FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

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FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Dan P » Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:23 pm

Greetings!

I searched high and low through the forums and couldn't find the answer I was looking for, so here goes. I am about to skin my TD and was hoping to use FRP exclusively for the outside skin and the galley hatch (inside & out). Wondering if this is a good or bad idea and if others have had success with it. If so, anyone know the best way to bond it to the spars/insulation? I plan on putting trim around the perimeter/edges so I should be good there. Any help would be appreciated.

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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby tony.latham » Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:47 pm

and was hoping to use FRP


How's it do in the sunlight?

:frightened:

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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Pmullen503 » Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:38 am

It would really depend on how it's framed underneath. The framing needed for plywood is much less because the plywood adds most of the rigidity needed for a hatch. With a flexible skin, the frame has to do most of the work and must be designed accordingly.

It can work, there are fabric covered airplanes still flying today.
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Dan P » Sun Jan 23, 2022 9:51 am

tony.latham wrote:
and was hoping to use FRP


How's it do in the sunlight?

:frightened:

Tony


Hey Tony, not sure about the sunlight aspect, which is why its great to hear from experienced builder such as yourself. I do plan on using a UV paint on the outside. Not sure if your reply was aimed at UV protection or temperature/humidity fluctuation in general. Trying to find thin plywood is not easy; at least hasn't been for me.
Last edited by Dan P on Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Dan P » Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:01 am

Pmullen503 wrote:It would really depend on how it's framed underneath. The framing needed for plywood is much less because the plywood adds most of the rigidity needed for a hatch. With a flexible skin, the frame has to do most of the work and must be designed accordingly.

It can work, there are fabric covered airplanes still flying today.


My build design is based of off the Steve Frederick's build. So the hatch will be very close to what he advises. The only vertical support is the sides with 1x3 or 2x2's going horizontal. I only have the sides completed at this time, so its not fully assembled yet. I am constantly rethinking (as any DIYer does) but finding the right skin seems to be my biggest challenge. Especially for my first build that is 62 inches wide :(
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby tony.latham » Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:05 am

I do plan on using a UV paint on the outside.


That's what I was referring to. Good luck with your build.

:thumbsup:

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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Philip » Mon Jan 24, 2022 11:33 am

Do some pricing between FRP and filon. Both will require a plywood subbase. Both require the same glue types. Filon is used on outer walls of newer RV's. Filon is lighter. You can get filon is a few colors also.

Filon or FRP doesn't matter. They both have the same issues. If the plywood subbase gets wet. The panel is going to bulge and do other stuff. So think hard about how you are going to seal the side to roof connection.
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby saywhatthat » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:12 pm

if your plaining to use filon. best if it's floated. it expands quite a bit . Has a lot of resin and maybe a layer or two of mat you can make your own skin much stronger cuz you can add Wovening and all you need is a piece of $11 hardboard to use as a mold. What in the hell is wood? :)
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby MickinOz » Wed Jan 26, 2022 6:52 am

FRP can be used for skinning. Caseydog did it.
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=29535&start=214
I believe he used stuff available from Home Depot or somewhere.
I believe it was screwed directly to the frame, no plywood underlay.
This is the build that inspired me to take the journey.
The simplicity is stunning and I even now, as I get about halfway through number 2, re-read the thread just to remind myself that we can overthink and overcomplicate these things.

I couldn't get a suitable affordable product to emulate this build here in Oz. Stuff made for caravans is available but it's $100's per metre.
In any case he told me via PM that the bathroom and kitchen stuff is brittle and hard to work with.
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Dan P » Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:22 pm

MickinOz wrote:FRP can be used for skinning. Caseydog did it.
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=29535&start=214
I believe he used stuff available from Home Depot or somewhere.
I believe it was screwed directly to the frame, no plywood underlay.
This is the build that inspired me to take the journey.
The simplicity is stunning and I even now, as I get about halfway through number 2, re-read the thread just to remind myself that we can overthink and overcomplicate these things.

I couldn't get a suitable affordable product to emulate this build here in Oz. Stuff made for caravans is available but it's $100's per metre.
In any case he told me via PM that the bathroom and kitchen stuff is brittle and hard to work with.


Good to know. I am forging ahead on my build and should be skinning soon. Galley is almost done and will be doing the inside skin soon, then on to electrical. I'll post a few pics soon.
Last edited by Dan P on Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Dan P » Wed Jan 26, 2022 8:33 pm

From what I've read in the forum, people seem to like pictures.
Here's a few on my build. So far so good for a complete rookie woodworker.

PIC 1.jpg
PIC 1.jpg (72.11 KiB) Viewed 1474 times

PIC 2.jpg
PIC 2.jpg (63.13 KiB) Viewed 1474 times
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby MickinOz » Thu Jan 27, 2022 9:08 am

I would suggest that you wouldn't put sheet FRP on that.
I'm assuming you are in the US where everything is more readily available and usually cheaper than it is here in Australia.
You should skin it with thin plywood, then consider one of the many extra durable top layers available to you.
e,g, PMF, Aluminium sheet, epoxy resim with woven cloth, etc.
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby PCO6 » Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:54 pm

FRP panels are fairly common on commercial built trailers. I have a Coachmen Clipper with FRP exterior walls on a stick built frame and have had no problems with over the 3 years that I've owned it.

Here's a thread on a home built ... viewtopic.php?f=65&t=72427
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Dan P » Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:06 am

PCO6 wrote:FRP panels are fairly common on commercial built trailers. I have a Coachmen Clipper with FRP exterior walls on a stick built frame and have had no problems with over the 3 years that I've owned it.

Here's a thread on a home built ... viewtopic.php?f=65&t=72427


Thanks for the info. I've read through that post previously. From what I understood, he had plywood underneath all of his FRP and not a stick frame with insulation like mine. Good to know your Clipper was built that way. Finding thin plywood as an outside skin underlayment seems to be my biggest hurdle (Aside from learning what all of those lines on a tape measure mean :? ). His TD still looks good after 20 years though. Thanks for your reply.
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Re: FRP instead of Plywood for Outer Skin and Hatch

Postby Shadow Catcher » Sun Jan 30, 2022 4:53 pm

Our Filon which is FRP, is 15 years old.

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