Peeling wood effect foil

Just found today , on arrival at site in York , a 6 inch square section of plastic wood effect  foil of the inner edge of wardrobe door has detached itself from the mdf core and is flapping free. On closer inspection all the  overhead lockers are affected too where upper light wood colour meets the chrome horizontal stripe and foil is detached over  about 1 inch heading away from the chrome strip upwards. Pressing the foil back into place reveals it is short by a mm or two so is in effect shrinking! 
      Has anyone experienced this from 2014 forwards ie light wood upper separated by dark wood lower using the chrome strip?   I give up and have had a gut full of A/s 'superior build quality' What a sad joke. Every time we  use the van for a few days precious time away I  end up with more grief to repair the latest faults on returning home . Anyone have a spare set of new doors? We just know A/s have never heard of this ever happening to any of their vans.

K, no help at all im afraid, but i was just wondering if this 'foil covering' is stretched when fitted to the surface it covers, to give a smooth effect, hence why it appears to be 'shrinking' once the adhesive fails.

when at the NEC last week, i was aware that even some (proper) top brands were using foil to give 'unusual wood' effects....obviously either not possible or too expensive to do in real wood.

on some vans the 'default' cabinet material was 'real wood' (nice) but to move to,the optional 'upgraded' finishes, it became foil covered 'stuff' (not nice).

less is definitely more £££££s, work that out

Yep had that on the Topaz, used to sit there waiting for the next crack on the plastic to appear, covering coming off the wardrobe door etc. Reported to Mr Curry usual reply at first," wear and tear", did eventually get most of it fixed on deal which still cost me £1000 and a weeks hire of a holiday house in Broadway.

I still went and bought another A/S brand new.
I try and not look to closely at the Warwick and just enjoy it.
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Richard

I think there has been a fairly recent report of same problem to someone's overhead locker that the shrinkage will leave the mdf exposed (glaringly a different colour) that is difficult to ignore. We recently discovered the foil has peeled away from the edge of the below sink cupboard but not so obvious as say, eye level. Will probably carefully mask up the area to avoid any over spray from the instant contact adhesive. On our previous Broadway, the washroom door peeled away along one edge effectively creating a full length envelope. Had to open the gap sufficiently so the spray adhesive would cover the entire surface. Then like hanging wallpaper, expelling the air pockets and finally use masking tape to hold down the edging. Finished by choosing the correct felt tip colour brown to disguise the mdf.

The peeling of of the wood effect foil is not just attributed with M/Hs.
When we bought our new kitchen we were advised to stay clear of this type of construction.
After months of the kettle boiling or the heat from a toaster/dish washer.......all bad news to these types of construction.

PB

Kaspian,

We have the same issue on the overhead cabinet doors, all but one of them, exactly as you describe.  Right now it's not vexing us as it's only noticeable at really close range, as per the photograph below.  Any further away and the chrome strip tends to take the eye off being able to spot the gap.

I plan to leave it until it ever becomes worse, at which point I will more than likely replace the existing chrome strips with something 2 or 3 mm wider, which can cover the gap.  I agree it shouldn't have to be necessary, and it's a good example of the AS designer prioritising unnecessarily fussy aesthetics over resilience.  I'd have preferred a single colour, uninterrupted foil wrap on the doors, which would have avoided the problem at the outset.

I've just looked at some pictures of a 2020 Warwick XL and the overhead cabinet doors are the same design, so the issue is likely to occur again and again. At least we didn't pay £62995 for our van, which is what the 2020 models are now priced at.  Otherwise I might have been less phlegmatic!

Tim

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PB, indeed, the newly installed kitchen unit above the cooker suffered the same after seven hours of steaming the homemade Christmas pudding. The units of this mid priced kitchen were of chip board construction that of course are not resilient to steam/water damage, readily expanding like wheatabix!! Thereafter Xmas puds were cooked on a camping stove in the garden. Nowadays shop bought puddings are done in the microwave. Experience in our Van(s) suggest the foil did shrink for some unexplained reason rather than behaviour of the cabinet material beneath.

