Those of you who made your own roof hatches

[aswallie]

Are you please with your decision? Would you buy one if you could do it over again? What design changes would you make?

I've been looking at a marine hatch to replace our emergency roof hatches and I've come to accept the $500 price tag on it... Until I realized that I'm manufacturing nearly everything else by hand so why not this too?

What are your horror stories? What are your success stories with pictures?

[Rivetboy]

That is what I am finding also. Where are you looking? I have tryed West Marine

[musigenesis]

I'm keeping my factory hatch, but I'm going to cut a large square opening in the middle and rivet a piece of 1/4" Lexan to make it a skylight (skyhatch?). So far I have the square opening but haven't gotten around to riveting on the Lexan yet.

As you say, if I doing everything else myself, I might as well do this, too instead of paying out the wahoo for a "proper" hatch.

[kazetsukai]

I did custom, square tube welded hatches, used Henry's roof patch to seal around it all.

Started with just some really thin plexi screwed down, this really sucked and started to look like crap after a while:


After about 4 months I replaced the thin plexi with thicker plexi and lined the borders with aluminum L.


We then reframed the interior with PVC trim, so that if the hatches did leak, it leaked onto the floor and not up inside the ceiling.


We do get some leaking on really REALLY rainy days, but it is due to the screw holes not being covered. The "hatch sandwich" is square tube, butyl tape, plexi, butyl tape, aluminum L. I need to redo the butyl portion between the aluminum and the plexi, but that's very minor. Most days after a rain there's a pool of water on them for a while with no leaking at all.

Love the look, the function, seeing the stars at night and the huge amount of light that comes in. Most of the day I don't need LED lighting on. #NoRegrets doing it myself.

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by Rivetboy

That is what I am finding also. Where are you looking? I have tryed West Marine

I've looked everywhere online, I live in an area very far from the nearest place I could buy one of the shelf...

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

I'm keeping my factory hatch, but I'm going to cut a large square opening in the middle and rivet a piece of 1/4" Lexan to make it a skylight (skyhatch?). So far I have the square opening but haven't gotten around to riveting on the Lexan yet.

As you say, if I doing everything else myself, I might as well do this, too instead of paying out the wahoo for a "proper" hatch.

An interesting idea and one I've not thought about. I accidentally hulk smashed my hatch clean off it's mount and broke the hinge area so that isn't really an option for me any more.

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by kazetsukai

I did custom, square tube welded hatches, used Henry's roof patch to seal around it all.
Attachment 54384
Started with just some really thin plexi screwed down, this really sucked and started to look like crap after a while:
Attachment 54383

After about 4 months I replaced the thin plexi with thicker plexi and lined the borders with aluminum L.
Attachment 54381

We then reframed the interior with PVC trim, so that if the hatches did leak, it leaked onto the floor and not up inside the ceiling.
Attachment 54382

We do get some leaking on really REALLY rainy days, but it is due to the screw holes not being covered. The "hatch sandwich" is square tube, butyl tape, plexi, butyl tape, aluminum L. I need to redo the butyl portion between the aluminum and the plexi, but that's very minor. Most days after a rain there's a pool of water on them for a while with no leaking at all.

Love the look, the function, seeing the stars at night and the huge amount of light that comes in. Most of the day I don't need LED lighting on. #NoRegrets doing it myself.

This is super helpful, thank you so much for taking the time to reply! The pictures help, too! I was thinking going with a wooden frame for the window but was unsure if it would warp with temperature or moisture change so I was starting to think more along the lines of the PVC wood. Never thought to make the hatch out of metal. Do you have any piston or spring system? What kind of latch did you go with?

[kazetsukai]

Originally Posted by aswallie

Do you have any piston or spring system? What kind of latch did you go with?

Some small gas struts hold the hatches open/closed on both sides: Only shot of this I could find right now:


No latch. I also added a small hook/rope for the not-so-tall among us to be able to close them, I'll take a pic of that tomorrow when it is bright out, along with how it looks open.

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by kazetsukai

Some small gas struts hold the hatches open/closed on both sides: Only shot of this I could find right now:
Attachment 54389

No latch. I also added a small hook/rope for the not-so-tall among us to be able to close them, I'll take a pic of that tomorrow when it is bright out, along with how it looks open.

And you've had no issue without a latch? It hasn't come open while driving?

[kazetsukai]

Promised pics (rear/shower hatch):


Our beds are under the front hatch, so the view at night:


Can't wait for some nice, night thunderstorms! During this last snowstorm I saw the sky flashing from all the high voltage transformers popping, which kinda resembled lightning.

