Using .019 Aluminum Trim Coil for a Camper Roof

[Jwh92020]

Anyone used .019 aluminum trim coil for a roof? It would be laid over a 1/4" deck. I'm building a camper for a guy who wants to use the coil. He understands about the seams and is willing to have them.

 

[Tony Latham]

Got hail?

Tony

 

[Jwh92020]

It's Oklahoma, of course there's hail. He knows that. From my research, large hail will dent the bejeezus out of it, but not "pierce" it. He read that too, and is pretty much insistent about using it.

 

[Pmullen503]

Anyone used .019 aluminum trim coil for a roof? It would be laid over a 1/4" deck. I'm building a camper for a guy who wants to use the coil. He understands about the seams and is willing to have them.

That might work on a vertical or sloped surface with enough overlap at the seams. I don't think butt joints or even overlaps on a horizontal surface like the roof would stay leakfree very long.

I'd use PMF, fiberglass or maybe a rubber roof on any horizontal section.

 

[Jwh92020]

Thanks for the input. The only way I see coil working is a 4" overlap with VHB tape between the sheets and Eternabond tape on the seams. PMF was my first thought. The down side to it is that this camper will have a 6 ft interior, so the entire PMF process would have to be done outdoors. Finding 5 or 6 straight days with no rain in OKC is difficult. I've been loking at rubber roofing, but holy cow, it's expensive.

 

[Rich796]

There are " Vintage based " RV shops that will ship you a full width roll of aluminum roof skin. Just like the rubber epdm, its probably not going to be cheap either.

If you have a customer that is insisting on a less than ideal product or procedure. That you are not on board with. Then you give them what they want. And have them sign a waiver before any work is started, or materials are bought for it. ( sometimes this will get them inline ) if it doesn't, then you do the work, to the best of your ability. For what they are asking, insisting on. ( with the waiver signed ).

If they are asking for something that is not safe. And puts you or others at risk, either directly or indirectly. Either now or in the future. You just refuse the work.

They are probably insisting on it. Because, it is cheap and easily available.

 

[Jwh92020]

He's pushing the coil because he has 4 rolls of it. Safetywise, I don't see an issue. I would have him sign a :I'll install it to the best of my ability, but it's on you" waiver for it. The VHB would be to adhere the overlaps to gether, the actual seams would be covered with Eternabond tape. I built 2- 7x10x6ft trailers back in 2018. Both had 2 sheets of 43"w x 8.5ft long 24 gauge roof metal (no ribbs) with butyl tape in the overlap and Eternabond covering the length ways seam. Both have been through 7 seasons of OK weather and held up great. My main concernd with the coil are will it hold up to hail (dents are not an isdue, tearing is), and at 24 " wide, a 10 ft roof will have 6 seams. In theory, butyl/VHB in the overlaps and Eternabond over the seams should work, but 6 seams is 6 opportunities (no matter how remote) for failure.

 

[dt400]

My thought is do it right or do it again. He may save a few bucks now but how much is that savings worth in a few years if it starts to leak or gets punctured?
What I did with mine is spray proper catalyzed bedliner on my squaredrop, all 6 sides.
I'm thinking about using it on my regular camper roof also since it is one monolithic piece once cured, is designed to take abuse, is UV stable, will conform to any shape/angle, can be made as thick as you want and the thickness can be varied, bonds like mad with proper prep, many different color choices with some manufacturers and relatively easy to repair. But it needs a proper underlayment which your plywood would work...id go thicker than 1/4" personally.
Just a thought.

 

[Jwh92020]

My thought is do it right or do it again. He may save a few bucks now but how much is that savings worth in a few years if it starts to leak or gets punctured?
What I did with mine is spray proper catalyzed bedliner on my squaredrop, all 6 sides.
I'm thinking about using it on my regular camper roof also since it is one monolithic piece once cured, is designed to take abuse, is UV stable, will conform to any shape/angle, can be made as thick as you want and the thickness can be varied, bonds like mad with proper prep, many different color choices with some manufacturers and relatively easy to repair. But it needs a proper underlayment which your plywood would work...id go thicker than 1/4" personally.
Just a thought.

He's agreed to 26 ga roof metal - flat sheets, no ribs. He'll be much happier a year from now.