I see most everyone using Alum. for their outside skin. What are the advantages? Why not FRP on Luan paneling? Also, where can you get Alum and prefab corners etc.? Rich

Luan is too soft and will not weather at all.....FRP is a good choice for smooth sides but is very hard to patch or replace-water between layers will cause a buldge.....aluminum takes a heat gun or a screw gun and a little help to replace-tape unloosens with enough heat.....sometimes..... sometimes CO2 will freeze it and it will crack off so to speak.....geofkaye

.....corners are available at aluminum extruders near trailer manufactures.....In Elkart IND.they were selling exterior pieces for the same price as scrap.....same as beer cans....geofkaye

Saw a Haulmark coach in Salt Lake City yesterday, what a beauty!!! Probably the only Manf. coach in Utah. It had Alum. skin and was very smooth and very stiff. Is it directly mounted on to the steel fram with the 3M mounting tape or is it back with something? Rich

....if it is .060 aluminum it is pretty stiff stuff and if it is glued instead of screwed it will move some -but not alot....'specially in the sun.....some back it up with a layer of wood to minumize the stretch marks but I don't think much of that idea....still waves on hot days.....My trailer had waves from the pressure of the foam expanding-holding the insulation panels in place and to make an airtight seal.......still there after a year....not as important to me as the insualltion value in hot weather and cold weather.....geofkaye

RBlack
on our Pete we plan to use .095" aluminum sheets bonded to the steel structure with UHB 3M tape.
the bare aluminum sheets will be powdercoated after "dry" fitting them to the steel structure and doing all the needed cutouts and drilling.
for a strong bond the steel has to be perfect clean: freshly sanded and cleaned with 3M surface prep cleaner.
the 3M is very expensive (good thing our toter is only 12.5' long https://www.truckhome.com/infopop/emo.../icon_razz.gif)

Thanks for all the help. My truck goes in for the frame stretch next week, then maybe I can post some pics. Where is the best place to buy the Aluminum skin? I know all these places ALUMINUM SIDING
Discount Aluminum
1461 Seminola Blvd.
Casselberry, FL
407-695-2555, https://www.discount-aluminum.com


Interstate Metal Fabricators, Inc
13509 Johnson Road
Milwaukie, OR 97222
800-587-3463 or 503-786-8860, https://www.interstatemetals.com


The Metal Company
5509 Harlan St.
Arvada, CO
800-231 0401 or 303-423-4425, https://www.themetalcompany.com - Good site.


National R.V. Siding Ltd.
16112 - 114 Ave.
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
1 888-443-4041 https://www.rvsiding.com Good site.



Where do you recommend?

Rich Black

where are you located?
are you looking for raw aluminum sheets or pre-powdercoated trailer siding sheets?

....wait till you get the price Monday....how's your heart?....have insurance?....get ready to change your pants!....geofkaye

Geof Are you refering to the skin or the frame stretch? I'm located near Salt Lake City. I would probably prefer pre-painted stuff. I'm checking with some local metal guys and trailer dealers. Rich

....skin....aluminum is expensive right now.....need more beer cans to recycle https://www.truckhome.com/infopop/emo.../icon_wink.gif geofkaye

Sounds like buying the skin, might get ya skinned!
(Sorry, couldn't resist)
Gary

....did you "open one" early today? If I didn't have to work tonight I have ''one'' with you....but you know how it is......geofkaye

Naw, came home early to clean up to go to the Dr. for a checkup. And while I was at it, well, you know the rest........

.....Oh My!.....geofkaye

Uhhh, it wasn't THAT either. I just assumed you knew I meant that I got online to check this board out.
Note to self- NEVER "assume". Was taught a loooong time ago to break up the word, 'cause it WILL make an "A--" outta "U" and "ME"

....just make sure there is only one hand on your shoulder.....geofkaye https://www.truckhome.com/infopop/emo.../icon_wink.gif

I used .053 aluminum prepainted from Wrisco on our coach, and it worked well....I used the 3M VHB tape to attach it to the truck. WOW. The stuff is strong! I found that as long as you don't apply any pressure when you hang the aluminum up on the taped wall studs, you can reposition it if you are gentle. After it's where you want it, roll it with a stiff paint roller and it's stuck FOR GOOD. One other very important hint...do not use mineral spirits or laquer thinner to clean the metal off with. I called 3M and they told me to get the metal good and clean (mine already was), and then before you stick the tape on the studs, do a final prep with rubbing alcohol. Worked flawlessly!! I did mine when it was cold outside, so I heated the panels up under a heater as I put them up. Also be sure that any welds you have on the outside of the box frame are ground smooth. I had a couple that weren't, and I had to go back and redo.

