Tiling 1980 Winnebago Brave

[Pancholina2021]

Hello to everybody,

My girlfriend uncle just gave us his 1980 Winnebago Brave. We have to do a lot on the inside and we're trying to figure it out what to do with the bathroom.

We're thinking in using a pre made shower pan and tiling the walls because we don't like that plastic stuff.

Any suggestions or advice??

THANK YOU!

[Grit_dog]

Build a shower surround out of lighter weight/flexible materials. There are many, much better suited than tile.
One thing that would work well and look cool is snap lock flooring, the waterproof kind. If you install it right. But will still require a little creativity and skill.

[Pancholina2021]

Hello! Thank you all for the replies, they're been super helpful.

We wanted to something nice, mechanically the rig is in good shape (only 54K miles) so we're guessing we still have a few years to enjoy it, We're not planning any trip across the country, is more to enjoy the weekends here in CO, but, we hear you.

Again, thank you for the replies, if any of you have recommendations for the shower, please, let us know.

[Rick_Jay]

Hi Pancholina2021,

Welcome to the Forums!

As others have said, tile in a motorhome is not usually a good idea. Now if it was a large, heavy DP (diesel pusher) with air suspension and strong, rigid floor and walls, that might be different. Plus tile & backer board is heavy, and weight is quite likely something you should try to minimize in that rig. And, of course, that heavy tile and backer need to be securely fastened. Walls in most RV's are not known for their strength. They separate one space from another, hide wires & plumbing and hold switches and stuff. But don't ask them to support shelves or heavy objects like the walls in a stick-built home can do. (Come to think of it...I don't know how well those walls would do either, if they got bounced down the road at 45 MPH! LOL)

While we don't know the general condition of the rig you inherited, a 40+ year old motorhome might have limited life in it, depending upon how much money you're willing to throw at it when things fail.

My recommendation is to get if functional using the lightest and cheapest materials which are easy to install and readily available.

Again, Welcome & Good Luck,

~Rick

[jdc1]

Yea....don't do it. The grout will crack every time you hit a bump. I would find a happy compromise, using a solid surface material such as cultured marble or acrylic. Easier to care for. Easier to install. Oh...when it comes to shower ans, you get what you pay for. The less expensive pans are very thin. I would also use spray foam as a base for the pan, reaching as many places as possible. You will have a firmer base doing that.

[Lwiddis]

Your 1980 Winnie is a classic and I wouldn't do anything to it "different." Keep it as original as you can.

[gbopp]

How are you going to use the Brave? Will it be driven on a regular basis or, be permanently parked?

If it will be driven often you should consider the weight of the tile and backerboard. Plus, how will the tile stand up to the constant bouncing and flexing while being driven?

Think about before you start to tile.

[Pancholina2021]

Ok. Dang it! Thank you for replying.

[way2roll]

Hopefully this gets moved to a more fitting section. The Forum posting help is for technical issues with the site itself. This should probably go in the DIY or Class A section.