Wallpaper & Glue & Insulation...oh my.

[SailAwy]

Hi everyone,

Have been making great progress with our refit so far and started tearing out the old and crusty, yet fashionable wallpaper that is plaguing our interior.

We plan to use some type of insulation since we plan to go to higher latitudes at some point, plus I believe it'll also benefit even in warmer climates. My question is, the glue that is currently stuck to the inside of the hull that was gripping on to the wallpaper for dear life is pretty evenly applied throughout. Instead of using a solvent or sanding it down to bare hull, do you suppose there's any reason to remove it and just use it, as well as a better adhesive to tack on the sheets of insulation?

Also, what type of material for insulation have you all had decent luck with? Something thin, ideally?

Any insight is always appreciated!

[Pete7]

I am currently using this stuff with the intention of adding a layer of vinyl over the top. The glue is already applied but does need heating up when applying.

https://www.hawkehouse.co.uk/product...-double-sided/

If I was planning going somewhere really cold I would be looking for 1/2" or more closed cell foam. The closed cell type doesn't absorb moisture.

You might get away with using a carpet type glue over the existing glued surface, try a test piece. If not then it's a dreadful job removing the glue. If you have lots of space behind cabinets for example, then you could also add the modern foil / fluffy insulation. We have a roll of 1/2" which has 19 layers of foil in it. This will cut down radiated heat from escaping into the hull.

Mads from Sail life on You tube did his earlier yacht with sleeping mats so worth watching. It will be one of his earlier videos.

https://www.youtube.com/user/madsdahlke

Pete

[jpendoley]

Depending on access, Urethane spray foam-the kind they use for spraying buildings can be very effective. You can buy it in big box stores in smaller quantities and spray to a pretty uniform thickness. You will have to sand it smooth-but it sands like butter. Messsy process, but easy to achieve one or two inches of insulation that iss firmly glued to the hull. You can then cover it with whatever you like-I used battens. Cooler in summer, quieter and much, much warmer and drier in the winter.

[SailAwy]

Thanks for the reply. I'll look into that material.

Any thoughts on just leaving the existing layer of glue and just gluing over it when I go to add my layers of insulation?

[jpendoley]

Originally Posted by SailAwy

Thanks for the reply. I'll look into that material.

Any thoughts on just leaving the existing layer of glue and just gluing over it when I go to add my layers of insulation?

The sprayed urethane foam will stick to anything. So if you peeled off the old vinyl you could spray right over the surface the vinyl was glued to. It would probably adhere to the vinyl as well but I’d want a more solid substrate for the foam to stick to. If you do go this route you may want to glass in vertical stringers so you have something to screw battens to when you’re done with the foam

[Greg Mason]

I would be very careful using any type of solvent glue with any kind of foam insulation. There are special types of adhesive for foams. I did a headliner in one of my boats, and glued on cork that came in a roll about 24" or maybe 36" and about 1/2" thick. Sound was reduced and condensation non-existent.

[jpendoley]

If his vinyl has been glued on for a long time-its likely long past the point where it would cause a problem. When I tore of the vinyl paper from my old pearsons hull, the old glue was as hard as concrete. the urethane foam was sprayed right oveer the remaining old adhesive and it has held up fine. In my caser, I think the adhesive was dried contact cement.

[grahamb]

....there is a product made by Armstrong Nylex…...called ' Armaflex ' sheets..….in various thicknesses......easy to cut to size ……….soft...….widely used in the HVACR industries...….for insulation of chillers, etc...they have appropriate glues and a surface paint too....it is closed cell of course ...and meets a host of Standards...….

[Martkimwat]

A word of caution, some kinds of adhesives react with the plasticisers in the vinyl which then prevents the glue from setting and you end up with a horrible gooey mess. This happened to me about twenty five years ago when I was sticking vinyl headlining into a boat ( new build sailaway type for home completion) I stuck it all up with the supplied adhesive and a week later the whole lot came unstuck and I was confronted with a horrible gooey mess which I had to use a load of cellulose thinners clean off. Not nice. even though the vinyl had a thin foam backing, it was not enough to prevent the esters from the vinyl from leaching through and they are what stops the vinyl from becoming rigid, with similar effects on the adhesive! The trick was to apply adhesive to the substrate and allow to dry and then just a lightest mist coat of the adhesive on the back of the vinyl, even then I had a few bits where I had to clean off and do it again. Modern vinyls now have a thicker foam backing to try and prevent this but it. is still a potential problem.

[Islander36Kairo]

As far as the insulation, at least on the hull, I had great success using mechanical duct fiberglass insulation blanket. (special fiberglass that won't mold when wet) I used adhesive backed "stick pins" to install the insulation ( a common mechanical insulation supply). Simply cut a pattern for the area, install a collection of these stick pins in a "W" pattern, approximately 12"-16" apart, impale the insulation blanket on the pins, place the supplied washers over the pin and insulation, and bend the pin over to hold all in place. make sure your hull is dry when you install.
I'm not sure about adhering over existing adhesive, you could try a test area.
Good Luck

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Pete7

.. If you have lots of space behind cabinets for example, then you could also add the modern foil / fluffy insulation. We have a roll of 1/2" which has 19 layers of foil in it. This will cut down radiated heat from escaping into the hull...

Radiant barriers consist of a highly reflective material that reflects radiant heat, rather than absorbing it. To be effective, the reflective surface must face an air space, of at least 1.0 inch (2.5 cm).
They don't, however, reduce heat conduction like thermal insulation materials.
Multi layer insulation is composed of multiple layers of thin, reflective material, and is used to reduce radiative heat transfer. While very effective radiant barriers, these layers often include materials with high thermal conductivity. Due to the presence of conductive materials, MLI is most effective in high vacuum environments. It is an ideal insulator in outer space, where radiation is abundant and convection and conduction are virtually nonexistent.

[Chotu]

While we are on this subject, does anyone know of a one step process for this? Something you can put over a rough surface that will produce a nice finished smooth surface?

I have to admit I am shocked to hear wallpaper as a finish. But maybe that’s the way to go? I have bare, unfinished fiberglass in large areas that need to be turned to a smooth white surface. How would you do that?

Needs to be lightweight as well. Most people are just using epoxy filler, sanding it, and then spraying it with two part polyurethane. This is too much work.

The substrate is Fiberglass with the weave showing. Laminated with epoxy.

[Pete7]

Can't see wall paper lasting long on a boat. However, vinyl either foam backed or plain produces an acceptable easily cleaned finish, that's why the manufacturers use it to cover less than flat surfaces.

Pete

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Radiant barriers consist of a highly reflective material that reflects radiant heat, rather than absorbing it. To be effective, the reflective surface must face an air space, of at least 1.0 inch (2.5 cm).

Yes, this is the stuff I am going to use behind the panels and furniture.

https://www.wickes.co.uk/YBS-Superqu...-Roll/p/166805

[Chotu]

And any ideas for a type of mud or spackle that is extremely easy to sand, almost like house drywall, but that will stick to very rough, cured epoxy?

Yet is not epoxy?

This is interior stuff. Not exterior.

Even an extremely thick "paint" could work to fill the weave of the fiberglass. Something like that?