Oh if only I was a member of the owners club and if lucky , enough owners brought it to the attention of the officials who then perhaps deemed it a worthy cause to bring to the attention of  the factory at a meet....... Then again who cares if the interior of  a 60 plus thousand pound van looks as though you made it yourself using a  blunt axe  and some dodgy  DIY. We wouldnt want to upset those sensitive souls at the factory.  Any owners club members willing to highlight the issue an help us all out? 
     Yes Tim that is exactly my issue and from what I now read we are not the only ones. I have never experienced this issue with any caravan or motorhome we have owned until we bought an  A/s. As you say a bodge could be carried out by stripping the chrome trim and replacing with one a touch wider after glueing down the foil BUT WHY SHOULD WE. This is a quality issue.  Possibly the same fate awaits anyone with the new light 'wood ' interior from 2014 onwards....
    Our van is a lightly used van,  rarely used to cook anything in  , let alone steam Christmas puddings in fir 6 hours  and is cared for like your daddy's Rolls royce! I go out of my way to care for and meticulously maintain the van but am constantly thwarted by criminally poor build quality . If it happens to our van and is not a batch issue then the same fate awaits ALL owners . Heaven help us !

We had AS replace all of our overhead cabinet doors on our Kingham (well they did most of them and the rest are booked in) as the laminate was peeling. Had to send a door back to AS to prove the defect which took our dealer too long, and apparently the newer models are using a different covering.

yes have seen the same issues on our 2014 lockers, four locker doors were replaced by dealer before we picked our van up. seem to recall that they had a big problem with getting any at first from A/S something about no more supplies, would have to have ten made even if you only wanted one. left hand , right hand , middle, small front different sizes etc.
wardrobe door is showing most delamination along opening edge now. would be interested in " what is the best glue available for the job" ?
I believe there was not enough long term testing / design of the materials under real world conditions regarding interior vans hot and cold season temperatures.
hopefully a cabinet maker will come along and give us all the best info on glues and technics to give a long term cure to this problem.

babian wrote:
wardrobe door is showing most delamination along opening edge now. would be interested in " what is the best glue available for the job" ?

As mentioned previously, the expanse of delamination on our washroom door, you could have climbed into if it was not still attached top and bottom. Using a long thin stick to prise open the laminate so as to allow the contact adhesive spray to reach as much of the inner surface as possible. The process has to be quick over such a large area, not to hesitate, thereafter squeegee the laminate down to avoid any trapped air bubbles or lumps as the adhesive almost dries on contact. Make sure to not over spray on surrounding surfaces.

I've had the edge of washroom door come away, just used a two-part epoxy glue and clamped it overnight which so far is fine.

If AS recognise this as a problem and have had to undertake warranty work, and have changed to a different covering for newer models, then one might think it reasonable to expect them to correct the problem even for vans that are out of warranty.  I'm just thinking aloud really.  I can well imagine what their response would be.  I guess it would be different if it was a safety issue.

Don't hold your breath, I first had the problem in 2010 on our 2007 Topaz.
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Richard

I have a similar but reverse problem. The MDF of the left front vertical frame post of the wardrobe has shrunk slightly along its length with the result that the foil has horizontal wrinkles. I haven't a clue as to how this might be rectified. I will just have to live with it.

Our 2014 Duo has just started to do this and I am going to ask AS for their suggestions. I will report on their comments.

Spospe wrote:Our 2014 Duo has just started to do this and I am going to ask AS for their suggestions. I will report on their comments.

I actually have a couple of things to mention to Alan Curry - very gently and not in any expectation of treatment - but don't know his email address.

Hi, I decided to try out Kemerton Baths theory yesterday and called A/s .  Eventually got a call back from their  workshop as they are busy people. A nice chap called Tim agreed they have had 'some' issues with doors peeling and it is not unknown . He suggested glue but had no answer for the foil shrinkage issue that glue would not resolve. He then suggested  I call Mr Curry to see if any goodwill could be given.....I explained MrCurry showed no goodwill when our van roof leak became apparent at a few weeks outside the 2 year warranty due to them not sealing the roof vent when  built. It had obviously been leaking for a very long time..... Cost then estimated  £3k to repair  with zero goodwill offered.
       When I enquired as to costs  It looks like new doors are available at around £68 +vat  EACH!  6 required......
         SurprisinglyA/s do not make doors but buy them in from Italy so I would have thought they could pursue their supplier . Surprising to hear when other  companies like Elddis who make all doors on site on a fascinating CNC controlled machine that even applies edging strip etc with millimetric precision .  I have seen it in operation on a factory visit.
       So it looks like the poundland tube of UHU glue will be in use this weekend.Such is the way with owning an overly expensive van that is thrown together ...and a company with little regard for its 'valued'  customers .  Backs up my experiences shared with other owners on a chance meeting at a site down south last year .All  5  , ex A/s pvc owners , not one had a good word for them and all owned rival brands now with no / far fewer issues.

