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Featured Replies

  • Author

Tried to put up a sample off ceiling today but the metal screws going into ribs split first piece...looks like ill need to go grab some furring strips to make it a little easier
Plus will be a thermal break

  • Author

Not sure about airgap...just tried to look and only thing i saw was " you can enhance the r value by facing rtech towards a deadair space"
It list exterior walls as a use so im guessing it doesnt need one but it would help

14 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Tried to put up a sample off ceiling today but the metal screws going into ribs split first piece...looks like ill need to go grab some furring strips to make it a little easier
Plus will be a thermal break

Did you predrill the ceiling material?  Also, is it possible to use large rivets instead of screws?  I worry about the screws backing themselves out over time, while a rivet won't do that.

And I think your wood ceiling itself should be plenty of thermal break, but more coming from furring strips won't hurt.  If you were going back in with metal interior panels (like the interior skins on my Airstream) then one thing a lot of people do, is put a thin layer of foam along each rib before riveting in the interior aluminum panels.  I might should have done that, my interior panels get EXTREMELY hot to the touch during July/August, specifically in whichever direction the sun is coming through.

 

 

14 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Not sure about airgap...just tried to look and only thing i saw was " you can enhance the r value by facing rtech towards a deadair space"
It list exterior walls as a use so im guessing it doesnt need one but it would help

Yeah, that's probably what I was thinking about.  The air gap is not necessary, but can help.  

  • Author

The rain plus football has slowed me down last few days but i finished insulation and put up a bit of ceiling to see how it looks

The only leaks i habe found are the emergency hatches which will be replaced e2637b7dab70efd22965df13243b198e.jpg85f339ffb99db9cb7454145b24584876.jpg

7 minutes ago, Bone3421 said:

The rain plus football has slowed me down last few days but i finished insulation and put up a bit of ceiling to see how it looks

The only leaks i habe found are the emergency hatches which will be replaced e2637b7dab70efd22965df13243b198e.jpg85f339ffb99db9cb7454145b24584876.jpg

Just wondering how much expansion of that wood ceiling are you allowing  for ?  That thing could get hot as shit.

Wondering how much expansion would it take to buckle the ceiling.  I'd have pre finished every piece of that ceiling before installation to account for humidity and expansion and contraction.  Unfinished tongues will show if it contracts too much.  

When I built a screen porch, every piece was pre finished, even the butt ends during installation. No popping paint or rot since a 2007 install.  Just had it power washed this week, looks like new with the original paint over cypress.

  • Author

Wasnt really thinking of expansion...only have the one bit up as a test and to see it

Have it on 1×2 furring strips with a few screws on where it meets up on the ribs/wood strips ...the tongue and groove is snug but a little loose on the curve of roof

this is my favorite thread on surly right now

9 minutes ago, Bone3421 said:

Wasnt really thinking of expansion...only have the one bit up as a test and to see it

Have it on 1×2 furring strips with a few screws on where it meets up on the ribs/wood strips ...the tongue and groove is snug but a little loose on the curve of roof

It's gonna move, the question is how much. I'd pre finish if you can.  It's just a better way of installation, long term stability, and aesthetics imo.

 

Looking good though !!

  • Author

Once its up im just covering screws and leaving the cedar look...if i can cover screws...might put a light stain on it but thats about it

3 minutes ago, Bone3421 said:

Once its up im just covering screws and leaving the cedar look...if i can cover screws...might put a light stain on it but thats about it

That settles that issue....  Carry on.  

I can't help but to drill down on the details.

Just found this. You're a bad-ass for taking on this project.

Awesome thread.

  • Author

Dont know about bad ass...just want cheap house and no rent to go travel more and not work to hard lol

Just found this. You're a bad-ass for taking on this project.
Awesome thread.

if you don't use adhesive on that polystyrene, it's gonna squeak like a motherfucker. 

