plywood under mattress - sealing?

[rfg]

Does anyone seal the plywood under their mattress with Thompson's Water Seal or something else? I noticed that after our 3 months in Alaska last summer we had some very small mildewed spots on the plywood.

 

[ckent323]

Two considerations for our mattresses with respect to water/condensation and mold:

1) When stored with the top down in conditions where condensation can occur (typically outside but even in an unheated garage) the camper manual says to remove the mattress and store it on edge in the aise of the camper.

2) The skin on our bodies expel (transpire) a lot of moisture while we sleep. When a mattress (in a house or in a camper) does not have a way for air to flow around it so it can evaporate then an environment for mold is created (I have seen this a few times under mattresses used directly on the floor for extended periods).

Suggestions for campers that are in continuous use:

A) Pull the mattress off the camper and put in the aisle before dropping the top or regularly air it out in the sun for several hours.

B Consider a system like the Froli springs which create an air space under the mattress (and also increases comfort according to several reviewers)

C) Consider a material called drymesh (there may be other similar brands) that is used by some sailors for this purpose

D) Perhaps look into a system something like the Slatsystem (aka: euro slat, flexible slat)
.

Search the forums on "Froli", "DrymMesh and slatsystem and you may find other ideas as well as user experiences with these systems.

We pull our mattress down and keep it in the aisle when we are not using the camper (either during driving or when the camper is stored).

Added: Sealing does not help with the moisture or condensation. Sealing will not help stop mold. If it is an older camper with particle board as part of the overcab floor it may help keep that from deterioration but it also needs to be sealed on the outside (rain will get it wet while driving). The newer campers have a laminated material to protect the plywood.

I hope that is of some help.

Regards,

Craig

 

[rfg]

<p>I fully realize that sealing does nothing to address the issue of condensation but was asking if anyone had sealed the plywood&nbsp; to protect it.</p>

 

[Bombsight]

Bucket list item for me: https://www.mattressinsider.com/mattress-condensation-prevention.html

 

[adrian]

Bombsight, I was wondering if the material you posted add comfort to the mattress, or is it for condensation only?

 

[Andy Douglass]

I would be hesitant to apply sealer or oil based paint to the bed. That stuff can take a long time to off-gas all the fumes and sleeping over it would probably give you a headache for a while.

 

[Bombsight]

Bombsight, I was wondering if the material you posted add comfort to the mattress, or is it for condensation only?

I would think the padded aspect of it wouldn't be of much importance. I have a two inch memory foam on top of mattress and I sleep very well ... even with a herniated c6 from surfing Mexico in the early '90s.

I may drill a series of 2" holes (door knob style) on the slider board under the mattress for better air flow.

 

[longhorn1]

Get a roll of Marine Hyper-vent. Cut it to fit the area after pulling out the slide
When you push the slide in lift up the hypervent and push the slide in. The hypervent matches up with the edge of the slide so when you sleep you are level. The hypervent allows complete air flow at all times.jd

 

[Andy Douglass]

Looking at the hypervent and aire-flow, which are the same price and look like it would cost about $150 to get enough for a queen-size area, I stumbled across this:

https://www.amazon.com/3M-3004-7825-09065-Mildew-Block/dp/B000BEXWVY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500258134&sr=8-1&keywords=3M+MARINE+MILDEW+BLOCK

Doesn't prevent condensation, but seems like it would be a good cheap way to "seal" the wood. I don't think I've ever used a 3M product that didn't do what it was supposed to.

 

[flinchlock]

I have had HypeVent in our '08 ATC Cougar and it does help some.

BUT, it will eat the "plywood" finish off the paneling!

I had to use double sided tape to fasten some white vinyl lattice to the sides of the bed area. I think the lattice I used was 1/4" x 1-1/2" x 8' I cut into two 4' pieces.

Mike

 

[ckent323]

The best stuff I know of for fighting mold is "Mold Blaster".

http://www.ecolifeproducts.ca/files/Ecolife%20cleaner%20info/Flyers/TDS-ecolife-Mold-Blaster1.pdf

That written it is a treatment not a cure. If you want to get rid of mold, get rid of the moisture.


Regards,

Craig

 

[PackRat]

Hmmm...OK, you can use many kinds of cleaners in the off season to kill and remove the mold if you have it developing however I think Prevention beats the heck out of dealing with it. That may be difficult when camping in the winter, but in the summer there is no reason one can't devote a few hours in the sun every few days which will of course stop the problem in the mattress as HEAT usually does the dirty deed for you to kill any mold and at the same time will evaporate any moisture wicked away by your body. At the same time a quick wipe down of something that kills mold without lingering around until you go to bed at night of the woodwork should be easy enough to do.

If you have the option of removing the mattress and bagging it (and any other cushions) in for storage in the heated garage when you stop camping for the season, that should be helpful as well. That will help keep them from getting a musty smell.

Mold is a lot like RUST, a PITA to get rid of but easier to prevent in most places.