Travis

....I wouldn't use rubbbing alcohol because of the moisture attraction Get Denatured ALcohol in a can that is sealed and use that....evaporates easly/very quick........there is a new product instead of 3M VHB made by Moasanto? I believe I have to find the sample....it's a LOT cheaper than 3M and reacts well with heatguns.....geofkaye

Hi guys, This is the first time posting for me, so beware of my ignorance.Why not weld 14ga steel sheet to the frame? I do not like the idea of taping on panels.Nor do i like the idea of alum and steel rubbing together.
Thanks Mark

Because the tape REALLY holds well, the 14 gauge steel would be prohibitively heavy, and the two won't rub because the tape separates the two, as it is used everywhere the two would meet. Besides, the steel would create a real rust problem. Does this help?

Gary

Gary
Thanks for your input.
Mark

....the tape is just like snot if you get it on you or the wind blows it on to your clothes...it's kinda there forever....you can remove it by freezing[co2] or heat[gun] but you warp the panels if not careful.....I think the stuff puts a test on you ability to hold your temper till the job is finished.....that why my trailer is screwed together......my patients went south at my 50th birthday......geofkaye

geof,----- did you maen patience, or patients, or meby both????????? ya knew som'body was gonna ask---- mase

....patients are driving me nutz lately with the weather change and full moon ....my patience is shot-then again it was shot a long time ago and hasn't returned.....Mase-have you gone to Fla. at he Groves lately?....I had to leave early as there was a child missing in Tenn so Geoff comped me a few days.....geofkaye

nope, i've been busy doin' stuff here, but we're gonna take a trip in feb. .we'll go out to brownsville for a few days and come home by way of destin, i've wanted to see what the gulf coast looked like for a while.---- mase

Well I finally found where to get the aluminium. All the truck repair places in SLC have it. They have the .053 in 4 x 8 and the unpainted roof roll in .04 x 103 wide. I think I'm going to do the 4 x 8 on the sides and the roof roll on top, seemless of course. The big question is, lapping the 4 x 8 sheets. Do you put an extra piece of 3m or just one? Would you screw the joint? Also, where do you get the 3m tape?

.....tape is pruchased through a 3 M supplier contact 3M for a rep[cases only].....expensive dude!.....if you use a lap seam you need to not tape in between the joints if you use screws every 4 inches....use SS marine screws with a screw gun with a pilot hole drill and a tap combined[self drilling will make you carzy].....won't slip off mark and jang the white aluminum.....lay out an aluminum screw templet to drill first or things go bad by the second row[electrical tape the back side so you don't scratch the white aluminum].....use a screwgun that you can adjust the speed and the clutch so you don't strip them out....sometimes SS are easy to break off!....if you aren't screwing it together use 2 layers of tape and heat gun for make it stick....set the sheet on a table you can adjust before you lay up the sheet-It must be level and square and you are going to need 2 guys to install.....keep wife and kids away as there is going to be some swearing from time to time-also use an plastic round or two to keep the sheet from sticking untill you are sure you have it even and square.....top is easy unless you fall off trailer....geofkaye

Geof what do you like? Lap joint with no screws or screws? I like square drive screws. They don't strip. Impact drivers work awesome for driving screws. I take it that it is a good idea to chaulk a like for the bottom line, or maybe tack a ledger up for the sheet to sit on while you put it up? What do yo mean by a plastic round?

....personally I like screws with the square heads[SS] and the VHB tape on 2 sides.....It cost me +$300 to have my trailer done that way.....but it is more than weather resistant and the polyisocynate foam did not penetrate and expand in the seam......I do have some ripple on the sides to deal with but that is flex from loading and unloading vehicles and sun of course.....geofkaye

....personally I like screws with the square heads[SS] and the VHB tape on 2 sides.....It cost me +$300 to have my trailer done that way.....but it is more than weather resistant and the polyisocynate foam did not penetrate and expand in the seam......I do have some ripple on the sides to deal with but that is flex from loading and unloading vehicles and sun of course and some sidways pressure form the foam.....plastic rounds are 5/8 inch plastic rods that keep the VHB tape form setting while you move the sheet around....I have used a table along the side to keep the sheet level and have something to step up on.....geofkaye