Originally Posted by aswallie

And you've had no issue without a latch? It hasn't come open while driving?

No, it takes a bit of push to open them. Demonstration:


Now from a security standpoint, I kinda want latches, but I haven't looked for/found anything that really stands out as an obvious solution.

[aswallie]

This has been incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for the pictures and gif! I'll have to build my design inspired heavily from your hatch. I'll probably seak out a way to latch it too, we're planning on heading the front hatch opening face forward and the wind could probably lift that pretty easily.

[Mountain Gnome]

Face forward into the wind is a real challenge that I personally would not recommend. That's just begging for a problem if you forget to latch it.


I built my own hatch. Lots of work and details to work out. Made out of structural aluminum and lexan (NOT plexiglass!). I had pros weld it since I had not yet learned to weld. That was the biggest expense.

Plexiglass WILL crack, and expands/contracts quite a bit in the sun or cold. I used it once to cover a home-made camper-top for my pickup. It cracked the first day in the sun, since it expanded so much, it over-stressed where it was fastened down. It was very noticeably warping. My lexan does not show that problem.



I used 2"×2"×1/4" T-bar for the main structure of the frame. The "T" is on its side, so I have a 2" flange that overlaps the roof panels, and a 2" interior facing surface that rises (at least 1") above the roofing surface to keep water out. I sealed it there with plenty of Henry's white roofing sealant. It is situated between roof-ribs, so this main frame structure is strong enough to support my weight. That was important to me, since this hatch is my roof access, and I may have a bit of storage up there behind the A/C unit, plus access to solar panels when the funds allow for them to be added. The frame is sized to just fit inside the interior lower-trim.



For the lid and the interior lower-trim I used 2"×2"×1/8" L-angle. I used 2 layers (separated by an air-gap) of lexan (not too thin, not too thick). The outer layer is held in with brackets riveted to the sides of the lid - no holes in the lexan or the top of the lid. The lexan is sealed with Henry's Crystal Clear roofing sealant. The inner layer of lexan is held in place with springs and bolts (holes in the lexan). These bolts also hold in a bracket for the handle and the custom latches. I can remove the inner pane of lexan to clean or repair. I never sealed the air-gap for better insulation (but I could), but I still have not had condensation issues between the panes. The lid framework is reinforced internally with steel 90° angle-brackets and steel L-bar.


The lid is riveted to the frame using galvanized hinges with removable pins so I can remove the lid altogether, so if I enter a parade, I can have topless girls hanging out the roof-hatch throwing beads or whatever.



To seal the lexan against the top of the T-bar frame, I used 3/4"×1/2"×1/16" aluminum C-channel, filled with size-matched sticky-backed foam window-gap-sealer. The aluminum gives the foam structure, and prevents the solar UV rays from destroying it. That is riveted to the inner lexan, and makes an air-tight seal.

The spring-loaded struts I made by hand also, using tubular steel wrapped and filled with springs. They tuck in between the outer lid-shell and the T-bar frame (can't see in my pics - it is raining, so can't open). I couldn't find pre-made ones that would fit there. I wanted NO impediments to carrying stuff up through the hole to the roof; nothing that would "snag" or limit the size of the hole. They won't lift the lid, nor prevent it from slamming in a very strong wind, but when the lid is open, they otherwise keep it that way.


The latches were a real challenge to figure out. Nothing pre-fabbed that I could find would fit. I used those little metal push-button things like you find in canoe paddle-handles to allow them to extend/retract. I never got what I wanted, because you need tools to push the button all the way in, and then it locks "open" in place (a bug that became a feature). That "feature" makes it easy to then close the lid, but then you need another tool (90° pick) to make it "lock" back shut. Note the latch has two holes in it; the top one locks the hatch completely closed, while the lower one allows the latch to be "cracked" open (rain still wants to splatter and splash in, though ). I can even have it "cracked" open while driving. This was how the original (POS) hatch was, for ventilation.



I then polished the aluminum to a mirror and painted it with tinted clear-coat. Looks really nice in the sunlight, and you get green-reflected light on the inside for your heady pleasure.

[musigenesis]

https://www.mcmaster.com/draw-latches/draw-latches-10/

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by Mountain Gnome

Face forward into the wind is a real challenge that I personally would not recommend. That's just begging for a problem if you forget to latch it.


