Fibre/construction board

[wildebus]

There are some underchassis compartments in my Motorhome. They are constructed with some kind of "fibreboard".

Not a great picture but the arrow points to one of the verticals in the battery bay

I am looking to do two things - make a new box somewhere to carry a long pop-up gazebo thing (nice area towards the rear wheels perfect for that ) and also either modify or replace the existing battery box to allow me to fit more batteries (room for 2.5 right now, so 3 would make more sense ).

So that is the aim, but what is this construction board they used and where can I get it? It looks good stuff as it is holding up very well in these exposed areas so the same again would suit nicely.

 

[SquirrellCook]

The only thing I know of like that is Phenolic resin ply. Buffalo Board .

Buffalo Board Birch Plywood | Anti Slip Plywood | ATP

Buffalo® Board is our trademarked anti-slip birch plywood, ideal for demanding applications like van & trailer flooring - robust and wear-resistant.

www.advancedtechnicalpanels.co.uk

 

[Nabsim]

Does the board feel like it’s made of some form of recycled plastic Dave?

 

[mark61]

Something like these perhaps?

https://www.kedel.co.uk/sheet-recycled-plastic.html

 

[wildebus]

thanks for replies.
I really want to avoid plywood - want something totally rot-proof.
Neil - I would think that is very likely.
Mark - That could be just the stuff? I might have to go into a builders merchant and see if they have that kind of board

The current battery box is open at the front - really want to close it up so the batteries stay cleaner - and more importantly, warmer in the winter! - so will need to make a front to close it up as well.

 

[SquirrellCook]

I have a piece of the buffalo board I use a a kneeling board in the garden, been outside for a few years now. No sign of rotting or delaminating.

 

[Millie Master]

I have a piece of the buffalo board I use a a kneeling board in the garden, been outside for a few years now. No sign of rotting or delaminating.

Buffalo board is brilliant strong stuff.

But Dave, if you are wanting to hold 3 batteries hung in a box underneath the floor, if I were you I would use some metal hangers and brace bars hanging from something very solid so as to ensure the load is fully allowed for, but of course as you are always so very thorough you will have already thought about doing this.

Phil

 

[wildebus]

Buffalo board is brilliant strong stuff.

But Dave, if you are wanting to hold 3 batteries hung in a box underneath the floor, if I were you I would use some metal hangers and brace bars hanging from something very solid so as to ensure the load is fully allowed for, but of course as you are always so very thorough you will have already thought about doing this.

Phil

Absolutely, Phil.
The battery box is made of whatever the board is, but crucially there is a metal strap underneath and attached to the chassis as well as the rear part supported by a chassis member. The plan is to basically keep the same general dimensions except make it around 10-20 cm or so wider (and expect the weight to be probably lighter, or if more, not much more)

 

[wildebus]

The only thing I know of like that is Phenolic resin ply. Buffalo Board .

Buffalo Board Birch Plywood | Anti Slip Plywood | ATP

Buffalo® Board is our trademarked anti-slip birch plywood, ideal for demanding applications like van & trailer flooring - robust and wear-resistant.

www.advancedtechnicalpanels.co.uk

If the floor of that tipper trailer is buffalo board, the bottom will be very exposed so must be very durable maybe it is a good option for my requirement

 

[mark61]

Buffalo board is amazing stuff, but it will rot, takes a while though.

I reckon my trailers needed new floors about every, say 5 to 7 years. That was in a landscape and garden maintenance business, where trailers constantly had grass cuttings etc on them. So thats constantly soaked for 5 + years, the vans weren't much drier

 

[wildebus]

Buffalo board is amazing stuff, but it will rot, takes a while though.

I reckon my trailers needed new floors about every, say 5 to 7 years. That was in a landscape and garden maintenance business, where trailers constantly had grass cuttings etc on them. So thats constantly soaked for 5 + years, the vans weren't much drier

Hmmmm. Off the table again then.

 

[Millie Master]

Hmmmm. Off the table again then.

Now come on Dave, aren't you being ever so slightly OTT when you say "off the table then". If this amazing stuff lasts 5 to 7 years when subjected to not only damp, but the invasive acids of rotting vegetation, then your battery box which will be dry for the vast majority of the time and even when it has become wet, it's in an area which is protected from the elements with fresh air circulating so it will dry out in next to no time.

For heavens sake Dave, knowing the fastidious way you build things, if you built a box out of buffalo board, protected the uncoated side of the board with something as basic as a non drying underseal then your box should outlast the rest of your van by many, many years.

Phil

 

[SquirrellCook]

protected the uncoated side of the board

There are a few versions of "Buffalo Board" the name being a trade name. The genuine stuff is coated both sides and bonded with the same stuff. What they do recommend and I've never seen done is seal the cut edges.

The boot floor in Betty is the same stuff and over 20 years old with no sign of rot.

 

[Red Dwarf]

I took the factory supplied plywood floor out of my sprinter two years ago and left it outside, not one sign of any rot or distortion, amazing stuff. A neighbour took it a couple of weeks ago to make a new floor for his rhib.
The last time I was at Cabmasters in Lancashire he had a huge pile of sprinter plywood floors and expect he’d be happy to sell one or two for little money.

 

[wildebus]

On an associated area, in houses you can get bathroom-grade laminate flooring which is meant to be used as standard laminate is not suitable.
I have left pieces of standard laminate boards outside in all weather and never seemed to suffer any problem after years.
I actually prefer laminate flooring to "real" wood as it is so much more durable.

 

[Chris Evans001]

When building laboratories, hospitals and the like, whenever a surface was likely to be subjected to regular damp like a lab surface or IPS panels. Trespa was very often specified.

High-quality HPL panels | Trespa International

Trespa International B.V. is a premier developer of high-quality panels HPL panels for exterior cladding, decorative façades, sidings and scientific surface solutions.

www.trespa.com

Downside is it it is pretty heavy. Upside is it lasts practically forever and can be worked like wood.