Why Not Metal Roofs?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
blw2

blw2

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Posts
3,364
Location
Saint Johns, FL
I have been wondering for a while, for no particular reason except that I'm bored while driving to work....
Why don't RV manufacturers make roofs like
school buses
UPS trucks
U-Haul trucks
delivery trucks
semi-trailers
etc...?

I understand that's possible for them to be a bit louder inside during a rain.... but they don't have to be really....
Seems like a sheet of aluminum or sheet steel would be lighter than that massive sheet of plywood and rubber.
It seems like it would last longer and require less maintenance....
 
I am sure you have seen aluminum siding after a hail storm. To keep the metal from dinging, you would need a backing. Rubber or fiberglass does not ding as easily.
 
Actually, some RV roofs are metal. Back in the 80's a galvanized metal roof was fairly common. Nowadays, aluminum is used on a few models. I know that 2004 Holiday Rambler Endeavors had them, for example. But flexible fiberglass sheeting is more common in the higher range models that do not use EPDM or TPO.
 
Our 1997 Endeavor has an all aluminum skin, both sides and roof.  Only the end caps are fiberglass.  And it can get loud in a heavy rain or hail.
 
Our 1999 Zanzibar had an aluminum roof.

The roof of the vehicles that Brad mentioned, except for the school bus, almost never have to support anything or be walked on.  RV roofs have to support air conditioners, satellite antenna systems and fat old men cleaning it. So no matter what you cover the roof with you would still need the sub-structure.
 
I am not sure of the cost of metal v/s TPO but weight, Metal is lighter.

I think the problem is condensation.. Metal roofs, if it's warm and moist inside and raining outside,, it's raining inside as well.
 
They have this new-fangled stuff called insulation. Pretty much does away with the interior rain problem. I have a metal roof on my S&B house and the only time it rains is when there is a leak.  ;)
 
We've been in hot and rain and never had a problem inside with "rain".  It's amazing what some people's imagination will dream up.
 
Lazy-Daze has a aluminum roof..as well as aluminum side walls.
 
I rember as a kid being awaken by the rain on the aluminum roof of our old Coleman pop up if we knew it was going to rain we would  throw a old canvas tarp on a roof just to dentain thesound
 
so....why don't you hear the rain on the metal roof of a car ?

the answer ....a sound deadening product called Dynamat
 
It seem obvious that many of you have never had farm girl in the hay barn when it was raining..TOOO bad because when I'm in the RV and it rains.......ahh the memories.....I often wonder where she is now.
 
catblaster said:
It seem obvious that many of you have never had farm girl in the hay barn when it was raining..TOOO bad because when I'm in the RV and it rains.......ahh the memories.....I often wonder where she is now.
Click to expand...

Maybe Jane knows. Ask her!!! ;D
 
My old Dodge Jamboree was a aluminium roof. It was in segments and the other problem it had was either the seams leaked or what little moisture / sweat it produced eventually rotted holes through the metal. This occurred from the inside out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 988 (members: 24, guests: 964)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,966
Posts
1,388,407
Members
137,721
Latest member
Dmac3003
Back
Top Bottom