Should I Replace Fiberglass Roof On Box Van with Metal Roof?

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

magentawave

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2012
Messages
261
Reaction score
41
I am thinking about converting a box van into a full time home for travel. Some box vans have metal roofs and some have fiberglass roofs. Whether the ceiling is metal or fiberglass, I would install wood or aluminum "rafters" and thick foam insulation, plus the ceiling material, all of which would stiffen the roof/ceiling.

QUESTION: Is there any reason why I should avoid a box van with a FIBERGLASS roof and get one with a metal roof?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
There are some older threads that discussed this extensively. If I remember correctly the metal roof was preferred especially if considering mounting a rack for solar panels or in an area with tree limbs as fiberglass roofs were easily damaged. Again try using the search function on this site.
 
I am not going to tell you which way to go but education of repairs is important to know when buying used vehicles.

As you are unfamiliar with the subject here is a link from the 3M company for what you would likely be doing if you needed to repair a fiberglass roof on a box truck. I suspect it will convince you to look for a metal roofed truck (with a roof in good condition),
https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media...emi-trailer-partial-roof-repair-procedure.pdf
 
Top