  • Author

Fucking cops knocked on my door saying i cant have a skoolie ...told them i can build where ever i want on private land and to get off my property

Then fucker put a junk vehicle tag on brother in laws car parked here that runs perfectly fine



Sounds like you have a jackass neighbor

3 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Fucking cops knocked on my door saying i cant have a skoolie ...told them i can build where ever i want on private land and to get off my property

Then fucker put a junk vehicle tag on brother in laws car parked here that runs perfectly fine


 

Do you live in an HOA governed neighborhood ?  Some strictly prohibit working on vehicles.  BS but it's a reality.  

 

How does a cop determine if it's junked ?  Does it have current tags and registration ?

  • Author

Its my brother in laws car he parks it here to save space at his place...the tags are out though...they're just being dicks

No hoa or anything its a small town outside of ft. Worth

  • Author

So but up some more ceiling and 1×4 under cedar that will hold curtains and a shelf

Also putting up the 2×4 under windows that will be for sidewall with the 2x4 on the floor

2x4 will also support cabinets and a few outlets3ed4683cef17e4d16011ea17b2d6f0ae.jpg

Just saw this today.....Cool project!

Wife (no pics) and I did a tiny house as a guest/pool house for our backyard last year. Lots of work (as you know) but I think it turned out pretty cool. We get lost of compliments and questions when people come over. It was just an outer shell (2x4 framed) building of reclaimed barnwood with a rustic tin roof when bought and we did all the interior. If I could talk her into it, this would be something that I would like to try and tackle. My cousin did a 40 pax bus about 8 years ago and used it for his family's Nascar trip up to Texas Motor Speedway every year before selling it last year.

Looking forward to seeing your finished piece.

7 minutes ago, BillyGoatHill said:

Just saw this today.....Cool project!

Wife (no pics) and I did a tiny house as a guest/pool house for our backyard last year. Lots of work (as you know) but I think it turned out pretty cool. We get lost of compliments and questions when people come over. It was just an outer shell (2x4 framed) building of reclaimed barnwood with a rustic tin roof when bought and we did all the interior. If I could talk her into it, this would be something that I would like to try and tackle. My cousin did a 40 pax bus about 8 years ago and used it for his family's Nascar trip up to Texas Motor Speedway every year before selling it last year.

Looking forward to seeing your finished piece.

Pics of wife and tiny house plz.

1 hour ago, Chewbacca said:

Pics of wife and tiny house plz.

Don't want to derail Bones' thread but here are couple (of 100 or so) pics of our tiny house......if there is interest on what we did, I'll start a thread like his. I still have some trim and other small things to do outside, but it is ready to stay in.IMG_2976.jpgIMG_2987.jpgfullsizeoutput_1261.jpgIMG_4389.jpgIMG_4390.jpgIMG_3762.jpg

Edited by BillyGoatHill

  • Author

Good shit billygoat...i played around with the idea of throwing up a nice A-frame

1 hour ago, Bone3421 said:

Good shit billygoat...i played around with the idea of throwing up a nice A-frame

As you are finding out, yes you are limited by space but it really makes you focus on what it is you really need or really think you want. While it consumed waaaaay to much time and I am by no means a contractor, a lot can be done by yourself/couple. We did have some help with some of the electrical, plumbing, and the cabinets just to make it get done right, but almost all the rest was done by us and it was (most but not all of the time) something fun to do.

Awesome tiny house and property Billygoat.

  • Author

Got first coat of paint on back wall...and that damn last piece of ceiling is off by a damn qtr inch...tried getting a piece in but it buckled pretty bad...think im just going to rip cut a piece and call it goodbd1e0b51aeeef3ef43b9c62f6b47b963.jpg

8 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Got first coat of paint on back wall...and that damn last piece of ceiling is off by a damn qtr inch...tried getting a piece in but it buckled pretty bad...think im just going to rip cut a piece and call it goodbd1e0b51aeeef3ef43b9c62f6b47b963.jpg

Fantastic job at an amazing speed. If I was going it, I'd probably still be taking off the seats.

Not to nitpick though, but why didn't you stagger the ceiling boards? Not a fan of the lateral seam.

20 minutes ago, Superhero said:

Fantastic job at an amazing speed. If I was going it, I'd probably still be taking off the seats.

Not to nitpick though, but why didn't you stagger the ceiling boards? Not a fan of the lateral seam.

Perhaps you answered your own question?

