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Hole in Metal Roof...

2K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  TedLeger 
#1 ·
Okay,second posting here (there is so much expertise in here) that I thought I'd inquire about another small problem I'm having...

A few months ago I purchased an old 18 ft truck box that I want to use to store my tools (drill press,grinder,cut-off saw,vise,miter saw,etc),so basically create a man-cave workshop with it.It's got a wooden interior with thick wooden floors and a metal exterior with rounded corners along the roof line.This box was probably manufactured in the '40s or '50s -- it's a well built,heavy box with no wheel wells to get in the way also.

Okay,here's my "big" problem: It's got a low spot on its metal roof with a hole in it,so water pools there during any rain and it naturally leaks.I plan to go to a nearby junkyard and look for a wide headliner bow to run inside the thin ceiling plywood to pop the roof out again so water doesn't pool there,but what of the hole itself?

Those I've talk to want me to coat the entire roof with sealant and other pricy fixes,which is far more than I want to spend (it cost me $400 to ship it here;I added three windows for light and ventilation,etc).I've already spent too much already refurbishing it.The roof is solid except for this hole (bullet?).

Would something simple and inexpensive like a plastic clip utilized in modern cars to hold in rubber and plastic wheel wells work,or a small wide head bolt,wide washer,and a nut work?

I like that last idea,but what would make a good sealant or gasket?

Thoughts or suggestions for an inexpensive fix? I really don't want to put any more money in this old thing.It isn't worth it. :)
 

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#6 ·
Thank you all for the responses.My only question is are any of these products available in "trial sizes",like traveling toothpaste sizes,etc? I would only require a dab.

Fairview: I'm visiting a wrecking yard tomorrow to show a young woman how to strip car parts for her "new" car,so I'll keep my eye out for such things.The hole is not as big as a valve stem (close,though),but that's an excellent idea.It would seal beautifully.

Fix'n it: More pictures coming up as requested.That's why I taped a dime to the original to give some perspective.
It appears these old trailers were built a lot like a building.They framed it first,then they wrapped it in heavy sheet metal.The wood used,is also very hard,heavy,and tough to saw.Did pressure treated wood exist back then? I also had to replace one of its thick 18' floor boards which the guys at Dixieline had never seen.Truly from a different era.
 
#9 ·
T
Fix'n it: More pictures coming up as requested.That's why I taped a dime to the original to give some perspective.
i did not look well enough the first time. no other pics needed.

bolt, nut, 2 fender washers and 2 gaskets made of inner tube rubber. Get an old inner tube free at a bicycle shop.

do this^ . you could also used automotive high temp silicone.

if it were mine, i would weld it. but i weld, so that would be easy for me.
 
#7 ·
Added pics...

Here's a couple more pics as requested.The one with the broom is obviously facing toward the front.

I alluded to it's wood in my previous post,and what I don't get is the support piece (the painted one) right near the leak.It bows downward or inward,and no matter how hard I hit it to try to pop it up and therefore pop up the sheet metal skin in that low spot right above it,it springs or pops right back.I wonder if years of leaking water did that to it? Weird,huh? What would be ideal would be to somehow remove it and turn it upside down to utilize it's bow.
 

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#11 ·
Apply a coat of acrylic coating to the area around the hole or holes with a paintbrush.Cut a piece of polyester mesh slightly larger than the hole with a pair of scissors. Place the mesh over the wet acrylic coating. Smooth the mesh carefully with your hand to remove any wrinkles.Apply a second coat of acrylic coating over the mesh. Inspect the area to ensure the hole is completely covered. Apply another coat of acrylic coating if the hole is not completely filled.
 
#13 ·
Thank you all for your suggestions.Haven't had the time to get out there and work on it,but when I do I'd like to tackle that nagging drooping roof brace right beneath it.Two birds with one stone as they say.

I can only speculate because I'm not familiar with how certain (old) woods react to years of water,or if something else is going on here,but my guess is that the brace was simply subjected to years of water causing it to bow the opposite way.It gets pretty wet in that area after a good rain,so that's all I can go with.It's bowed so much that one can see how it took the nails to the thin plywood right above it with it.

Anyway,one obvious way to remove this "brace"/roof rafter is to remove the vertical bolt holding it in,but that would require I literally remove or lift a great part of the roof's metal skin on both sides to get to it as it is underneath the roof's outer metal skin.Too much work that would require I loosen many exterior bolts to lift the metal skin off it.I also fear it might not go back together as it should.

My thinking right now is to sawzall the brace at an angle (indicated by the red marker lines),drilling a 3/8" hole about half inch deep and looking for a car roof liner rod (or any springy rod) to pop it up.Same idea as it was originally designed but I'm using a metal rod instead. My second thought was to run down to the Home Depot and buy an 8'x2"x2",cutting it slightly larger than the old piece and forcing it into place hopefully with enough tension to provide an upward bow.I'd have to start with a very bowed piece of new 2"x2" to have any luck with my second option.

Is there anything I've overlooked with my ways of addressing it? Any thoughts or suggestions as to what you guys would do? I hope I've provided enough images for you guys to work with.Ask if you need more. :)
 
#15 · (Edited)
Here are both end pieces;one with the red marker where I'd like to cut it.What would be nice would be if I could cut the bolt near the top in between the plywood and the brace(I don't think I could get a sawzall in there),and pulling the bolt out from the bottom out.Hopefully the wood brace would slip out with a little pulling and I could flip it around given me the very bow/arch I need.It would be a beatch forcing it back in I'd bet.
 

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#17 · (Edited)
Hole

Since you are going to the junkyard,why not just get a piece of sheet metal that will fit on the roof and put it on top of the hole on top of the roof, then just sealing it with something like climaclear or even silicone would work. Even if you got a sheet and just put it up there with some roofing screws, that way those don't leak either. You could probably go with stitch screws (lap screws) if there isn't anything to screw to. That way you wouldn't have to worry about screwing into the structure. Just metal to metal. Then seal all around the square sheet. Sort of like in the picture below, but pretend that the shingle roof is your roof.

 
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