Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-05-2020, 03:10 PM   #1
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
Bus Ceiling, Help Please

Hello,
Can someone help me figure out a way to make my ceiling? All the arches are throwing me off. I have limited ceiling height so I'm limited on what material I can use. I also HATE a ton of visible screws showing, so I refuse to put up a bunch of thin wood.

I know i'm being picky, but i plan to live here, so I want to enjoy being in the space, and a million exposed screws do not make me feel comfortable. And because I have to take down the ceiling to expand on my solar array later, I am not covering up the screws with wood filler or anything, so there will just be tons of lines of screws and that will drive me crazy.


ajankows38290 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2020, 03:38 PM   #2
Skoolie
 
sepudo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Socal and Vegas
Posts: 178
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: fs65
Engine: 7.2 catapillar 3126
Rated Cap: 41 students
You mentioned you're going to live out of it so I assume you want some sort of insulation. Whether that means removing your metal ceiling and adding insulation or simply adding additional insulation to the metal ceiling you'll then just cover it with your choice of material. If it's wood you can fill in screw holes with wood putty and paint, if it's Fabric or Marine vinyl like I'm using then some adhesive and you're good to go. I don't see what's tricky
sepudo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2020, 03:53 PM   #3
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 9
thanks so much.
ajankows38290 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2020, 04:33 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
EastCoastCB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Eustis FLORIDA
Posts: 23,764
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freighliner FS65
Engine: Cat 3126
Rated Cap: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajankows38290 View Post
Hello,
Can someone help me figure out a way to make my ceiling? All the arches are throwing me off. I have limited ceiling height so I'm limited on what material I can use. I also HATE a ton of visible screws showing, so I refuse to put up a bunch of thin wood.

I know i'm being picky, but i plan to live here, so I want to enjoy being in the space, and a million exposed screws do not make me feel comfortable. And because I have to take down the ceiling to expand on my solar array later, I am not covering up the screws with wood filler or anything, so there will just be tons of lines of screws and that will drive me crazy.

USe strips of wood. YOu can hide the fasteners.
EastCoastCB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2020, 04:35 PM   #5
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Picton,Ont, Can.
Posts: 1,956
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: GMC
Engine: Cat 3116
Rated Cap: 72
Not sure what you might use but if wood such as t&g for example, but you need lots of furring strips first of all and placed where they will do the most good or give the best ability to fasten to. Stagger boards so joints end up under bus ribs. then they an fasten and a moulding used across the whole roof width for dressing.


If doing this^, work each row of ceiling material from end to end. The first row will establish as best a level start or look that can be had end to end.
You don't want to see a huge difference in how that row lies end to end.



This hiding of fasteners is in my mind really important. I made this a point in my build, which is mostly old barnboard or well used old planks and timers.
Lots of character wood grain. And natural finish. I even look at it and say "How did I put that together again?"


A whole lot of fun awaits you!


John
__________________
Question everything!
BlackJohn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2020, 05:49 PM   #6
Bus Crazy
 
banman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Moved to Zealand!
Posts: 1,517
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 7.2L Cat 3126 turbo diesel
Rated Cap: 71 passenger 30,000 gvwr
¼" beadboard or plywood in 4' x 8' sheets. Since it's lightweight it won't take so many fasteners to hold in place. Will be readily removable since you say you need future access to the roof for solar.
(personally, I want anything I do to be readily removable for future maintenance/repairs or changes...)

There are plenty of options for strong but decorative fasteners...
__________________
David

The Murder Bus
banman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2020, 06:18 PM   #7
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 421
I used shiplap from home depot. It's just over 1/2" thick, and one can hide the screws easily with wood putty prior to painting, but I'm just going to paint over the screws and call it good.


TheArgobus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2020, 06:21 PM   #8
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 421
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajankows38290 View Post
Hello,
And because I have to take down the ceiling to expand on my solar array later, I am not covering up the screws with wood filler or anything, so there will just be tons of lines of screws and that will drive me crazy.


I just reread this and see you don't want wood putty. But I'm also wondering: why would you take down your ceiling to install solar panels? Is it because you're going to fasten them to metal roof skin? Or some other fastener set up?


As an aside, my solar panels (which are not installed yet) will be through bolted through the metal roof, the 1" thick insulation, and then also through the shiplap ceiling. True, the head of the bolt will be visible, along with the metal backing plate, but I personally don't care so long as it's all painted the same color as the rest of the ceiling.
TheArgobus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2020, 07:44 PM   #9
Mini-Skoolie
 
Bremill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Saskatoon, Canada
Posts: 26
Year: 2003
Engine: 7.3 Liter
Rated Cap: 30 passenger
Furring strips screwed to ceiling ribs. Glue (PL) and brad nail the t & g planks to the strips.

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/membe...ture23140.html
Bremill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2020, 09:35 AM   #10
Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 100
Pine t&g

I used pine tongue and groove 12ft pieces from Lowe’s. I was worried about screws showing also. I ended up using some gold/brass colored ones that don’t really show and after living in it for 6 weeks now don’t notice them at all. I used 2 screws for every board on every bus rib. You could definitely get away with just using one though. The T&G forms with the roof curve nicely until the corners. That’s where I used a cabinet and a single piece of wood to hide the seems.

There is another way you could do it and hide all fasteners. Use wood strips over each steel rib of the bus. Then put your tongue and groove up with nails on the tongues. This hides all nails. But you couldn’t take it down.

The last picture you can see my solar mounted. I just have 6 bolts holding the railing up which is 14ft long. You could easily put 3 or 4 panels on my racking and no need to remove paneling to get them on and off.

Hope this helps.
Attached Thumbnails
B6C460BC-14E4-4813-8A9B-6DE03802F7D9.jpg   ABE0848A-D269-4C3A-A69B-DAE77DFC508D.jpg   F2BF74EF-D18D-4D80-A8F2-7440C7729967.jpg  
Tstege is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-22-2020, 09:58 AM   #11
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Arizona
Posts: 40
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: GMC Savana 3500
Engine: 6.5 L 395 CID V8 Diesel
maybe try to install your bracketry or whatever mounting system your using for your potential solar array expansion first. if all the brackets are already in place when its time to expand you just need to pop on the new panels and you wouldn't have to worry about installing your ceiling twice
waxman is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:54 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.