What are options for roof materials?

[a8ksh4]

What kinds of materials does everyone have experience with for home built camper roofs (and walls) that can hold up long term?

Seems like everything on the market is either skinned with sheet metal or fiberglass. Someone on here did rubber, too, for a roof, and I've seen FRP (home Depot fiber reinforced panel, like in bathrooms) used for siding.

I'd expect that all-plywood could be done, but it would need regular upkeep to prevent it from breaking down from sun and rain. E.g. light-sand and coat with UV resistant epoxy or paint each year for upkeep. And bonding racks and jack mounts carefully to prevent water intrusion.

Any thoughts or personal anecdotes you all can share?

 

[ntsqd]

Seems like what the roof frame and insulation were made from could drive some of that decision. Also is it going to be flat or will it have a small peak for drainage?

Years ago my dad built a hard tonneau cover for his pick-up from clear fir and 1/8" luan. Which he then covered in fibreglas with tinted resin. I've long liked that approach and plan to eventually duplicate it for a project pick-up that I'm working on. He made his flat where I plan to make it curved (120"-150" radius range) for drainage as his had some spots where rain would pool.

 

[HughDog]

What kinds of materials does everyone have experience with for home built camper roofs (and walls) that can hold up long term?

Seems like everything on the market is either skinned with sheet metal or fiberglass. Someone on here did rubber, too, for a roof, and I've seen FRP (home Depot fiber reinforced panel, like in bathrooms) used for siding.

I'd expect that all-plywood could be done, but it would need regular upkeep to prevent it from breaking down from sun and rain. E.g. light-sand and coat with UV resistant epoxy or paint each year for upkeep. And bonding racks and jack mounts carefully to prevent water intrusion.

Any thoughts or personal anecdotes you all can share?

I went rubber roof route layered over 3/16 panel ply.... Adds a few lbs vs a sheet of aluminum, but came out looking clean and is functional. I've got some pics on my build posts on my 83 fleet Only trick was tucking the extra material under the crown trim.

Hit me up if you go this route and need any feedback.

 

[Ghettofab75]

Whats wrong with sheet metal? That's what I'm planning on using. If using aluminum its light, easy to work with, waterproof, and corrosion resistant. It should last a long time.

I've considered using the plywood/luan and fiberglass approach. It would work well if done right, better insulation factor for sure.

I guess I don't get rubber roofs? We know tires don't like UV rays so lets make a roof out of rubber.

Kevin

 

[larryqp]

Just a thought, another drawback to rubber roofs, beside the UV issue is that they are subject to tears and aluminum is unlikely to tear. Not a consideration unless you overland on roads with low hanging trees branches. Small tears in rubber roofs are easy to repair with a product called Etenalbond tape. The tape would also work on AL roofs. Its also great for sealing any accesses through the roof, such as vents etc as a alternate to self-leveling Dicor.

 

[HughDog]

Aluminum is light and will last the longest, certainly longer than a rubber roof . . . Though I suppose it can dent w/those big old pine cones! That said, the rubber roof if cleaned properly is formulated to last well over a decade and easy to redo . . .

End result, looks super clean and flat. BUT - Had I a big roll of aluminum, I might have done that - I'm not too concerned about weight.

 

[a8ksh4]

Seems like what the roof frame and insulation were made from could drive some of that decision. Also is it going to be flat or will it have a small peak for drainage?

Years ago my dad built a hard tonneau cover for his pick-up from clear fir and 1/8" luan. Which he then covered in fibreglas with tinted resin. I've long liked that approach and plan to eventually duplicate it for a project pick-up that I'm working on. He made his flat where I plan to make it curved (120"-150" radius range) for drainage as his had some spots where rain would pool.

I want to design a kit made with CNC cut plywood; any ribbing in the roof would be CNC cut plywood ribs glued under the external plywood, and insulation would probably be 1" pink foam, affixed with 3m spray adhesive. I'm not sure about flat or not, but I can see how at least a gentle curve would prevent standing water. I'm still trying to figure out how to model this stuff on the computer to generate templates for parts to cut and will have eventually HAVE to figure out how to work with curved surfaces.

@ghetttofab75 - Aluminum sheet metal is cool, but if I go that route, then I'd be working with mixed-mediums and installing the roof would be less paint-by-number than I'd like. Probably the same with rubber regarding installation.

@HughDog, I saw your build (http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/15407-83-fleet-rebuild/page-2) The EPDM roof looks nice. I'm not sure if people would really be interested in a rubber roof, but it's worth considering, like aluminum. I suppose it would just need to have trim installed around it's edges to finish it, right?

 

[ntsqd]

The usual problem with a metal roof is getting a blank big enough. You either end up with a seam running the length of the roof or across the width of it.

If you can buy an FRP blank side for an RV from one of the mfg's, that might make a decent roof with no seams.

 

[HughDog]

I want to design a kit made with CNC cut plywood; any ribbing in the roof would be CNC cut plywood ribs glued under the external plywood, and insulation would probably be 1" pink foam, affixed with 3m spray adhesive. I'm not sure about flat or not, but I can see how at least a gentle curve would prevent standing water. I'm still trying to figure out how to model this stuff on the computer to generate templates for parts to cut and will have eventually HAVE to figure out how to work with curved surfaces.

@ghetttofab75 - Aluminum sheet metal is cool, but if I go that route, then I'd be working with mixed-mediums and installing the roof would be less paint-by-number than I'd like. Probably the same with rubber regarding installation.

@HughDog, I saw your build (http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/15407-83-fleet-rebuild/page-2) The EPDM roof looks nice. I'm not sure if people would really be interested in a rubber roof, but it's worth considering, like aluminum. I suppose it would just need to have trim installed around it's edges to finish it, right?

