easiest way to refloor one of these things when it's all together as they are with cabinets in place. I'd simply lay these down and leave the gap at the edges per instructions, and then add a simple piece of moulding to finish it off. This would be easy project completed in just a few hours. Show us some pictures when you do it if you would please.

Edit: although in my trailer this would not work as I have a flush-floor slideout.

The hardest place would be the weirdly shaped bathroom. Maybe I would just skip doing it. There are videos online where people do re-floor with slide outs. But maybe not this thickness of flooring.

gmw photographics · 03-23-2016, 03:43 PM

yes, some of the earlier funfinders, the slide out was not flush floor, so that would be different than mine. In my case it's a non-issue anyway because I like my floor !