hi, as mentioned above our Warwick XL 2014 has had four over head lockers replaced before we took delivery due to foil " blowing" and showing signs of shrinking back etc.( good job I noticed during viewing)
we did our research before looking for a secondhand campervan and have always liked A/S vans and their layout in the Warwick XL ticked every box we were looking for. our budget could only go as far as 2014.
That explained, in the short time we have had it the van has performed fantasticly, taking us both over 4000 miles around the UK ( and the Isle of Man) from the south west and up to Scotland for a 17 day grand tour ( great experience) 
What I am trying to say is that all camper vans motor homes over the years have developed annoying faults, new and older. In this matter of locker finishes etc. what we need is expert advise on how best to repair our vans, stop the problem getting worse.
with respect to all above, if the pound land tube is the " best" or correct glue to us, then I'll go and buy a cheap tube of it.
with the power of the Internet etc, could we all not put our heads together and research the best technique to come up with a lasting solution.?
that would allow us all to " just keep on enjoying" our A/S 's and keep the wheels rolling.
If owners want to buy replacement locker doors they should also be given the assurance from A/S that the new batch will perform and last.
again I ask, 
is there not a cabinet maker or ex cabinet maker ( kitchen unit manufacturer ) on here that could give us some help and advice ?
best regards
Ian

The problem with gluing the foil is that of 'lumpiness' when the glue is applied. The foil surface is very shiny and I am afraid of it looking awful when stuck down with glue which has been applied with uneven thickness. A watery type of adhesive which spreads itself out evenly would seem the best bet, but I do not know what type to try. As said above, I will report on AS's suggestion(s)

Babian/spospe please  do not  think I was kidding when I metioned Uhu as it us a contact adhesive but if injected between the foil and mdf and brought together immediately there is No lumpiness and it is thin enough to spread. I used it last year on the wardrobe door outer edge an it is still OK. 50 years ago I used it to build balsa wood models! 
       While it is all very laudable to be a jolly hockey sticks Blue Peter type .use sticky back plastic and string and keep on enjoying our vans with a stiff upper lip it is frankly ludicrous that a now upwards of 62 thousand pound van has such issues. The interior of a van is the first thing any potential owner will examine . If all locker doors are cosmetically peeling and foil shrinking etc it will put off 99% and they will move on to the next available van. Instead of sharing how best to make do with diy repairs we should  collectively be beating down A/s door and demanding free repairs or at least parts supplied so we can effect our own repairs . 
         As I said , I have never experienced this issue in any caravan or motor home we have owned  . Last 3 motorhomes being half the cost new of an A/s but although less luxurious had more solid build quality and rock solid warranty. The doors are bought in from a 3rd party supplier, A/s should replace f.o.c and take up the issue with their supplier and fight for reimbursement as it tarnishes their reputation as 'motorhomes of excellence'  carrying the A/s price premium. This would  show a company serious about customer satisfaction  and future loyalty.  As someone said it could be the fate of many vans in the future as all vans in their range use the same type doors.

hi kaspian.
I think you are right. i would hope that A/S will take on board this problem and as a company look at ways to prevent it happening. 
also they should advise owners ( with older vans) on the right course of action to take as this problem " unfolds" !!!!!
I look forward too Spospe's report from A/S
Just in case the answer is not free doors for all owners ( how ever old the van ) "come on down" and get them.
Glues then:
UHU. injected in to gap, plastic wallpaper seam roller used quickly to evenly spread glue , then wipe excess off and then use masking tape  
to hold edge while glue sets. ?
I'm sure water base wood glue would perform also as well. but we wait for expert advice from A/S.
By the way, could not stand Blue peter program , more of a Tiswas fan myself. Hockey? don't think so. Rugby union and Barry Sheene more like.
ps. £62,000 !!! yes I would hope the thing would not fall apart too quickly.

You know the advertising sales pitch, "Once it's gone it's gone". So it's the same for the laminate foil, once it's shrunk it's shrunk. Sadly we have to live with it, seems the only course of action being to try and disguise the defect as best possible. 

I don`t think this problem applies to the older vans, as they were not vinyl / paper backed board but wood, all mine were wood and didn`t have the peeling. I am talking about pre 2006 vans.

Seems it is the new and "improved models"