Building with FRP panels?

[Mark Mckeeman]

Hi Again,

I have read on this board about the Filon panels made by Kemlite for RV roof and sidewall construction. Since the Filon is a specialty product I hear it’s quite expensive. I’ve been web searching for a similar product that is used in the construction industry and therefore may be more cost effective for the do-it-yourselfers. Kemlite produces a wall and ceiling panel that is similar to the Filon and available at several US chain stores including Lowes. Check out the web link, http://www.kemlite.com/structoglas/str_products.cfm

The structoply is of interest as it is already bonded to an OSB or plywood substrate. I have not yet located a Canadian distributor or even any pricing on US sites. Ideally I would like to find a FRP panel bonded to extruded polystyrene foam with a total thickness of about 1”. They tell me these sorts of products are used in the insulation and construction of flat roofs on commercial buildings. Then they get covered with some sort of membrane.

Has anyone out there built anything with these sorts of panels?

Any help is much appreciated, Mark

[DANL]

Hi Mark,

We've discussed this in the past. Check out this message

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... tructoglas

Worth a try...

[mikeschn]

I'm sure Buford would jump in, if he wasn't trying to out guess or out run Hurricane Frances. But he has used it successfully, and I believe he is weather testing it right now.

Mike...

[Steve Frederick]

I pray that Bufort won't get to wind-test the tear..

[mikeschn]

His tear is on the property in S. GA. With the current storm track he will be able to wind test it!!! Ouch!

Mike...

[BufordT]

His tear is on the property in S. GA. With the current storm track he will be able to wind test it!!! Ouch!

Mike...

No he ain't he's here going to ride this one out like a wild bull. Chip would be proud of me!!!!

We be going for a ride on this one. Still don't know where it's going to hit either right over us or down the south of us about 20 miles. Either way we going to get hit hard.

Won't be here till Sunday morning now. But that changes every 4 hrs.

Bufordt

[mikeschn]

Buford,

I guess I have to say I am a little surprised at you. Even though you live 20 miles off the coast, you still might have to endure hurricane strength winds for the better part of a day.

But you're the expert, I know nothing of these things... I did manage to find a little tidbit on one of your local websites, I figured I'd share this with you...

Do not fool with this storm. Forget all those TV storm coverage scenes of chipper weather guys standing on the beach as a storm blows in. Want to know where they get these chuckleheads? They find them up north in the winter with their tongues frozen to flagpoles.

If you live in a coastal condo and have been told to evacuate, do it. Living on the 10th or 50th floor is no guarantee of safety. Bennett T. Kennedy, former emergency services director for Palm Beach County, once noted that getting stuck in your car on the mainland beats the heck out of riding out a Category 4 or 5 storm on a barrier island.

"When Gilbert went through Cancun, Mexico, in 1988," he was quoted as saying, "furniture was sucked from out of the upper floors of condominiums."

Back in 1969, dozens of hurricane partiers thought it would be a memorable experience to rent a motel room on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to ride out Camille. They didn't remember anything. They died. Winds approaching 200 miles per hour simply dismantled steel and concrete structures and pulverized the contents. Storm surge flooded cemeteries a half mile inland. Coffins popped out of the ground. Bodies of long dead and new dead alike were found in the branches of uprooted trees.

Several years ago, I accompanied Kennedy on a walking tour of the south Palm Beaches. I recall the emergency services director pointing to a spot on a utility pole on A1A and telling me that a 20-foot storm surge could put 10 feet of water over A1A.

Now that's not just deep water where it doesn't belong. It is busy, stacked-up, deep water flinging itself against structures with tons of force. Imagine huge combers racing across Lake Worth, breaking over Olive Avenue and Flagler Drive, and even flooding U.S. 1. You do not want to be in your condo for that.

Yes, I'm being alarmist.

Jim Nelson, a family friend and Miami lawyer, wished someone would have alarmed him. He was buttoned down for the night when Andrew came through. By 3 a.m. he and his wife and kids were huddled in one bathroom wondering if they would live to see the dawn. Unimaginable winds peeled away the roof of his half-million dollar home and tore away walls. Jim, an easygoing and usually unflappable giant of a man, was terrified.

"I have never heard such noise," he told me later. "I knew we were going to die."

Is any of this sinking in? Do not go out in the storm.

You may be able to brace against the wind and stinging rain, but you will not see the flying board or tile or shingle or garbage can lid that knocks you senseless and leaves you to drown in a foot of water. A roofing nail in your eye is a high price to say you walked around in your yard defying 100 mph gusts. Stay inside.

If the storm veers and goes elsewhere — never mind until next time. But if, as you read this, a dangerous storm is bearing down on the Palm Beaches, I wish for you the best possible scenario: reading this online at a friend's house in Davenport, Iowa.

But on the flip side, you can let us know if frp is up to handling the hurricane strength winds!

Mike...

[BufordT]

Hi Again,

I have read on this board about the Filon panels made by Kemlite for RV roof and sidewall construction. Since the Filon is a specialty product I hear it’s quite expensive. I’ve been web searching for a similar product that is used in the construction industry and therefore may be more cost effective for the do-it-yourselfers. Kemlite produces a wall and ceiling panel that is similar to the Filon and available at several US chain stores including Lowes. Check out the web link, http://www.kemlite.com/structoglas/str_products.cfm

The structoply is of interest as it is already bonded to an OSB or plywood substrate. I have not yet located a Canadian distributor or even any pricing on US sites. Ideally I would like to find a FRP panel bonded to extruded polystyrene foam with a total thickness of about 1”. They tell me these sorts of products are used in the insulation and construction of flat roofs on commercial buildings. Then they get covered with some sort of membrane.

Has anyone out there built anything with these sorts of panels?

Any help is much appreciated, Mark

DANL wrote:
Has anyone tried this material for the shell of a teardrop. Might work best for walls and would probably have to laminate a nice skin to the inside. I'd be interested to hear how it went. Saw this at Menard's today. FRP laminated to 3/8 inch waferboard but I see by their site that it also comes on plywood or fluted poly.
http://www.kemlite.com/structoglas/str_products.cfm

Dan Jones


Dan,

The pics to your left is my mini-hopper. I covered the roof, sides, front and back with the stuff. Got it at home depot for 26.00 a sheet. I used 3 different types of glues on it and found that the best was liquid nail for FRP. Worked the best and didn't cause any floating. I painted the stuff because it will not hold up to the sun's rays. Used kylon paint for plastic. Worked pretty good but it would be better if you used auto paint.

It's been out in the sun almost a year with no problems and I'll use it on any tear I build. Does have some draw backs. Only comes in 4x8, 4x10 and 4x12 sheets. If your tear or tiny trailer is larger than 4ft wide you would have to use something else or have a cover run over the joints.

Bufordt

Yep still weather testing it right now!! To my knowledge no one but me and Harper have used this stuff. I thought about using it for a few weeks and then got harper's plans and decided to use it.

It gets colder in Ga than down here in Fl. So I will be leaving the mini-hopper up there to test the cold aspects of it.

I'll be using it on both my other trailers. The stuff is easy to work with and bends nicely.

There are those that don't like it. And there are lots of opinion's on it. Mostly from those who have never tried it. They just don't like it. Can't give you a real reason other than it's supposed to be used for indoor use only.

Masonite is supposed to be used for indoor use only also and I've gotten e-mails from people who have 40 to 50 year old trailers that used masonite and there is still no problem with them. They painted the siding really good with a good paint.

I'll keep you posted on this experiment.

Bufordt