Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Bonding aluminum to wood

So I'm in the process of building a refrigerated trailer, and I've got it coming along pretty well. Its pretty well framed up and the plywood skin is on, but now I want to cover the whole thing in aluminum sheets.

I'll be using stainless screws eventually to attach it along the edges with the trim,once I can find some. However, I'd like to bond it to the wood to prevent any popcanning or bulges and looseness. I'm wondering if any of the construction adhesives that come in tubes are up to the task? I'm not sure how I'll clamp it yet, as its in 4x8 sheets and going on vertical walls.

If no adhesives will work, I might screw some 1 inch metal straps to the walls and use 3M VHB tape to stick the panels on. That'll add some time and expense though, so if there's an adhesive that'll hold it, I'd rather do that.

I have a construction adhesive I bought at Home Depot, have not used it, but it I believe is supposed to be good for that use also, it is too late to go out and look at the label, but it is supposed to be one of the stronger one they use in putting houses together, I got it for when I get around to putting up a dividing wall inside the house, was told it saves shooting nails into my old concrete floor.

Go to Aircraft Spruce and Specialty web site (or call them on the phone). There are some bonding adhesives out there that are used in aviation that are first rate. Aircraft Spruce prolly carries something that would work for your purpose. I am too lazy to look up their web site, but you can google it.

West system

I predict nothing will work. Wood and aluminum will have a marked differential in shrinkage, both in amounts and direction. Teardrop trailer builders often use a product called Filon to cover their plywood panels. That is what a lot of factory RV's use I'm told.

Did you use treated plywood? the use of aluminum in contact with treated wood will cause the aluminum to pit and flake over time due to the alkaline copper solution used to impregnate the wood.

xxclaro;
Good morning to you sir, hopefully this finds you and yours doing well on this second last Sunday in August.

In the job where I worked for most of the last quarter century, we supplied many if not most of the western Canadian RV plants with cabinet doors, furniture and wood accessories. Because of that and the various positions I held, I spent enough time in a couple of local plants - Okanagan, Citation and Snowbird to see how they did exactly what you're asking about.

The most efficient system that I saw was the Okanagan plant who used a combination of a roller system to apply a polyurethane glue to the trailer walls and then a bladder press that would hold equal pressure on the entire wall while the glue set.

Please note that the outer wall skin on the last models built was not aluminum but a solid fiberglass panel - maybe 3mm thick if memory serves?

So anyway without access to a bladder press the size of your walls, I'd personally go behind door number two and try something else other than a polyurethane type adhesive.

Most construction adhesives such as the PL series aren't subjected to the temperature variances you're going to get with a reefer trailer, so I can only speculate as to whether it'd hold with the heat/cool cycles you're going to put it through. My gut feeling is perhaps not.

As an aside if I was building one, I'd try to source the 3mm fiberglass panels that the RV makers use, as the back/bonding side is very rough and will hold an adhesive better than smooth aluminum. Also I'd suspect it would be more inert in temperature changes than aluminum.

If you're sure you need to use the combination of aluminum and plywood, you actually might not want to bond the sheeting onto it - as in just attach it on the edges and at a couple points down the middle with rows of screws.

I'm cognizant that'll result in the pop can look you don't want, but without access to some means of etching the aluminum and a bladder press type setup to get an even bond, I'm not sure it won't happen anyway.

Lastly, if you're using screws, then try to source some sort of trim like the RV units/truck canopy makers use which will hold the aluminum sheeting down more efficiently than screws alone. If you're able to source the U channel shaped stuff that has a plastic cover for the screws/trim piece that's even better as it will keep the weather off of it all.

Hopefully that was somewhat useful information sir, reading back on it myself now I'm not sure it is really.......

Good luck on the project whichever way you decide and hopefully your hunts this fall result in a packed trailer.

Dwayne

Crap sakes, we're not sending this thing beyond the rings of Saturn,....or to fight in Tekrit.

Lay down a uniform grid of Liquid Nails type panel adhesive in increments no larger than what you can press and secure with the screws, land the paneling and secure.

...go have an OV

GTC

Oh, you might want to noodle around on some way of pulling the panels down with vacuum.

Nothing fancy,....a shop vac and some Canucky Tire cheap Duct tape sorta' deal.

GTC

crossfire;
Top of the morning to you sir, I see you're up and online so I hope that means all is well in your world?

I'll admit I do tend to over complicate some projects and apologize for that - I do hate to do things twice though.

Initially I thought of a lawn roller for a press too, on a flat concrete floor it should work OK, but I wasn't sure the PL type glue would hold?

Never worked much with aluminum sheeting siding other than as noted - seeing how the RV guys did it.

Anyway, it looks like I'll be heading into Canmore tomorrow evening for work and then on to Calgary on Tuesday to load up and head back home, so I'll wave to some of your old compadres on my way by.

Sorry for over thinking the whole thing crossfire and all the best to you in the upcoming week.

Dwayne

Just get the 3M stuff RV dealers and repair shops use ( can't recall the actual number, was black and came in caulk tubes ) . Run a paint roller over it and use aluminum rivets where you can instead of screws.

We used the stuff to attach aluminum sheets to the roof of a big rig trailer, worked great.

Like Gregg said, its not a Saturn rocket.

I'm no expert on bonding aluminium to plywood but I can only imagine it wouldn't be much different than installing a tub surround. If you use a proper high tack adhesive once the two panels come in contact they're glued together and nothing other than hand pressure is required.

Hey Hoser,...

Wink and blow a kiss at the Three Sisters.

I'm given to understand that I'd hardly recognize some of my ols stomping grounds anymore.

Time does indeed take wings.

Travel safe !

Greg

Alright, well thanks guys I think I'm ready to do this then, just as soon as I can line up some trim and edging to bring it all together. Would have preferred to do a metal frame which would make this much easier, but I think it's going to turn out ok.

I predict you have less than no clue

nonexpanding foam sealer that comes in a can witha couple buddies and and some 2 x's

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Adhesives/Tapes/Products/~/3M-Marine-Adhesive-Sealant-5200?N=5510818+3294314622&rt=rud

I have not used it for your application, but my experience is PL premium is really good stuff. Check the label and maybe make up a test piece.

With the RV/Filon I'd consider plain old contact cement. Get some help though. When it touches, it sticks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRBYAgY2KEo

This I believe I'd use some screws with fender washers as well to hold things together till it dried.