FALSE bottom on overhead cabinets?

[poppinjohnnies]

Sent: 3/5/2006

I have seen a reference in another posting to a false bottom on the overhead storage cabinets. I have some ceiling damage due to a leak around the overhead vent and also over the sleeping bunk up front due to leaking around the marker lights. The ceiling material has bubbled and pulled away in several spots. I think I will replace the damaged sections with vinyl wallboard material that someone else on the board used in their remodel. My wife and I tried to lower the cabinets the other night and were unsuccessful. We removed every screw visible to us, but something was still holding the cabinets to the wall. We thought it was some sort of adhesive.

I saw someone mention the "false bottom" of the cabinets. How do we remove it? Are there other screws holding the cabinet to the wall under it?

Thanks, Bryan. (poppinjohnnies)

[The_Handier_Man1]

Sent: 3/5/2006

Bryan,  I had to think back when I replaced the roof on Wilbur and took down all the cabinets.  Most of the screws in mine were rusted off.  They only went into the thin plywood and foam anyway. There was a space between the outside and inside of the cabinet walls that had screws into the ceiling.  Good luck,  Les

[Weavebago]

Sent: 3/5/2006

some of the cabinets have a false bottom in them for wiring to the lights and some of the screws are very hard to get at, just ask TJ!!!!

[Oz]

Sent: 3/6/2006

I added a light fixture under my cabinets above the sink.  To get at the wiring I had to remove the "false bottom".  I used a couple of thin, flat-nose screwdrivers and wedged them in along the edge adjoining the cabinet face and carefully pried up, working the tools along until the staples started letting go.  Once I had a section lifted, the rest came up easily.  Once I had the panel up, I did my work and just tapped it back in place.

- Sob

[Slantsixness]

Sent: 3/14/2006

All of the wall cabinets, and a couple of my floor cabinets have "false bottoms" it easily facilitates running wires, outlets, lighting and of course attaching the cabinets to the walls!

Most of the winnie cabinets are attached with 3" phillips head  machine screws (yes that's right, they're not wood screws) they are also attached to the roof using heavy and long staples. In restoring my winnie, I did not use the edge ribbon commonly found in all winnies, and I actually built the cabinetry from scratch in place, rather than building a cabinet then installing it. You'll find that most winnies are certainly not square! I have a 2" difference in the width between the ceiling and floor, side to side in the rear. It's almost impossible to tell in the front, but the floor panels (behind the grille and the nose are different sizes too! It "looks" square though, but it's not. The second winnie I have is even farther out of square than Smurfbago!

After rebuilding, replacing and even making entirely new cabinets in my Winnie I have found that Winnebago's construction techniques were a lot sturdier than I had first anticipated. All of the rear and top framing on my cabinetry is glued to the walls with liquid nails, and screwed with the same machine type screws also. There are details in my photo album, Restoring Smurfbago . I left the false bottoms in all the old and new construction cabinets. it's a whole lot easier than trying to fish a wire through a thermopanel!

You can build your own customized cabinetry very easily.

Let me know if you need any help.

Tom

[poppinjohnnies]

Sent: 3/19/2006

We got the cabinets down! I should have had help with the first (big) one. It tried to crush me. I had help with #2. Anyway, they're down, the ceiling is stripped of the vinyl wallpaper and the plastic shower board material has been purchased. The guy at Home Depot said that you need to use this special glue made by Liquid Nails that is applied with a trowel to the ceiling. I'll give it a shot when the weather warms up a bit. Has anyone ever worked with this stuff before?

[The_Handier_Man1]

Sent: 3/19/2006

Bryan,  If you are using FRP you need to use the proper glue.  If the liquid nails says it's for FPR it should work.  The wrong stuff can show thru the material later.  Are you gluing to strong plywood?  Some glue will melt the foam insulation but there again read the instructions on the glue.  Also be careful of fumes.  Inside a MH can get real enclosed without the wind blowing.  Set up a fan if needed.  Don't work with to large of pieces.  Have plenty of hands to apply pressure to the sheets or have braces to hold until the glue dries.  Best of luck,   Les

[poppinjohnnies]

Sent: 3/19/2006

That's what it is called -- FRP! The liquid nails stuff that I bought is specifically for FRP. The guy told me to apply it to the ceiling and wait about 20 min. for it to flash, then stick on the FRP. How long do I need to stand there with my hands against the ceiling? I thought I should wait until a warm afternoon (if we ever get one) to do this because I thought the stuff would work better. The plywood is in decent shape for the most part. There are a few "problem" areas from a prior leak, though.