I built my own hatch. Lots of work and details to work out. Made out of structural aluminum and lexan (NOT plexiglass!). I had pros weld it since I had not yet learned to weld. That was the biggest expense.

Plexiglass WILL crack, and expands/contracts quite a bit in the sun or cold. I used it once to cover a home-made camper-top for my pickup. It cracked the first day in the sun, since it expanded so much, it over-stressed where it was fastened down. It was very noticeably warping. My lexan does not show that problem.



I used 2"×2"×1/4" T-bar for the main structure of the frame. The "T" is on its side, so I have a 2" flange that overlaps the roof panels, and a 2" interior facing surface that rises (at least 1") above the roofing surface to keep water out. I sealed it there with plenty of Henry's white roofing sealant. It is situated between roof-ribs, so this main frame structure is strong enough to support my weight. That was important to me, since this hatch is my roof access, and I may have a bit of storage up there behind the A/C unit, plus access to solar panels when the funds allow for them to be added. The frame is sized to just fit inside the interior lower-trim.



For the lid and the interior lower-trim I used 2"×2"×1/8" L-angle. I used 2 layers (separated by an air-gap) of lexan (not too thin, not too thick). The outer layer is held in with brackets riveted to the sides of the lid - no holes in the lexan or the top of the lid. The lexan is sealed with Henry's Crystal Clear roofing sealant. The inner layer of lexan is held in place with springs and bolts (holes in the lexan). These bolts also hold in a bracket for the handle and the custom latches. I can remove the inner pane of lexan to clean or repair. I never sealed the air-gap for better insulation (but I could), but I still have not had condensation issues between the panes. The lid framework is reinforced internally with steel 90° angle-brackets and steel L-bar.


The lid is riveted to the frame using galvanized hinges with removable pins so I can remove the lid altogether, so if I enter a parade, I can have topless girls hanging out the roof-hatch throwing beads or whatever.



To seal the lexan against the top of the T-bar frame, I used 3/4"×1/2"×1/16" aluminum C-channel, filled with size-matched sticky-backed foam window-gap-sealer. The aluminum gives the foam structure, and prevents the solar UV rays from destroying it. That is riveted to the inner lexan, and makes an air-tight seal.

The spring-loaded struts I made by hand also, using tubular steel wrapped and filled with springs. They tuck in between the outer lid-shell and the T-bar frame (can't see in my pics - it is raining, so can't open). I couldn't find pre-made ones that would fit there. I wanted NO impediments to carrying stuff up through the hole to the roof; nothing that would "snag" or limit the size of the hole. They won't lift the lid, nor prevent it from slamming in a very strong wind, but when the lid is open, they otherwise keep it that way.


The latches were a real challenge to figure out. Nothing pre-fabbed that I could find would fit. I used those little metal push-button things like you find in canoe paddle-handles to allow them to extend/retract. I never got what I wanted, because you need tools to push the button all the way in, and then it locks "open" in place (a bug that became a feature). That "feature" makes it easy to then close the lid, but then you need another tool (90° pick) to make it "lock" back shut. Note the latch has two holes in it; the top one locks the hatch completely closed, while the lower one allows the latch to be "cracked" open (rain still wants to splatter and splash in, though ). I can even have it "cracked" open while driving. This was how the original (POS) hatch was, for ventilation.



I then polished the aluminum to a mirror and painted it with tinted clear-coat. Looks really nice in the sunlight, and you get green-reflected light on the inside for your heady pleasure.

The was an incredibly amount of information and I would love to see more photos of all the work you've done. Did you design the struts to keep the hatch open or did you find the plans somewhere?

I understand a level of risk it's associated with having the hatch face forward but the plan is to have the roof deck in the front of the bus with access only from inside. The hatch could face backwards but you'd need to walk around it to access the deck and I feel like that's asking for trouble.

[Doktari]

