Aluminum sheet width and edge molding question

[MTalon]

I am getting to the point where I am going to start ordering my molding and aluminum sheets. But this is where the problem exists.

My trailer roof width measures just under 5"1 from the outside wall to wall. That means I would have just under 1/2 inch of roof on each side without aluminum if I buy 5 ft wide sheets.

Am I going to have a huge issue with this or will the edge molding cover the gap and then some? Even if the edge molding is 1 inch of 1.5 overlap, would it be a bad idea doing this? The only other option I see is to buy 102 inch wide trailer repair aluminum for the roof I suppose at a much greater price.

[noseoil]

My build was 5' 1/2" due to an odd trailer frame size. This left about 1/4" without any aluminum at each edge. I went ahead & covered it with 1 1/8" trim & butyl rubber tape, & there's no way to tell that it isn't the full width. There's still 7/8" of overlap with the molding in place. If you have moldings which are bigger than an inch, it should work OK. Just make sure to seal the edges of the wood really well with urethane or something before it's skinned, to keep the water out if some manages to sneak around the edge in the future. With a heavy bead of sealant, it should be fine, as long as the sealant covers the edge so no water gets in. Make sure to fill the screw holes as well, before you run the fasteners in, as water can creep into the edge of the hole if there's not a sealant in there. The skin will expand & contract during temperature changes.

I had the same choice to make & decided that the 5' wide sheet was good enough to work.

[citylights]

Go with 1 inch minimum edge molding, 1/2 inch overlap, butyl tape to seal it up, and you will be good to go! If you are worried about it, go with extra wide 2 inch molding and get even more overlap... I don't think it is needed.

I skinned mine in aluminum with tons of trim molding. Check my build log for pictures of installation.

[MTalon]

Thanks guys, I get paranoid about this kind of stuff.