Thx and Yes, the EPDM adds that element of crown trim re-design or retrofit if you are using oem material . . . I tucked the epdm under the trim and used the old FWC oem crown trim, . . . it's fat and pushes the trim out a bit and did create the need to add a small piece of aluminum to bridge the 2 crown trims in front and back. At some point, I will probably replace the entire trim pieces with 90 degree angle aluminum for a cleaner look. I am also fidgeting with incorporating a different lift strut bracket mount.

 

[Ghettofab75]

I want to design a kit made with CNC cut plywood; any ribbing in the roof would be CNC cut plywood ribs glued under the external plywood, and insulation would probably be 1" pink foam, affixed with 3m spray adhesive. I'm not sure about flat or not, but I can see how at least a gentle curve would prevent standing water. I'm still trying to figure out how to model this stuff on the computer to generate templates for parts to cut and will have eventually HAVE to figure out how to work with curved surfaces.

@ghetttofab75 - Aluminum sheet metal is cool, but if I go that route, then I'd be working with mixed-mediums and installing the roof would be less paint-by-number than I'd like. Probably the same with rubber regarding installation.

@HughDog, I saw your build (http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/15407-83-fleet-rebuild/page-2) The EPDM roof looks nice. I'm not sure if people would really be interested in a rubber roof, but it's worth considering, like aluminum. I suppose it would just need to have trim installed around it's edges to finish it, right?

Sounds like a neat idea! How are you planning on finishing the exterior sides? That may drive what you do up top.

I actually really like the idea of plywood and foam construction and started down that design path, but realized I don't need the insulation factor and I could build out of metal quicker, easier and cheaper. I may look at building out of plywood and foam at a latter date though assuming I don't get burnt out on this project.

I agree curved surfaces are a pain to model. Luckily I don't do much of that at work. On my camper model I have I wound up just modeling everything flat full well knowing I'll put a compound bow in it when its built. What program are you using?

Kevin

 

[a8ksh4]

Sounds like a neat idea! How are you planning on finishing the exterior sides? That may drive what you do up top.

I actually really like the idea of plywood and foam construction and started down that design path, but realized I don't need the insulation factor and I could build out of metal quicker, easier and cheaper. I may look at building out of plywood and foam at a latter date though assuming I don't get burnt out on this project.

I agree curved surfaces are a pain to model. Luckily I don't do much of that at work. On my camper model I have I wound up just modeling everything flat full well knowing I'll put a compound bow in it when its built. What program are you using?

Kevin

I'd probably finish by coating with epoxy and then paint with a white enamel, although just an epoxy coat would probably look good with a quality plywood and veneer. I think in a kit, it'd be nice if any fiberglass work were totally optional, but I think laying a layer of fiberglass over the top and any corners would be great for weather resistance.

I did a build years ago with fiberglass over foam and it was very light and strong, but it's so labor intensive going that route. I can sure see the benefit of the metal route.

What kind of design stuff are you doing at work? Any tools you can recommend?

I've been using OnShape for all of my CAD work so far, but I might need to ramp up on fusion 360. OnShape is really nice for making 3D models of stuff (I use it for 3D printing), but I haven't figured out how to take each surface of a model and spit out separate parts, and especially how to generate tongue and groove along the edges to make everything fit together easily (and strong). Might also be an option to generate stl files directly from some python code, but there's some learning curve there too.

 

[Ghettofab75]

I'd probably finish by coating with epoxy and then paint with a white enamel, although just an epoxy coat would probably look good with a quality plywood and veneer. I think in a kit, it'd be nice if any fiberglass work were totally optional, but I think laying a layer of fiberglass over the top and any corners would be great for weather resistance.

I did a build years ago with fiberglass over foam and it was very light and strong, but it's so labor intensive going that route. I can sure see the benefit of the metal route.

What kind of design stuff are you doing at work? Any tools you can recommend?

I've been using OnShape for all of my CAD work so far, but I might need to ramp up on fusion 360. OnShape is really nice for making 3D models of stuff (I use it for 3D printing), but I haven't figured out how to take each surface of a model and spit out separate parts, and especially how to generate tongue and groove along the edges to make everything fit together easily (and strong). Might also be an option to generate stl files directly from some python code, but there's some learning curve there too.

I'd like to play around more with fiberglass and plywood or foam, but for now I'll stick to what I know. I have done quite a bit of work with carbon fiber and some kevlar so I'm familiar with the processes, but I've never worked with fiberglass or composite structures on the scale required for a camper.

I use solidworks. Its the only modeling program I've ever used. I'm sure in the end its pretty similar to any other CAD program out there. We do a lot of formed plate work and some bent tube. I do a fair amount of tab and slot and really its pretty easy. You just need to get comfortable working in assemblies and defining parts off of other parts. Surface modeling is a whole nuther ball game that I've barely scratched the surface of.

Kevin

 

[jmnielsen]

I've been using OnShape for all of my CAD work so far, but I might need to ramp up on fusion 360. OnShape is really nice for making 3D models of stuff (I use it for 3D printing), but I haven't figured out how to take each surface of a model and spit out separate parts, and especially how to generate tongue and groove along the edges to make everything fit together easily (and strong). Might also be an option to generate stl files directly from some python code, but there's some learning curve there too.

I know I wasn't who you asked, but I can chime in on CAD.

I've been using F360 for 4 or 5 years now and love it. I actually have been designing a camper in it and have been able to drastically cut the weight down by using the FEA capabilities to test the frame. You can also directly exports the models as .stl files for printing, if you want.

I use Solidworks at work and they are very similar but solidworks isn't priced for the "at-home" user.

I recommend getting F360 and watching some online tutorials. You'll pick up on it faster than you think.