skinning with Alum on 5ft wide trailer

[rickp]

I am trying to determine how to skin my five foot wide trailer with aluminum. The sides are a no brainer and I have found lots of info on that. However the top is another story. Five foot wide aluminum does not seem to be available any where. So I assume I will have to join sheets together in order to cover the entire width and then overlap the edges at a spar. Any suggestions out there?

[citylights]

An iron supply yard can custom order aluminum sheets or on a coil pretty much any size. That might get a little pricey.

I used standard size sheets with a couple splices in mine. Use a couple inch overlap at a spar. I used an aluminum flat strap over the seam. I used butyl tape at the joint, under the strap. I have one at the front, one at the vent, and one in the galley hatch. The screws you see in the first picture were just to tack the aluminum in place. I removed them, butyl taped the seam, then screwed through the aluminum strap and underlaying aluminum skin. I was worried about how they would look, but I think they fit in with all the other trim.

[halfdome, Danny]

I do a lap seam on my roof but do it in a manner opposite of this photo.

It's best to have the leading edge going away from highway driven rain much like how you'd roof a house from falling rain.
I use 3M VHB tape to hold the lap seam together and use aluminum counter top trim & sealant over the seams just as an extra measure.
Danny

[rickp]

Thanks, I may give the overlap a try. With burly tape should be water tight....

[eggsalad]

An iron supply yard can custom order aluminum sheets or on a coil pretty much any size. That might get a little pricey.

Which metal supply did you go to, city? and how thick is your aluminum? .019 or .025 is proving tough to find in Vegas.

[woodenshoe]

Southern aluminum finishing in Atlanta sells 60x120 in.040. Will ship to you covered in plastic sheet. Mill finish, no anodizing, not cheap but nice seamless skin on my 5x10 Grumman.

[Bill T]

I got some 103" wide .040 thick Aluminum from Wabash trailers in West Sacramento. They us it for the tops of semi trailers. I think they have locations around the country.