Strengthen the Roof Curve With Blocks

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Strengthen the Roof Curve With Blocks

Postby Tomterrific » Tue Aug 23, 2016 8:58 am

:roll: People are rightfully wary of bending that underlayment roof for the first time. It is scarey! Here is the way I did mine to get a strong roof that is incredibly light weight.

I put up the sides (only 5mm!) and temporary braced the sides 90° to the floor. Ribs were run across the top using twice as many at the curve at the front. Ribs were cut from cheap 1x2 furring strips.

The inside ceiling is installed first. I used construction adhesive on each rib. I got under the ceiling and pushed it into place with my feet. I used a borrowed electric brad nailer to hold the ply to each rib until the glue set. It was not easy but worked out in the end. I wish I would have precurved the ceiling to make the job less intensive. Next time! :-)

Here is the tip! I planned on using 3/4" Styrofoam panels in between the ribs with spray adhesivefor a ssandwich roof that would be strong but I saw the edges would be weak. I used a technique from guitar building to strengthen the edge/corner of the curve. I sawed small blocks off the furring strips approximately 1.5" x 1.5" and glued these to both the ceiling, the side and each other. The roof/top ply was eventually glued to these edge blocks making an increadiblely strong continuous thick beam all along the top edge of the camper. Of course I used a straight piece of the 1x2 along the uncurved sections.

Another tip you will see on this forum is to precurve the roof ply. Clamp a board across the bottom of the ply and use racheting tiedowns to get the initial bend. Let sit overnight and you will have a headstart to the bend. Makes the job much easier. I sprayed a mist of water on the outer bend to ease the expansion of the outer ply but I'm not sure I needed this.

T
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You can see the blocks forming a curb along the edge.
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Re: Strengthen the Roof Curve With Blocks

Postby Tommy2tone_1999 » Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:04 am

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