Best ways to brace a roof

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Do not have the money. Not even close. If I did I wouldn't start by with my roof.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

A gallon of B-440 resin is $40.

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

The idea about cutting the MDF to the correct contour and using adhesive was the correct one. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif Otherwise, welding is the best way, but it will require repainting if welding to the backside of a painted area (burning).

I do a lot of autobody and restoration work on various vehicles. The best automotive adhesives are Lord Fusor, 3M Automix, and other systems made by U-POL.

You can buy a good quality Epoxy or Urethane (2-part) adhesive from any automotive paint supplier or well stocked auto parts store. Look under "autobody supplies" in the yellow pages/google maps. You can also buy online. There are some types that will fit into a standard calking gun, but are the correct 2-part adhesives.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Ok so help me understand mdf to the contours of the wooer. Such as cross bracing the flows with the roof?

 

---------- Post added at 02:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:35 AM ----------

 

Ok so help me understand mdf to the contours of the wooer. Such as cross bracing the flows with the roof?

Idk what I was trying to spell. I think roof.

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

Yes, cross brace the roof, not lengthwise. Actually, plywood would be better because it doesn't absorb water like MDF. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I would use 3/4" plywood every foot or 2, depending on how much flex is in your roof.

To make a template, use thin cardboard or heavy paper. Once you get the template fitting right, transfer it to the plywood. That way you should need minimal trimming to have the right shape for the roof. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Oh man, this is going to be sooo much fun to do.

Can someone give me a link to the adhesive I need to use?

 

[FtheNutHuggers]

strips of plywood. strong as F and you fasten it with gobs of silicon. plywood doesn't like to bend if you've noticed and silicon over a large surface area doesn't let go. and it's relatively lightweight (the plywood that is) for the deflective resilience.

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

I would not weld. not with a finished paint job

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

silicone isn't permanent, you can just pry it off if you use silicone. silicone is always pliable, so you won't be as rigid. i wouldn't use silicone if your goal is rigidity.

with the adhesives mentioned, you'd make it stronger. MDF is waterproof once coated in resin. it's also stronger at that point. A good 7-ply or 12-ply birch would be stronger than MDF. I wouldn't waste any time on wood thinner than 3/4".

note that the roof line will vary. i would make a cardboard template for each section, maybe you can reuse the same template a few times. cardboard is the best way to get a template without wasting wood. Note that when tracing cardboard cutouts the lines won't be perfect. I use the cardboard as my first pass, draw lightly. then i go back over with a straight edge to make the lines nice and smooth. if you don't, you'll end up with a jagged piece of wood from following the cardboard trace.

when you attach the roof boards, recognize that they will be the new source of flexing, and should be fairly strong. i would keep a perfect 12" or 18" between braces. then you can cut out some 12" or 18" strips. those strips would fit tightly between the roof braces to offer more surface area for the roof and more rigidity.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

I can figure out how to brace them, I just need help on how to connect the wood to the roof, silicone won't work. I'm sure there is some kind of epoxy that would work.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

the adhesives mentioned above by VWbobby aren't good enough? as i mentioned, i would fiberglass them on, then you get the ultimate in strength. if SPL is your goal, fiberglass is your friend.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

SPL isn't my goal, I just want to make my roof move less.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

And if anyone would be friendly enough to post a link for something to make it stick, that'd be nice //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

You turn your nose up at the amount of work it would take to fiberglass the roof, but then agree to this idea of making individualized roof braces out of wood that will need to be adhered to the roof anyway? Seems like coating an old tee-shirt in resin, and then rollering it to your roof, would be a much simpler project than making all those custom braces. But to each their own.

But if you must use the wooden brace method, plywood is much stronger than mdf laterally, and will do the job much better.

 

[chunky cumz 10+ year member]

if ya dont wanna cut up a ton of wood... put about 3 pieces going across and fill in the void with spray foam... works like a charm