stunning how much the fg looks like ground beef with pink slime

No more ground beef. And hopefully, no more smell.

Update:

AC unit back together and bench tested as working, blowing cold air. Good enough for me to reinstall once ceiling work is finished.



With the headliner sagging badly and the backing foam deteriorated and leaving impressions (lots of threads here on this issue) I debated how to remedy this without going through the trouble of taking down the cabinets, but in the end, the mouse nest problem demanded attention.

I decided to go ahead with complete cabinet removal once I took down the front ceiling panel enough to peek above an find this:



Panels are coming down and removal of existing nests is proceeding. I'm not sure if the insulation was there to begin with, or if the little buggers brought it in because it doesn't appear to have been place everywhere. My first clue was the rooftop AC, and this really goes to show what can happen if a MH is stored w/out taking anti-rodent precautions.



I have more photos to post and I'm at the back of the coach now, but the Barth is off getting mechanical inspection, so I'm stalled for a couple of days. Now I'm wondering (with all the insulation talk going on) if I should put in new fiberglass, solid foam, or other inslulation before replacing the ceiling. And I'm up in the air about material for the new ceiling as well. I've been to Lowes and they have some nice birch wainscot panels that might look nice... I could also cut new luan panels and glue upholstery fabric to it. Choices, choices.

our 89 got padded vinyl (kind a sand color) from the factory, easy to clean and does not collect dust and smells. Also keeps it insulated.

The padded vinyl sounds real nice. On mine the headliner was replaced at some time before I bought the coach. They left the cabinets up, removed all the trim and installed new headliner, whoever did the work did a fantastic job. It took me quite a while before I realized the fabric was a different color then whats in the cabinets and closets. Plus that area sags.

You can buy new headliner material by the yard.

I really like the headliner look, however the padded vinyl sounds like it would look great too.

I had to do this on our SOB before we found our Barth and I chose to install thin wall pvc pipe throughout the ceiling and run all the wires through it. I added 2 extra colored wires (blue and pink) in each and terminated them in the overhead compartments. Then I used unfaced fiberglass batts with spray adhesive (just enough to hold it up) and installed the plastic sheeting with 1/8 foam covered with vinyl screwed to the ceiling trusses. This made for much improved cooling and heating and we have spares if the wiring fails or new equipment requires cabling. Lots of work, but you are half way there now.

Tom,

I really liked your ideas and used Marvin & Doris and your suggestions (along with a strong vote of approval from Elise) and went with vinyl. While I did glue on the bubble/metallic thin insulation on top, I was running out of time on my vacation and did not do the fiberglass batts and extra wiring.

---

Here is the ceiling cleaned of nests:





New panels were purchased and cut to size. I used 3M #08090 Yellow Super Adhesive for vinyl and heavy headliners. Trouble was that I used 12 cans of the stuff @ $16 per can. (ouch! ) If I were to do this again, I would go to a custom car interior shop and buy a gallon of the stuff they use and then buy a cheap spray gun. Would have been quicker and maybe even less expensive in the long run. I didn't use any foam backing underneath the vinyl figuring why have it just deteriorate again with age... plus I kind of like the very flat surface of the vinyl glued directly to the wood panel.

Photos of my set-up for gluing the vinyl and the insulated back:

---

I got the panels all finished in the garage, but had to wait for help to get them up. I continued with other projects, namely the new cooling unit for the fridge. It had finally arrived, so I attended to that. Here are the before and after pics of the refrigerator compartment and the fridge on the dinette seat bottoms waiting for the new cooling unit. I did not take any photos of that process, but wish I had. Fridge is now back in place, but I have not had a chance to test it yet . Still waiting to get help getting the AC unit back up on the roof.

---

I got my dad to stop over last Monday and we put the new ceiling panels up. We even got a few of the cabinets back in place and I've been re-wiring this past week. Doors are on and new gas struts have been installed (these work great), but no newer pics than the ones below. More photos as I get the job completely finished.










Kirk

FYI - Upholstery shops use Weldwood Contact Cement and thin as directed then sprayed. About $20 per gallon at Walmart. Never apply indoors without a painters mask-the ones with the 2 micron charcoal filters! It will kill you if abused.

That ceiling looks great! Ditto on the contact cement (and the fumes!)

Great Job!! Really looking nice.

Sounds like you bought a rebuit cooling unit for your fridge, that saved some big bucks.

Nice looking job - well thought out and documented

Thanks for all the kudos. I did want to use contact cement as my adhesive, but I wasn't sure it would hold the vinyl as well. Guess I know now. I did use a respirator while spraying the 3M stuff.


So, I've got everything back together except for the roof AC... does anyone want to drive up to PA and lend me a hand getting the unit back on the roof? Actually, Elise's son is supposed to help... he's an engineer and we should be able to figure something out. Maybe someone has a suggestion, short of renting a crane.

---

---

Photos of new ceiling from rear:








I had to add new trim molding around the fridge as that was the only place I cut the existing ceiling panels for removal. I tried to find something that matched the cabinets, but I'm still stumped as to what kind of wood they made this Barth with. I stained some oak cove to a close match and I think it looks okay.








Finally, a picture of a Barth re-modeler's best friend. The driver has a quick release tip, is lightweight and small enough to get into tight spaces. I was frustrated with my 18V. monster drill and one night I went down to Lowes and saw this Bosch unit. I think perhaps it's one of my better tool purchases.






Thanks to all who had fine suggestions while I undertook this enormous project (for me anyway). Hopefully Elise and I will get to take the Barth out for at least a wine trail weekend this fall. And I'm already looking forward to next summer!

I think your wood look like stained cherry. Great looking job.

Place a 12' extension ladder against the side of the coach with pads to protect the roof area and use a block and tackle or just a rope and pull it up the rails of the ladder. Cover the under side so no damage occurs and then two people can easily get it up. Took us about five minutes.

I used a ladder to slide mine up also. I put the AC in the bed of my pickup, parked in front of the coach. I leaned the ladder from the truck bed to the coach roof. Two of us were able to slide the AC up the ladder (AC was still on the wooden pallet and we slid it up on a piece of carpet.) Same thing worked for my spare tire...

What a nice looking lob on the ceiling! Massive job indeed. I think you've qualified for the Barth "crazy man project of the month/year" status!
I'm thinking you're already a Barth junkie... we got ya! (You know, you can actually DRIVE these things, too!)