Another look at FRP

[bobhenry]

I to am looking into the pebble grained FRP for a roof material for both the chuckwagon and my 4x7 sleeper tear. ( If I ever find a spare buck )

I think I will mechanically fasten mine as well as using 3m trim adhesive.

When I installed the lexan roof on the big teardrop I used these....



Right left and center of every 3rd spar and have had no issues at all. I predrilled oversized and placed a blop of 100 % silicone down and screw in the rosette hand tight ( snug ).

I had concernes with just using glue. That is asking a lot with extreme temp swings so the little extra insurance , I felt , was a good investment.

Spaced uniformly they look nice and add a bit of eye appeal .

[JIC]

I got one heck of a deal on 5 sheets of FRP panel today.
I bought it from a manufacturer of coffee trucks, they use it on the
inside walls. He had some left over from a project and was selling it
for $10 a 4x8 sheet.
I'll guess time will tell how well the stuff will work.
I'm still mot sure how I am going to attach it. I don't know whether to
use regular FRP Adhesive or a contact adhesive. I would like to use
contact adhesive because it would be easier to apply. I have a test strip
laminated with wilsonart h2o contact adhesive, it seems to be holding
ok, I'll know more after it is thoughly dried.

Jim C.

[TPMcGinty]

I got one heck of a deal on 5 sheets of FRP panel today.
I bought it from a manufacturer of coffee trucks, they use it on the
inside walls. He had some left over from a project and was selling it
for $10 a 4x8 sheet.
I'll guess time will tell how well the stuff will work.
I'm still mot sure how I am going to attach it. I don't know whether to
use regular FRP Adhesive or a contact adhesive. I would like to use
contact adhesive because it would be easier to apply. I have a test strip
laminated with wilsonart h2o contact adhesive, it seems to be holding
ok, I'll know more after it is thoughly dried.

Jim C.

I wish I could find an awesome deal like that! I checked locally in our Home Depots' and Lowes. They wanted $40-$60 a sheet.

[atahoekid]

I'm now convinced that FRP may indeed be the way to go for the roof panels. I've also seen conjecture back and forth as to the method of installation. It seems that popular opinion is to "float" it. So I've got two questions. 1) Can you float it and still maintain a water tight seal? If so, how? 2) Has anyone actually glued it solid to the spars or another thin sheet of wood and had the bond fail or the FRP buckle?

Thanks for helping a newb out

Cheers

[tomsglr]

I'm now convinced that FRP may indeed be the way to go for the roof panels. I've also seen conjecture back and forth as to the method of installation. It seems that popular opinion is to "float" it. So I've got two questions. 1) Can you float it and still maintain a water tight seal? If so, how? 2) Has anyone actually glued it solid to the spars or another thin sheet of wood and had the bond fail or the FRP buckle?

Thanks for helping a newb out

Cheers

I glued mine over paneling and I don't really remember what adhesive I used. It may have been liquid nails. I put urethane caulk around the edges and seams. When I bought it there seemed to be a difference in Lowes And Home Depot FRP. I got it from Lowes. It hasn't changed any since I did it, over two years ago.

[razorback]

I finished my trailer in May of 2007. Through August of 2010 I have pulled the trailer in excess of 22,000 miles.
My trailer body is 5 X 10 with four foot high walls.
I found a local salvage yard who had rolls of FRP that was 6' 10" wide.
I got 80 running feet of the FRP for 110.00 including tax.
On the roof I put cheap paneling that I screwed to the spars. I then used the FRP mastic from Lowe's to attach the FRP to the roof and walls.
I painted the outside of the FRP with Krylon Fusion paint. It is made to stick to plastic. My wife did not care for the color so Sherwin Williams said any good outdoor latex will stick to the fusion paint and the latex will provide excellent UV protection.
I have touched up periodically when rock chips have occurred.
So far I have been very satisfied with the out come.
Larry

[atahoekid]

Thanks for the input. I'm seriously considering the use of FRP in lieu of epoxied lauan or any other kind of plywood product. Thanks for sharing your experience. It empirically proves that the product works under the conditions that a TD would experience

[whitefishpoint]

I'm now convinced that FRP may indeed be the way to go for the roof panels. I've also seen conjecture back and forth as to the method of installation. It seems that popular opinion is to "float" it. So I've got two questions. 1) Can you float it and still maintain a water tight seal? If so, how? 2) Has anyone actually glued it solid to the spars or another thin sheet of wood and had the bond fail or the FRP buckle?

Thanks for helping a newb out

Cheers

I used the crane structoglass FRP and glued it with PL premium construction adhesive. We'll see how it holds up over the winter. So far no issues. See my album.

[bdosborn]

I used the crane structoglass FRP and glued it with PL premium construction adhesive. We'll see how it holds up over the winter. So far no issues. See my album.

What a cute little trailer. Do you have any pics of the inside? Looks like its real light and cuts through the wind nicely.

Bruce

[GPW]

Guys , I got a question ... Is FRP the same as Filon ?

[JIC]

To answer GPW question.
Yes and No. Filon is a type of FRP made for rv use, it has a UV protector
added to it.
FRP, from Lowes or HD is intended for interior use only and does not
have the UV protector added.
FRP from Lowes or HD can be UV protection by a good coat of plastic
adhering paint, such as the type they use on plastic car bumpers.
Filon also comes in 102'' width and you can purchase any lenght you
want, it also much more expensive.
I hope this is not as clear as mud and it will help.
Jim C.

[len19070]

In about 1990-91 I built a fence around my Pool.

I wanted it to be a nice privacy fence to sit on the elevated concrete around the Pool.

So I built a painted Cedar fence with FRP for the insert panels.



No paint or anything, just raw FRP openly exposed, both sides to 20 years of North Eastern Winters, Summers, radical Temp changes, rain, sun, Chlorine etc.

And that's a School yard out back, balls hitting it, all the kids, and all things associated with a School Yard.

All the things I'm hearing that FRP is not supposed to do.

I recently had to reinsert a panel that was knocked out of its slot by something from the School Yard. Something that is a regular chore.

The panel was not broken, chipped, brittle or chalky.

In fact it looked as good as the day I put it in some 20 years before.

This is one hell of a test for a material that's not supposed to be able to withstand the Sun, Temp Changes and so on.

I'm convinced that this stuff can be used outside on say....A Trailer Roof that needs a solid nonporous sheet material.

Just my experience with the stuff.

Happy Trails

Len

21+ years and counting!

Still looks GREAT!

Happy Trails

Len

[3822sean]

thats great was planning on using it on my next build

[urban5]

Holy old threads BATMAN!!

Seriously though, I have a year on the roof of my squaredrop, and it is just fine. Of course mine did have UV resistant stamped across the back.

[cracker39]

When I scrapped the heavy wood pop top on my new trailer, and made the foam pop top, I thought the white paneling I had used in the cabin was too heavy. I bought a sheet of Plas Tex FRP from HD for the pop top ceiling as it was much lighter. It is rated for interior use. In the store, I rolled it into a tube about 12" in diameter x 4' wide to carry out to the car. It will roll even tighter than that if you need to.

If I am crazy enough to build a third one, I think I'll use the same FRP for all of my interior paneling. Tan on the walls, white on the ceiling.