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Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:24 pm
by DrivingDutchman
Hi all,

I have found a very suitable and cheap replacement fabric for the bunk beds in the Dormobile.
Actualy my wife thought about it. The 2 bunk beds in my Dormobile have a rip in it. I looked at Dormobile website and found they are £110 :aaagh: .

I happened to have a couple of stretchers lying around gathering dust.
This is the one. Cost about £11 in sale.
Image

So this is the bunk before.
Image

And this is the bubk after.
Image

It is a nearly perfect fit. The fabric is just a cm too long, but it does hardly show once stretched. It is imho stronger fabric than the original from Dormobile.
Ok, mine happened to be black, but I think they do different colours and maybe different designs, maybe from different makes. You also need to adapt the fabric a little bit, undo the sewing on the top ends where the poles go in and sew a couple of stretches shut where the original poles slide into the fabric.
Very easy adaptation and very cheap in comparison with the original.
Maybe in time I will get the originals, but for now, the money is a bit tight, so this is a good alternative.

Michiel

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:00 am
by phin
Now that is an excellent idea!

cheers
Phin

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:09 am
by AlexB
Very impressive!

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:51 am
by Toots
Top marks that man :cheers:

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:29 pm
by Eddi
Thanks, great idea !

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:21 am
by RobW
Excellent - I can see the Vango label, is there a product ID? From memory of a similar unit watch the stitching around the leg holes.

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:30 am
by RMS
We used an ex-army canvas camp bed to replace the material on one of Patrick's Carawagon bunks :cheers:

Cheers,
Robin.

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 5:23 pm
by DrivingDutchman
RobW wrote:Excellent - I can see the Vango label, is there a product ID? From memory of a similar unit watch the stitching around the leg holes.
Hi,

Looked at the label and there is a product code.
ACXCHAIR 36FW17

Cheers,

Michiel

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 9:25 pm
by Jabbawocky
Hi Michiel

Glad someone has tried this, always wondered if they would fit. I have a blue one I bought years ago, but it has probably too much stretch and your bum would hit the edge of the roof.

We made our own bunks from thin canvas we bought from the local fent shop. We knew it was too thin for an adult to sleep on, but William was only two at the time. He is now seven and getting heavier by the day. We will need to replace the bunks in the next year or so. I look forward to you fitting these bunks and see how well they support an adults weight.

Keep use informed.

Cheers Mick

Re: Good replacement for the bunk bed fabric

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:09 pm
by DrivingDutchman
Mick,

I have fitted them yesterday and tried them myself. I'm about 75kg and they hold me just fine. I'm much more confident with the new setup then with the ones that were fitted. The kids have tried them today and they can bounce around on them without fear of ripping the fabric.

I even don't have the plastic bits fitted anymore. I cut some thread into the holes where the pop-rivets were and used screws only in the outer holes to secure the poles to the hinges, but I didn't put them through the fabric, but under it so they are not visible. Because of the slight oversize of the fabric there is no way the fabric will slide.

We'll just have to see over time how much the fabric will stretch and sag etc. But I'm confident we will not have to do anything to those bunk beds for a long time to come.

Michiel