  • Author
Fantastic job at an amazing speed. If I was going it, I'd probably still be taking off the seats.
Not to nitpick though, but why didn't you stagger the ceiling boards? Not a fan of the lateral seam.
Mainly just easier ...the metal ribs of the bus are at set intervals so i can just cut a group of pieces same length

The seam on first bit i have up will be covered by bedroom wall...
7 hours ago, Bone3421 said:

Mainly just easier ...the metal ribs of the bus are at set intervals so i can just cut a group of pieces same length

The seam on first bit i have up will be covered by bedroom wall...

Yup, I'd imagine once you have walls, furniture, and casework in there, you'll hardly notice any of that, especially if you're planning on doing any uppers (and, from a storage standpoint, you probably should plan on some uppers).

And if you finish and a seam still looks out of place, you can always use some trim in a like or complementary material.  I like highly polished aluminum, myself. 😉

Edited by utee94

  • 2 weeks later...

Such an amazing project. I love it. 

Awesome job man. 

 

Cant wait to see it done 

OP, do owners of these schoolies sometimes rig up a tarp for really heavy rainstorms? I was thinking something along the lines of the tarp that dump trucks stretch over their load so that rocks don't fly out. Maybe it could stretch laterally over the top of your bus. It could fold away into something on the side when not used.

Thanks for sharing!

27 minutes ago, retread said:

OP, do owners of these schoolies sometimes rig up a tarp for really heavy rainstorms? I was thinking something along the lines of the tarp that dump trucks stretch over their load so that rocks don't fly out. Maybe it could stretch laterally over the top of your bus. It could fold away into something on the side when not used.

Thanks for sharing!

A covering screen like that would also help immensely with Sumer heat gain.   Uber cool idea !

Seems like a cool project to design something that would attach to the vehicle and stretch over it during Summer.  Affording sun screening cover over the vehicle, and then extending out and becoming a covered porch.

I thought of the covered porch approach like you see on fifth wheels, but in a storm, that wouldn't work well with the wind. But it could attach to the side of the bus during storms and stretch out to the side for a porch in nice weather.

  • Author

Rains been kicking my ass...and i dont think i have seen one with a tarp like your talking about. Some do build a deck on top and that helps with heat.
I will build a porch on the side of it at some point.

2 minutes ago, Bone3421 said:

Rains been kicking my ass...and i dont think i have seen one with a tarp like your talking about. Some do build a deck on top and that helps with heat.
I will build a porch on the side of it at some point.

I like the deck idea if you can make the connections watertight.

  • Author

I did start work on bed area with storage underneath...the middle 2x4's will have a plywood wall and back half by door will be outdoor gear storage camping stuff etc..inside half will be finished with flooring and store some clothes and what notef1fc1f3b16a9b00c3099339fcb214aa.jpg

  • Author

The measurement from floor to bottom off top 2×4 is 28inches just a fyi so you can picture storage space...86 inches across bus

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Author

Updates will be slow until after holidays and save up some more for finishing up
Rain for a week killed my drive lol.
Going to put rest of cedar ceiling and put the flooring down.My thinking on the flooring is less cuts if i do it now and then when i put framing in for walls/kitchen/closet it will help hold it all down

  • Author

Will send pic when floor is down

  • Author

Had a few little leaks in corner of windows think i got it fixed though...will be planning on adding a flashing or bigger drip edge to keep water off of windows in future.

  • 2 months later...
  • Author

Took holidays off...have 1k set aside for bus currently and should have 2k at end of January...probably going to start back up in February if weather allows

Solar power,framing up interior and running water is next on the list

Going to start with just a cistern and water pump running off of solar set up

This is awesome, Bone--Ken Kesey is rolling with envy in his grave.

Look forward to the outcome.

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Author

Ever have one of those why the fuck didnt i think of that...been thinking about how i was going to attach the studs to the ceiling when i star framing

Was concerned about the curve of the roof and how i would get lumber to bend with it(making a header pretty much)

Watched a dudes a video and he just used L brackets to attach studs to metal bus ribs...K.I.S.S. WHY DIDNT I THINK OF THAT

Well needless to say the framing will go quicker now when i restart...

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