Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm gearing up to apply the aluminum sheeting. I'm planning on adhering the sheets with contact cement to the wood siding, roof, etc..... Being that the aluminum I'll be using is only 4 feet wide I'll need to overlap two sheets in certain spots ( 2 inch overlaps). My question is there a specific VHB tape I should be using. I'll look to get a 2 inch width but the tapes seem to come in various thicknesses and maybe there's some other differences .... but if there are any recommendations for a specific tape (model numbers would be great), I'd be interested to hear any thoughts.

thanks very much!

John

3M is the brand

They make extensive documentation readily available.

Pre-sales engineering support as well if needed.

Make sure to follow the docs on prep, temperatures etc.

AM Solar uses 3M 4950 VHB to mount their solar panels, which is what I used to mount my panels to the aluminum roof on my trailer; however, I bought my tape off the internet which was much cheaper.

Below is the data sheet and specs.

https://amsolar.com/rv-mounting-accessories/91m-vhb

McMaster-Carr has a wide selection of 3M VHB 4950 tape with varying widths and thicknesses, per link below.

https://www.mcmaster.com/3m-vhb-tape/ma ... mber~4950/

I was amazed how strong this stuff is after three years of use with the trailer setting in direct sun getting pounded by UV the whole time.

I strictly followed the application guidelines.

Heat is critical ... I applied the tape in cool conditions and used a heat gun to get the surfaces warm. Also, applied pressure is very important as well as clean surfaces.

Hope this helps.

PS: love your build!

Thanks John and Featherlite for the feedback.
I'm waiting for contact back from 3M to ask about best tape for aluminum and my application. In the meantime I did read that
the tape used should not be more than 50% in thickness in the materials being bonded (this specifically said for dissimilar materials
but I'll use that same strategy even though my aluminum is similar thickness---.040).... which tells me the tape should be .020 or less.

I did find one tape (noted in attached picture) for aluminum, although this is only available in 1 inch width. So still researching it and will
look to talk with 3M.

Featherlite, thanks for mentioning AM Solar. I've previously spent a good amount of time on their site .... they're a good resource. Many good videos for Victron components, Elex setups and solar strategies.

John