I have read all of the post concerning replacement of headliners, but my one question is how is the luan attached to the inside ceiling? We have a '90 38' Regency. We have stripped all of the headliner fabric. We have taken down the two ceiling lights and the AC/heat unit.

I see two sheets of luan with small screws into something above. At the back end it appears the sheet goes above the cabinets, and at the side it is held in place by the slanted luan that is about 8" wide and runs from the back of the coach to just past the doorway into the bedroom.

Some of the luan is sagging - so that just using 3M headliner spray will still result in a sag.

What can I attach the luan to? What is above the luan between it and the top of the coach?

Inquiring minds whan to know - and I am on a short time frame for solving this issue.

My thanks to all ~ Thom

Thom,

The luan headliner should be screwed to the aluminum framework in the ceiling with some fairly small flathead screws. If it is sagging, it may be a result of moisture expanding the panel and warping it. It has most likely pulled away from the braces - unless you have an identical sag in the roof above as seen from the outside. You should know that the cabinets were installed after the ceiling was installed and therefore will necessitate their removal if you plan to do a thorough job of repair. Some folks have seen fit to cut the luan at the cabinet edge and not remove them. This would work, but creates an open joint in the ceiling in front of the cabinet. This could cause some problems down the road with vibration and especially when walking on the roof as it would become a weak point and eventually bend the aluminum bracing downward.

3M spray contact adhesive works well to adhear new headliner material.

Bill G

One earlier post on this matter notes that he made patterns to fit the ceiling without removing the cabinets, cut thin luan panels (probably door skins), to the pattern, attached the fabric with the
panels flat on a table outside, then screwed the new fabric covered panels to the overhead.

Door skins weigh little, wouldn't add much more than the weight of the old fabric removed. If you have the slanty overhead cabinets, the seam would be hidden by the closed cabinet door, elsewhere you'd probably have to put up some finish molding.

A 2x2 aluminium piece if stock. If you have taken out the AC units then what you see is what you get.

I used some track lighting and pieces of stained wooden slats in some strategic places and installed a piece of highly polished diamond plating to hold and cover a few pieces that had a rip in it when I removed my center wall.

I would go into you coach first thing in the morning and you will see where all of the beams are from the dew. There are sheets of insulation up there as well.

If you can find something that will bolt up or if you wanted to use some screw covers that would be the easiest. If you want to get fancy then 3M makes some real good adheasive. I use there double sided tape on alot of items and have never had ANYTHING come loose.

Be warned that if you attach this to something you got to do it once as you will destroy anything that you try to remove.

I was able to locate some and have added a link for you. I do not buy this from them as I purchased locally from a body supply house.

http://www.autotoolmart.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_prod.ht...odid=9337&p_catid=48

Clean all items completely if you choose to go this route.

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http://www.truckroadservice.com/

[This message has been edited by Bill (edited November 14, 2005).]

Thanks to all ~ we are off today to work on the project.

Thom

Tom

My 1981 Euro Barth did not have a fabric headliner, only a colored luan headliner. The luan is attached to the ceiling braces with tiny colored flat head pop rivets. The rivets are almost invisable unlees you look very close at the headliner. I believe that this was the original factory installation.

Barry

I agree with Barry. My Euro is the same as his.

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Dan & Suzy Z
'81 Euro 28

DAY 1 - We removed all of the old headliner. Most of the cushion backing had crumbled, and fell down as we torn down the fabric. Quickly discovered that the backing ground into the carpet and stuck to the wooden floor in the kitchen as we walked back and forth. In sum - not an easy or neat job.

After taking down both ceiling lights and the AC/Heat unit, we were ready for the next step. We cleaned the luan, scraping what little backing remained on the luan from the headliner.

Next step - getting a shop-vac into the area to get up all that had dropped.

Now decision time: do we (A) take down all of the old luan, cut a pattern and put up new wood (B) put up strips over the luan to which we would attach new luan (C) quickly find an auto repair shop to install the new headliner.

We selected answer B. The hard part was that even after looking at the photos on this site concerning placement of metal framing in ceiling, deciding how far apart were the ceiling supports - clue: not 16" on center. Thanks to several pilot holes I drilled, and looking at the frame after we took out the lights and AC, we have been able to put up the wooden strips.

Our plan tomorrow is to plot out a checkboard pattern of wooden strips. We will then cut new squares of luan and to them attach either cloth headliner or vinyl. We will then attach those to the checkerboard pattern of our wooden strips. This is a "tip o' the hat" to Dale Smith who had posted a similar, but not the same, idea.

We shall take photos to document this activity. As anyone who has painted or hung wallpaper with their partner - it is becoming a true test of our 40 year marriage.

More later.

Thom

quote:

Originally posted by thomfeit:
As anyone who has painted or hung wallpaper with their partner - it is becoming a true test of our 40 year marriage.

Thom

LOL--I always thought erecting a metal shed was the supreme test.

Please post shots of a naked Barth ceiling.

DAY 2 ~ Well, this day did not go a quickly as yesterday. Several issues. First the backing off of the old headliner has crumbled and is into all of the carpet, and on the hardwood floor. A shop-vac helped to get most out, but there is still more to do.

We continued to "guess and try" where the cross beams were located in the ceiling. It does seem that the beams from side to side seem to be about 14" apart. By screwing up through the existing luan at about 1" intervals can lead one to the existing beams.

As we find one, and then plot out where the beam goes, we place the 1.5" wooden lathe. These will become the supports for the new luan. Instead of full sheets, we are going with smaller units, perhaps 24" x 36" or so.

Discovered the problem of screwing metal screws thru the luan and then into the metal beams. Tomorrow, I will come with a 1/16" metal tip drill bit. This will set the pilot hole to allow an easier job of working in an awkward position of sitting on the box over the engine and holding the drill over ones' head.

We did go in the afternoon to select the fabric for the new ceiling squares. After much discussion, we selected a vinyl with a woven pattern. The color will be in the tan family. We have also selected the new bedspread.

Two items of interest. When we removed the mattress, coming out of the engine compartment were two electric wires, each with a metal clip on the end - indicating that these attached to something else. No clue what was missing.

This next statement will cause great concern for some purist, we will be painting some of the wood to lighten the bedroom. Much the difference if you look at interior photos of pre'90 vs. '91+ units.

Well, tomorrow brings several family projects in the morning, but in the afternoon, back to the Barth to finish the firing strips placement on the ceiling.

Thom

The days have gone by, and we have worked on the new headliner. Photos to come later, but we have new luan, new fabric, on the ceiling. We replaced the ceiling lights with some airplane reading lights that can be adjusted. We have placed the fabric on the door fronts above the head of the bed.

It makes quite a change. Cost has been 2 sheets of luan = $11.50@, 6 yrds of fabric at $32 a yd - we choose not to use the typical headliner fabric, but a wonderful leather looking fabric with a woven pattern on the fabric.

More to come later. But just to let ones know that we have continued.

Thom

Go, go, go, go.

Good luck with the project and hope to see some pics soon.

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http://www.truckroadservice.com/