Ive done a 2’x3’ hatch but it was a aluminum hatch a boatshop welded up for a boat but never installed. I bought it for $80 and installed it on my flat aluminum roof. I epoxied and riveted it down to the roof. Then I used that RV tape on the seams to double seal it anywhere the epoxy missed. I found out that the aluminum hinges were welded to the frame so they interfered with the tape and I had a slow leak. I bought a can of that spray liquid rubber stuff and that seems to have sealed it. The hatch needed a bigger frame and the tape would have worked fine. But how long will this tape last? On a flat roof where water pools? I like the tape because it covers all the rivets. And it’s sticky as hell. Because of the flat roof I then went over the the entire roof and the seams with epdm liquid rubber roof coating. It’s rated for submersion on flat roofs. The expensive two-part epdm rubber. Not the cheap one-part stuff. So I’m hoping it lasts at least 20 years when I’ll be done with it.
On that note I’m planning a even bigger aluminum hatch on my cutaway van skoolie. It will be 4’x7’6”. I studied how a expensive aluminum poptop camper shell was designed. It has a inner lip on the base and a outer lip on the lid. And a seal in between them. Not rocket science but I’m glad I looked at it. It has 3 hinges. I’m planning to bolt, rivet, and screw it together but skip the epoxy this time. Then I plan to bolt and screw it to the bus roof. Then go over the seams with RV roof tape again. Later I might go over the entire roof with epdm liquid rubber before installing solar. I could probably use mastic tape in the seam and go over the top with self leveling mastic.
I have wondered if fiberglassing the big aluminum hatch base to the steel roof would be the best option? Any opinions? I think aluminum can be fiberglassed to steel? Also would marine epoxy be much better than polyurethane resin. My understanding is marine epoxy is structural adhesive and polyurethane resin is not? Thanks.

[Bus'n it]

I went the Marine roof hatch at $412 each. Little did I know the work involved to getting them onto a curved roof! Spent a weekend fabricating a steel frame with the proper curve on two ends. Cut the curve radius and then welded in a flat section of metal to close it off. Finshed grinding the welds smooth and had both frames powdercoated for added corrosion protection. Finally Butyl tape between the roof and frame and frame and hatch finished it off. Turned out really nice.

[Hayseed]

I replaced my 24” crumbling, leaking roof hatch with a 30” piece of 1/4” polycarbonate. Used butyl then 3” strips of eternabond tape over the edges and rivets. Then used self leveling caulk. It better work. I also used the 3” tape on all the roof seams and rivets.

[aswallie]

Originally Posted by Bus'n it

I went the Marine roof hatch at $412 each. Little did I know the work involved to getting them onto a curved roof! Spent a weekend fabricating a steel frame with the proper curve on two ends. Cut the curve radius and then welded in a flat section of metal to close it off. Finshed grinding the welds smooth and had both frames powdercoated for added corrosion protection. Finally Butyl tape between the roof and frame and frame and hatch finished it off. Turned out really nice.

The curved roof and effort making something else fit is what inspired me to want to make my own. It's a cost to effort balance at this point.

[Mountain Gnome]

Originally Posted by aswallie

The was an incredibly amount of information and I would love to see more photos of all the work you've done. Did you design the struts to keep the hatch open or did you find the plans somewhere?

Sorry for the delay. It was raining, then I was busy busy.

I "designed" the struts myself. The hinges are bimini hinges. Took me weeks to figure that out, and then a few more days to find the exact right ones. Note there is a steel bar inside a steel tube. The bar is wrapped in springs, and the tube filled. All springs compress when the lid closes. My original concept was that when the lid was closed, the bimini-hinge-end would be higher than the other, and "hold" the lid closed. I think they came out near level. But the springs are too weak, anyway. Maybe someday I will get a bigger tube to replace the bar, and bigger springs. More important things to worry about right now. It closes, locks, lets the sunlight in, and keeps water out.

Originally Posted by aswallie

The curved roof and effort making something else fit is what inspired me to want to make my own. It's a cost to effort balance at this point.

I built my own for the cost factor, as well as the fun factor. In the end, it costs nearly as much, and turned into a PITA since I did not yet weld.

I learned to weld just for this project, and only right at the end. 4 stainless steel (don't weld zinc!) 1/4"-20TPI nuts welded to the mild-steel bar. That was a trick for a novice, to weld them on solid without melting the whole nut, or warping it and ruining the threads. Also, the handle-bracket is welded to the interior lexan retaining strip, so the handle is angled proper - or should have been - I mixed the angle up - should be 30°, came out 60° - or the other way around.

Just above the strut top is a small angle-bracket. That is waiting for a rubber foot-bumper. I have them but gotta drill the hole bigger.
Also note the locking-bar to hold in the hinge-pins, so no one can knock them out and sneak in.
I have some rubber trim for the edges of the lid, but not installed yet. A goal was to have the hinges behind the trim, but geometrical logistics forbid that

And I need to paint the few remaining things, when I get to the desert.

Forgot to mention the frame and lid and trim is all aluminum. The lighter-colored green stuff is steel.

If I were to start over, I'm sure I could do better things with my welder.