72 Brave roof tear off and replacement

fierce beagle · July 04, 2017, 10:02 PM

I've read several of the great threads on replacing the roof. So far I have removed everything under the aluminum on my 72 brave. I plan to take the aluminum off and rebuild using rafters made out of 2 pcs of 3/4" plywood PL glued together. 1 1/4" on the ends to 2.5" or 3" in the middle with a flat bottom. Rafters spaced 12" on center. Then cover top with 1/2" CDX plywood screwed and glued to the rafters and install pine spacers between on top of the walls. I'll tuck the plywood under the front eyebrow piece of aluminum. After that I'm looking for advice on the roof. Should I use painted on seal or a rubber roof. I don't mind reapplying a coating every few years. I believe that Ibdilbert has done the painted on type and I am leaning that way for cost savings. It's a bummer on old posts when the pictures get removed.
I plan to store it under a lean-to and use it for camping. I have removed the bathroom, closet, fridge, furnace and will replace the AC with a new coleman AC/Heat unit, $400.

Rickf1985 · July 05, 2017, 11:08 AM

I have read up on the painted surface and nowhere do I see where it is recommended as the primary roof. I see it recommended as a roof coating but not as the original primary roof. I would have concerns about that. My personal opinion is that if you are starting out with new plywood then rubber is the way to go. It is going to last at least 20 plus years, do the math, how much is it going to cost you in material and time to recoat ten times? And on top of that, every recoat adds weight. People don't think about it because it is spread out but how heavy is that bucket to get up there? Now, multiply that by 6, 7 10 recoats! Pretty damn top heavy after a while. JMHO.

And to go along with the top heavy part, rafters every 12 and 1/2 ply is also a lot of weight.

fierce beagle · July 05, 2017, 05:53 PM

How about this..
My local steel supplier has 101" wide coil stock aluminum .040" thick for just under $16/ft. So I'm think for under $400 of aluminum I put 1/4" plywood over my rafters and glue the aluminum to that. The aluminum would weigh about 150 lb. Then just paint the aluminum white and bend over the sides.
Question is should I get enough length to replace the eyebrow and stop after that first bend.
Thoughts?

I'm thinking about removing all penetrations through the roof since I don't have a bathroom or gas fridge or furnace. I could use an undercounter vent for the kitchen sink.
I hate putting holes in roofs.

fierce beagle · July 05, 2017, 05:56 PM

I'm not against using rubber roofing. Just considering all options.

Rickf1985 · July 05, 2017, 06:00 PM

There is another member on here doing the exact same thing as you, look for Demon in the projects section. If you have no roof vents then how do you vent out moisture and cooking fumes and such? You have to have some sort of ventilation.

fierce beagle · July 05, 2017, 07:11 PM

Wow, thanks for the "Demon" project suggestion. There is no way to get around the expansion contraction issue unless you seam pieces every 4' or so. That's how my original roof was made, the seams allow for expansion in small increments. I built a floor for a house once and didn't space the plywood like I should've, the next day the top of the floor was 2" longer than the bottom of the floor joists over 50'.
After that blog I'm definitely doing rubber roof and not putting up my roof rack. fewer holes. I plan on using my winnie for nice climate purposes only so I can open windows for ventilation. I used to be a contractor and am fairly certain that we would use an under the counter vent when a sink had to be in an island. Wasn't legal but was necessary. Eventually I'll put an AC up there, so that will be one hole.
Does a new rubber roof need any coating initially?

Rickf1985 · July 06, 2017, 06:41 PM

No coating. Keep in mind your AC needs when doing your rebuild, run the power wires and I would also run a set of 12 volt wires in case you decide to put a fan up there instead.

CapnDirk · July 06, 2017, 09:00 PM

Beagle:
I'd take that aluminum in a heartbeat! Not as easily damaged as anything else. Don't glue it down, let it and the rafters do their thing. Roll it out and center it then start putting down your whatevers from center-line outward. Roll the edge with some sealing tape, and then some aluminum trim that also goes over the edge and screws down with an insert to cover the screws (very common in travel trailer construction).

You are undoubtedly going to do a better job than the factory to insure integrity, couple that with the fact that most leaks were due to the previous owners not taking care of things, and you have an inevitable failure.

Do a better job than factory and go up there once a year, It will probably outlast you. I would not worry about vents and such, put them in if you like, just seal and maintain.