top ?'s

[msemanuel]

So I am getting ready to build my trailer and I have been worndering about the top. So what size of sheet goods do you use for the 5 foot wide and what kind of material do you use? And for those that built a 5X8 tear home many pieces did it take to cover?

[Woodbutcher]

I used 5'X5' by 1/8th inch Baltic Birch. Double thickness and I staggered the joints.

[doug hodder]

You didn't mention what you want for a top covering...wood/ aluminum or ???. If it's to be covered in aluminum, just about any inexpensive 1/8" ply will work for the substrate, just install it 90 degrees and cut off the extra. Truck/trailer suppliers can get you the coiled aluminum for the top skin in 103" wide, that's your best buy on a mill finish metal skin. Just what I've found. Doug

[Deryk the Pirate]

I used EPDM rubber roofing. Pretty easy to install.

[msemanuel]

I plan on using a edm rubber roof. So guess my ? was did you folks with tear drops use 4X8 sheets and cut them down or did you find 5' wide sheets some where?

[madjack]

...some use 5' wide...if they can find it and if they don't want two arms and a leg for it...a more common method is to cut 3' off of an 8' sheet and turn it sideways, using the cutoffs of cabinets and other projects....it will probably take 4sheets of ply, cut in the manner I described to cover the tear...for me, I used no underlayment at all under the .032AL I covered the top with...just laid it directly over the spars set on 8" centers...I used 2, 4x10Al for this, cut in half and turned sideways to cover the 5x10 tear...............
madjack

[msemanuel]

Thanks madjack. That is what I thought about the 4' sheets. So if your budget is tight its a 4 foot wide trailer

[madjack]

...a 4wide is certainly less expensive than a 5 BUT, in the greater scheme of things, it is not that great a difference to give you what you really want or need in comfort and ease of use.............
madjack

[msemanuel]

I can see that point madjack but the wife thinks a 4X8 trailer will be fine maybe I should build a quick box and have her get in it then see what she thinks.

[madjack]

...two people can do fine in a 4wide...BUT, you will learn new skills...such as, synchronized turning ...in our first tear, which was a 4wide, the first nights use, my wife and I woke each other up when we bumped noses...as we looked longingly into each others eyes, we both said simultaneously...5WIDE...which happens to be the width of a queen sized bed...as in all such cases, YMMV...widely
madjack