Building Sun deck/roof patio, looking for pics/ideas

[JonCBrand]

Anybody have pics of their sun deck/roof patio. Im ready to build just need to plan it out. looking for ideas.

 

[the_experience03]

Hartland, Wisconsin....America's Home for Batteries

I'm at the same point you are...I'm planning out my rack so maybe we can bounce some ideas off each other. What material are you thinking of using? My roof is actually really strong. We have had 20 people up there before without an issue. This makes me think that I can use the wall studs as the supports, but also allow it to bow down in the middle a little to pass some force down to the roof ribs and panels (they are continuous from front to rear on a Wayne). My goals would be low profile, light-ish weight, and having fold up railings.

 

[Chfsfn2]

We built the deck for our bus by using the studs/ribs in between the windows as the bolting point. Went up from there. Seems to work pretty well for our RAGBRAI usage. We can get 30+ bikes on top of the bus.

You can see the pics and design plans in the gallery - http://www.skoolie.net/gallery2/v/Skoolies/TeamBAT/

Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

 

[lblampman]

Also, check out SeanF's deck on his bus at http://www.seanf.smugmug.com. It's a nice design I think.

 

[SeanF-SKO]

Thanks Les!

One note...Trex decking weighs about 3 lbs/linear foot (this is 2nd hand info, not my own, so feel free to correct me), so I estimate my deck to weight 1500 lbs or so, possibly more. Just a point to consider when designing the deck and choosing materials.
Sean

 

[JonCBrand]

deck

I have a large supply of 22' long 2x6 so i was planning on using those for the frame and some marine grade plywood for the deck surface. probobly hit the 2x6 with some sort of deck stain/water protectent prior to assembling. Im going to build it inside my buddies shop on the flat concrete, then back the bus into the loading dock and hoist it up with the forklift. At that point I plan to bolt to the roof at the two center ribs (its a thomas body) then device some sort of steel straps probobly 3/16 flat steel bars 1 1/2 wide to secure to the uprights between the windows.

 

[the_experience03]

Just be careful....some "flat floors" aren't all that flat and the roof of the bus won't necessarily be square. Has anyone run into problems with body flex damaging their decks? The body on the bus is pretty rigid, but it DOES move. That's why mt bulkheads are skinned to within 1/4 inch of the metal body panels all around and then have caulk taking up the gap.

 

[JonCBrand]

The shop is actually a machine shop so im quite certain the floors are flat within say 1/4"
I dont really care as long as once its on the roof its withing 3/4" flat. Lets remeber it may be converted but will always be a bus.

 

[the_experience03]

Lets remeber it may be converted but will always be a bus.

Amen

 

[Seeria]

Tad old thread. Anyone have additional photos or ideas or plans for roof decks they would care to share?