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