Roof skin replacement (I can't find 1/8 birch plywood)

[ioan]

I went to Lowes and Home Depot and they don't have 1/8" birch plywood. They only have 1/8" hardboard panels.
What should I use? The thinnest plywood they have is 5mm (which is about 1/5")

Should I use hardboard panels? 5mm plywood? Something else?

Any suggestions are welcome.

[halfdome, Danny]

I went to Lowes and Home Depot and they don't have 1/8" birch plywood. They only have 1/8" hardboard panels.
What should I use? The thinnest plywood they have is 5mm (which is about 1/5")

Should I use hardboard panels? 5mm plywood? Something else?

Any suggestions are welcome.

If you could give us a general idea of your location someone could help you find a source.
I get my 1/8" Russian Birch at Cross Cut Lumber in Seattle. Danny

[ioan]

If you could give us a general idea of your location someone could help you find a source.
I get my 1/8" Russian Birch at Cross Cut Lumber in Seattle. Danny

I'm from Salem - Oregon.

[halfdome, Danny]

There's a Cross Cut Lumber in Portland & Eugene. Danny
Eugene:

2344 W 7th Pl
Eugene OR, 97402

541-349-0538
800-947-6466

Monday - Friday 8-5 pm
Saturday - Sunday Closed

Portland:

3065 Nw Front Ave
Portland OR, 97210

503-224-9663
800-514-2037

Monday - Friday 8 - 6 pm
Saturday 9 - 4 pm

[ioan]

There's a Cross Cut Lumber in Portland & Eugene. Danny

I searched for "lumber near salem" on google maps and I found Parr Lumber not far from me, I called them and they have it, so I went and got 3 pieces.

[Forrest747]

no burning witches ok.

make sure she weighs more than a duck.

[KCStudly]

Err, that's the other Salem. Salem, Massechusetts, not Oregon.

I got your joke, tho.

[linuxmanxxx]

the .5 luan at the box stores works perfect and is inexpensive.

[Gage]

the .5 luan at the box stores works perfect and is inexpensive.

It's also junk. It'll do everything but what you want it to do. But I guess for some, that's alright. ioan is doing it right.

[linuxmanxxx]

If it's just going to be covered or sealed with something then it works perfect. It's made for underlayment not finish work like too many building td try to use it for.

[halfdome, Danny]

the .5 luan at the box stores works perfect and is inexpensive.

Maybe you should check out this thread.
Personally I wouldn't use Luan for anything but a sheet to lay out a project but I'll avoid it even for that since it's so wavy.
It's the lowest grade of plywood. Danny

[Larry C]

When I finally found a source for 1/8" Russian Birch, I was telling the guy at the wholesale lumber yard what I was doing. He said "your using this plywood on the outside of a trailer, it's NOT EXTERIOR PLYWOOD" My question is: Has anyone had a problem with Russian Birch delaminating?

[ioan]

When I finally found a source for 1/8" Russian Birch, I was telling the guy at the wholesale lumber yard what I was doing. He said "your using this plywood on the outside of a trailer, it's NOT EXTERIOR PLYWOOD" My question is: Has anyone had a problem with Russian Birch delaminating?

I actually wanted to ask the same question. My wife decided that she wants the sides of the trailer to be wood and the top aluminum. I didn't plan for that in the beginning, so the sides that faces the exterior are like a swiss cheese with screws... so the only solution I had in mind is to glue some 1/8" birch plywood on the sides to make it pretty. If the birch plywood is not for exterior, what should I use to skin the walls?

[linuxmanxxx]

Reread what I said about underlayment and not finish. If it is used for a base that then has a waterproof agent and then covered by another physical substrate (aluminum, frp, or canvas) and then sealed it will last many years. If you leave it exposed to the environment with only paint or some other liquid based coating it will delaminate because of the properties of what it was built for. Think about it as there are zero houses built with exposed plywood and they are covered with tar paper and then shingles and the plywood doesn't rot. There is wood siding or cedar siding on the sides but vertical weather properties are nowhere near as harsh as the more horizontal portions due to both UV and water access to them. Any wood exteriored TD requires lots of chemicals to protect it as well as high quality wood and to me not worth the trouble in the long run but we all have our preferences. I like aluminum as its UV tolerant, waterproof, light, and won't breakdown under the elements and if glued correctly won't have any oil canning or visual defects.

[Larry C]

Reread what I said about underlayment and not finish. If it is used for a base that then has a waterproof agent and then covered by another physical substrate (aluminum, frp, or canvas) and then sealed it will last many years. If you leave it exposed to the environment with only paint or some other liquid based coating it will delaminate because of the properties of what it was built for. Think about it as there are zero houses built with exposed plywood and they are covered with tar paper and then shingles and the plywood doesn't rot. There is wood siding or cedar siding on the sides but vertical weather properties are nowhere near as harsh as the more horizontal portions due to both UV and water access to them. Any wood exteriored TD requires lots of chemicals to protect it as well as high quality wood and to me not worth the trouble in the long run but we all have our preferences. I like aluminum as its UV tolerant, waterproof, light, and won't breakdown under the elements and if glued correctly won't have any oil canning or visual defects.

Zero houses built with exposed plywood.. How so?? Ever heard of Texture 111. It's just grooved plywood with the inner layers actually exposed. It is/was used extensively as a sheathing/siding material for cheap houses and garages. There is lots of it around here. Most of it is just stained, not painted or any other exotic coating, just grooved exterior plywood.

The question is whether Russian Birch is Exterior or interior plywood? I was told the RB ply I bought was interior. If you do a search for the difference, you will find the interior glues are intended for no moisture low humidity environments. IMO/ an aluminum wrapped TD trailer is the same as a tin can. There is indeed high humidity going on inside a closed TD from occupants respiration. This moisture will eventually get to both interior and exterior 1/8" ply roof, and maybe wall skins. ventilation from windows and roof vents helps, but it won't expel all moisture. The question is will the interior plywood hold up to the humidity? You won't know it's happening because it's hidden under that nice shiny aluminum skin. Maybe when you smell the mold....

I don't know how aluminum can not oil can. It expands and contracts a lot with temperature changes. The large flat sheets must move, especially since the edges are fastened tightly with screws, unless the screw holes are over size? I don't see how gluing it will stop the expansion/contraction movement. I have seen several members mention that it does ripple and move, but contracts flat when cool, it's just the nature of sheet aluminum that one has to live with.
I actually like aluminum for a TD, but I would need to know no moisture is getting in, or worse, not getting out..