Best Glue For Interior Plywood Walls

[carolineelle]

Hi everyone, 

We are relining the interior walls of our Franklin Arrow caravan with Caravan ply from Forest1 and am wondering what the best glue would be for the job. We asked the guys at Forest1 and they just said they supply the material they don't know anything about gluing it ().

Anyhooo, I've scoured these forums but still didn't come up with a definitive answer on what glue to use. From what I've read it needs to be water based or Polyurethane - is that right?

There is no frame (aside from top and bottom) - just need to glue the plywood to the polystyrene insulation stuff that's behind the walls so want to make sure we don't destroy the insulation. 

Also, does anyone have any tips on the best way to get the glue on the plywood sheet and get the sheet up on the walls without too much hassle, as they are so big??

Thanks in advance!

[grandad]

Reading from this post onwards in my rebuild thread should give you some insight.
You are on the right path with a water-based adhesive. Secondary to that is how easily it can be spread.
Clamping the ply to the walls while the glue is drying is critical. If you're doing it in situ, that might entail props from the opposite wall.

vintagecaravans.proboards.com/post/111616/thread

Jim

[carolineelle]

Hi Jim, I did read your full post, it was very helpful. Thanks!

The van is complete so we don't have the option to clamp the plywood to the walls. I'm not too sure that using props from the opposite wall would work either because it is so flimsy without any plywood or cabinets. If you push on the wall from the inside it just sort of bends and pushes out. Perhaps propping by pushing against the floor might work (??).

Just when we think we have everything figured out with this reno, something else pops up!! )

[Mustang]

I used Caravan Ply also.
For the adhesive I used "Liquid Nails" cheap & gives you time to position, the glue will stay in position on the ply, then spreads out without fuss.
I used telescopic tent poles to hold the ply untill the glue went off.

[Koala]

I would not use anything other than Sika Supergrip 30 minutes. One advantage is that it will swell as it dries and fill small imperfections in the surfaces. Just be aware that when it sticks you will not get it apart again.
I have also used liquid nails and been disappointed with the results.
www.bunnings.com.au/sika-310ml-supergrip-30-minute-adhesive_p1210254

Ken

[grandad]

Looking this photo from your other thread personally, I would place some vertical timbers, say 70x35 Radiata studs, on each wall. Maybe 3 per 1200mm sheet of ply. 
Then place the props, which could be something like 45x19 pine cut maybe 12mm longer than the horizontal distance jammed in between. The slight bend should be all the pressure you need. 
If you use a PVA style glue like I did, not a whole lot of pressure is required. About the same amount as someone pushing lightly against the wall. just so long as contact is maintained.

Do one sheet at a time. 

I'll ask Ken, (Koala) to comment on my suggestion using his recommended adhesive. I'm unfamiliar with it.

Jim

[carolineelle]

Thanks for the advice so far.

We are still a little bit away from actually getting these walls and roofs done inside, there are still some things we need to fix up on the outside to make it waterproof but that should hopefully be done in the next couple of weeks.

At this point we have decided to go with Sika Instant Nails Fast for the plywood. This was one of the few ones we could find that is suitable for polystrene - pretty much all others said not suitable for the styrene. And will just do one panel at a time propping each one so it sticks properly.

So over the past few weeks, we have just been plodding along with it whenever we have time. My Dad was able to completely re-do the door. It was falling apart and we didn't want to go out and buy one as we probably wouldn't have been able to get one to match the year of the van so we were so happy he was able to fix it up nice and solid. We have also been strengthening the frame around the door and just fixing up some bits of the frame that were a bit rotten in parts.

We spent a bit of time trying to fix up that front bulkhead that had been smashed into a tree. I'll pop a before and after photo below. We have gotten it to where I think it's the best we can do. The middle front part of it is still a bit bubbly and round which I'd still like to try to make more like the shape it should be but if we can't I'm ok with the result. Obviously, there's a lot of creases and dents around on the side but not much we can do about that without replacing the whole thing and hopefully once cleaned up and painted look as bad.

The next couple of weeks we are focussing on cleaning up the trims, filling the many, many, many rivet holes that have been put all over the place on the outside and getting the skylight in. Once that's all done we'll be good to get started on the interior.

IMG_2399 by Caroline Elle, on Flickr

IMG_3601 by Caroline Elle, on Flickr

IMG_3602 by Caroline Elle, on Flickr

[aussieute]

It came up well considering the damage aluminium stretches so easy good job cheers chris