Tongue and Groove Wood Ceilings

[BlackJohn]

I would go with a real wood ceiling anyday over something attached with bubblegum. No comparison as to finished look either. Vinyl is to sticks and staples looking and belongs in expensive motorhomes only. School buses need school boards.

John

 

[Clayton-SKO]

I glued tongue and groove cedar to my ceiling with PL400 fast grab. A very slow pain the butt to do. It looks good though.

 

[Oddball-SKO]

Vinyl usually goes down with contact adhesive. If you are using something like luan as a substrate, it is too porous. Put on a coat of contact adhesive, thinned down so that it is runny. Let it dry, then apply as normal.

Some vinyl will bend to shape, and some won't so be sure what you are buying.

All good input. Thanks people.

Sorry if we've digressed a bit from the original topic. I think I'll create a new topic for vinyl.

 

[Rusty-SKO]

Back to vinyl

I'm Back !!!!

I found some vinyl plank flowing at Home Depot called Lifeproof Rigid Core Luxury vinyl.

It has a thick 1/4" PVC core attached and spongy underlayment. They guy said this is great for damp/ basements and I plan on using it for my floor in my build. $2.79 / sq ft.

The other vinyl is flimsy, but this rigid core stuff is totally different. This may work on a ceiling better.

I fooled around with drilling holes was wondering if it could be wired directly to the ribs. I used stainless safety wire. It drill s easily/ nicely. It will chip if struck w/ hammer.

 

[gmrubin]

Attach your wood ceiling planking to the metal ribs with self tapping finish head sheet metal screws. If you feel ambitious buy some dowell stock in the correct diameter and a contracting color (Cherry on Cedar) and glue in plugs. When the plugs have set, cut them flush with a sharp chisel

 

[gmrubin]

If you want to sheath the ceiling with plywood before attaching the planking, use "Bending Poplar" I believe 1/4 inch Bending Poplar will bend to a 4" radius in one direction. We used to use it to make round cabinets and furniture.

 

[OUTSTRAIGHT]

Ceiling

I used self tapping screws https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-75-Count-8-x-1-25-in-Zinc-Plated-Self-tapping-Phillips-Drive-Interior-Exterior-Standard-SAE-Sheet-Metal-Screw/3010090 Start just above the windows snap a chalk line. Nice and secure no squeaking on the road. Screwed into the steel ribs.

 

[paulnack]

No where near this stage yet, but I plan to attach pieces of 2x2 to the bus ribs (they will be 'taller' than the ribs), probably using sheet metal screws. Then spray my insulation, then run TnG lengthwise and nail it into the 2x2s.

This is the most common method I've seen in builds that have documented their roof constuction.

 

[Twigg-SKO]

No where near this stage yet, but I plan to attach pieces of 2x2 to the bus ribs (they will be 'taller' than the ribs), probably using sheet metal screws. Then spray my insulation, then run TnG lengthwise and nail it into the 2x2s.

This is the most common method I've seen in builds that have documented their roof constuction.

That is the most common method. It's done that way to at least provide some amount of thermal break between the ribs and the new ceiling.

 

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

I didn't do the tongue and groove on the roof.
Because of to many questions in my head?
One is nails are going to back out over time regardless of the structure and even more in overhead use in a SKOOLIE. Maybe something like liquid nail and a trim screw in the tongue will last a little while going down the road but that screw is going to split the tongue if not at first install but after years down the road?
I never found an acceptable option in my head for T & G hardwood flooring overhead except using 4'x8" sheets of wainscoting or bead board to me to get the look.
We are working with curved roofs that flex as the bus goes down the road and anything we do to the insides of them should be expected to flex with the inside of them?
Finished boards cut a little short at the floor and ceiling and caulking to finish before final paint
Like I said thoughts in my head?
Good luck

 

[Twigg-SKO]

I didn't do the tongue and groove on the roof.
Because of to many questions in my head?
One is nails are going to back out over time regardless of the structure and even more in overhead use in a SKOOLIE. Maybe something like liquid nail and a trim screw in the tongue will last a little while going down the road but that screw is going to split the tongue if not at first install but after years down the road?
I never found an acceptable option in my head for T & G hardwood flooring overhead except using 4'x8" sheets of wainscoting or bead board to me to get the look.
We are working with curved roofs that flex as the bus goes down the road and anything we do to the insides of them should be expected to flex with the inside of them?
Finished boards cut a little short at the floor and ceiling and caulking to finish before final paint
Like I said thoughts in my head?
Good luck

You could pick the bus up with the holding power of modern construction adhesives. A few planks are not going to fall down if they are glued on correctly. The wood will fail before the glue. If you want to be extra sure, use ring-shank nails. They don't come out.

 

[tobeamiss]

Dusting-off the archives again, I see? :wink1:

It's what I do best best :wink1:

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[OUTSTRAIGHT]

finished tongue and groove

Also has 1.5" spray foam under the tongue and groove. Really helped quiet the bus down. And the silver screw heads look nice!

 

[Rusty-SKO]

Also has 1.5" spray foam under the tongue and groove. Really helped quiet the bus down. And the silver screw heads look nice!

Looks fab. Kids still have energy to do more work....

 

[Drop out]

I was thinking about doing tongue and groove with staples in the groove like hardwood flooring but on further reflection, maybe a fabric headliner would be cheaper, a good thermal brake and could hold some additional bagged fiberglass insulation without intruding on the headroom very much and it would certainly flex with the chassis.

Some half way decent upholstery fabrics can be found for around $10 a yard so the cost might be as low as about $1.00/ft² if you can sew it.

It would be a lot of sewing but any ceiling is going to be a big job.

 

[tobeamiss]

maybe a fabric headliner would be cheaper, a good thermal brake and could hold some additional bagged fiberglass insulation without intruding on the headroom very much and it would certainly flex with the chassis.

Some half way decent upholstery fabrics can be found for around $10 a yard so the cost might be as low as about $1.00/ft² if you can sew it.

It would be a lot of sewing but any ceiling is going to be a big job.

Fabric? Tell me more please

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[Drop out]

The good thing about a bus roof is that it is straight and only curved parallel to the length of the bus.

You would get two pieces of fabric about 4-5' longer than your roof, sew them together to make one wide piece and then at your roof rib spacing you would fold it over about an inch and sew to make a sleeve for your wire bows.

You would need to add some cuts to the sleeve to let it curve smoothly and to make a place to clip your wire bows to the roof ribs. It would work best if you lined your bus with overhead cabinets and some trim to staple the fabric edges in to.

Precision would be important so that you don't get a big tolerance stack up along the length or wide sleeves that let the headliner sag more at that bow.

You would need a fabric that is a bit elastic to avoid tearing but not stretch permanently and sag. To hold up some insulation it would have to be stretched pretty tight. It might need more bows than a bus has roof ribs so experimentation would be required to get it right but it still might cost less than wood.

 

[Rusty-SKO]

Yes to fabric, make sure fire resistant

No to fabric containing insulation- not going to be taut enough.

yes to roof bows, just like they do on car headliners.

 

[PNW_Steve]

You could pick the bus up with the holding power of modern construction adhesives. A few planks are not going to fall down if they are glued on correctly. The wood will fail before the glue. If you want to be extra sure, use ring-shank nails. They don't come out.

There are some pretty amazing adhesives out there. I have seen buses reskinned using 3M body panel adhesive.

Be aware though, the tube of stuff called "construction adhesive" at your local Home Depot is not one of them. Look instead for Sikaflex, 3M-5200 and similar.