Damp on plywood under mattresses
Submitted: Tuesday, Jul 19, 2011 at 22:56
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lizzyb74
I'd appreciate your advice here!
We drive a Coromal camper - the sort that winds up and then the beds pull out at each end. Has mostly canvas walls.
We get damp under the mattresses which I assume is due to lack of air circulating.
We've been propping the mattresses up high and letting the damp dry out. Unfortunately it never gets completely dry before we want to either go to sleep or pack the van up. Also the plywood is starting to discolour.
I've been searching thru archives of forums about this, and see that some people suggested putting a cotton blanket or outdoor carpet under the mattresses. Others suggested drilling holes in the plywood to allow for circulation.
We aren't keen on the cotton blanket or carpet as it would still let the damp in, just has something else absorbing the damp instead of the mattress.
The holes idea sounds good, but how do we drill them to work and still maintain the structural integrity of the ply???
OR
do we need to look at painting something on the plywood (which is currently unsealed)?
OR
can you offer any other ideas?
Thank you :)
Reply By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 07:31
Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 07:31
Our previous CT had a foam mattress on a steel base, same problems with moisture, needed to be completely aired every 2nd day.
Problem went away when we ordered a "CT custom made" inner spring one from one of the manufacturers you see in the back of the CT Magazines. The mattress has air holes in the side.
We then bought a 2004 Kimberly Kamper with a foam mattress, but has holes about 50mm and problem still occurs, but to a far less extent. Needs to be aired every few to several days in humid environments
Suggestion is the holes in the plywood, or buy an inner spring mattress specifically for CT
AnswerID:
460379
Reply By: Member - res.q.guy (Vic.) - Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 07:53
Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 07:53
Hi
We had the same problem many many years ago with a Jayco camper.
We glued a builders insulating product on to the ply wood under the mattress.
Don't know it's name, but it came in 8' x 4' sheets, I think, and was made up of a 1/2" sheet of polystyrene with a silver foil lining on one side.
It was a little difficult to transport and handle, so I remember either cutting it in half or to size, at the hardwae
shop to get it
home.
It seemed to work for us.
Cheers
Neil
AnswerID:
460380
Reply By: splits - Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 20:19
Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 20:19
My wife and I had this problem in a caravan many years ago. After being without a van or camper for about twenty years, we built a
home made slide on and needed a mattress. We went to a company that made rubber cushions etc under contract for furniture manufacturers and asked their advice on the type of mattress we should buy and the moisture problem. We were told the moisture is caused by the type of foam. They claimed they could make us a mattress utilising two different density foams that would not get moisture under it.
We selected the rubber, they sliced it off huge blocks and glued it together. We have been using it in two different campers for nine years without any trace of moisture. It has been everywhere from the tropics to snow on bare plywood bases exactly the same as the old caravan. There are no holes or any other kind of ventilation or absorbent materials under it.
AnswerID:
460445