[FilmShooter]

Yes I do. I went with 5/8" baltic birch 5x5 sheets. A few people I know have suggested using self tappers to fasten the ply. If so do I want to go with a size like a drywall screw or something beefier with a 1/4" shank? Another suggested I use heavy duty toggle bolts and putting strips of rubber between the metal and ply to reduce the likelihood of squeaks.

And from researching I see people suggest using glue with the screws. Is PL Premium a good choice? I work with wood so I'm not too familiar with bonding to metal.

Cheers

 

[MsNomer]

5/8" seems like overkill. 1/4" should be plenty beefy for lining, even less for ceiling and behind cabinetry.

 

[seapro]

I agree that 5/8 is overkill except possibly for a floor. It also puts excessive weight up high. Many of us have used 1/4 inch with no problems.

 

[keeponvaning]

Go with ¼" and TEK screws. If it's a 159 you might eat to use ⅜" o the ceiling.

 

[Skaggydog]

5/8" baltic birch

would make some bad ass walls. There is not a lot that you can attach to 1/4" but you could screw all kinds of stuff into 5/8". I guess I will end up with 1/4" or maybe 3/8" but if somebody gave it to me I would gladly use 5/8" baltic birch

 

[bkhi]

I have 120k miles on vans with 1/4" ply and tek screws, no squeaks. 5/8" is overkill, ever use PL premium extensively? It's a mess, always oozing out of the tube, next to impossible to clean up, hard to control, has a mind of its own, will never wash off your hands. Does hold well but just not good working characteristics for finish work.

 

[Zoomyn]

Is PL Premium a good choice? I work with wood so I'm not too familiar with bonding to metal.

What I know about PL Premium... It will stick but it has a dense consistency that will resist spreading so will not make a broad swath bond area unless there is massive clamping force, which is something not possible with thin plywood. Since it is thick bodied there will be air gaps except when directly under a fastener so a perfect arc in a curved ceiling panel might get little undulations between fasteners just from the adhesive. It will chip off the smooth automotive paint easily when something has to be redone, been there and done that already with it. PL can/will tear off the surface veneer layer since it has zero elasticity, if the plywood gets the potion of motion it will just leave its skin or splinters behind and move. PL is great stuff for coarse carpentry in a stationary building, or doing squeak-free cabinet frames but not so much on lighter work...

Okay, fine, if PL is not the category killer product then what is? If the data sheets are to be believed PL Premium Fast Grab is much thinner bodied (18,000 CPS versus 130,000), is repositionable for 20~ minute and is slow cure rubbery adhesive, temperature good for 250°F intermittent and 160°F continuous... When I (soon) ply-line my van I think I'll use it - selectively. One of the best things to amplify the bond to light wood is paint the wood surfaces with primer/bonding paint. This is a moisture cure polyurethane, PL suggests slight water misting when bonding metal to metal or fiberglass, or other non-porous materials together.

 

[fosterf]

I put 1X1.5 studs on 1 foot and 16 inch centers on both the walls and ceiling. I ran 1/4 inch Birch plywood floor to ceiling and left to right on the ceiling. I attached the studs with self tapping screws to the vans structural members and the Ply to the studs with glue and t nails. I have 15k miles on the road and have had no panels pop off the studs. Attachment of shelves and cabinets was done with screws through the ply to the studs and this also has not failed. I rhino lined the floor to 4 inches up the walls. I put 1x6 prime treated decking on the floor. I used the tie downs points to hold the boards in place. I put1 inch thick insulation between the deck boards then I covered the floor with 3/4 inch cabinet oak and have had no problems with floor movement or deflection. I will try to load photos but if I can not feel free to PM me for photos.

 

[FilmShooter]

Thanks for all the responses. Doesn't seem like the PL is the way to go for gluing but I didn't see any other recommendations.

5/8 may be overkill but I think, for me, 1/4 is a little to flimsy. Maybe I should go with 1/2 or 3/8. Guess I'll see once I fur out the walls.

 

[shortone]

Back in the '70's I owned and built out a few Ford vans. I used to screw all my 3/8" plywood panels up and then go back, remove each screw, one at a time, add Loktite to the threads and re-install. Never had anything come loose or squeak. I'll use the same approach on my 2016 PM.

 

[Zoomyn]

. ...Doesn't seem like the PL is the way to go for gluing but I didn't see any other recommendations.

Back in post 7 I said PL Premium Fast Grab might be a winning lower cost product and gave reasons why.

I've used 3M 5200 blue-water marine caulk/sealant as adhesive in my Airstreams trailers, 5200 gets counted on to keep everyone from drowning 30 miles offshore so it's about as forever as mid-priced caulk/adhesive gets. It'd be easy to triple the per tube cost to get 3M or similar quality whatever automakers use for panel bonding.

 

[bkhi]

I put 1x6 prime treated decking on the floor.

Treated wood and metal do not get along very well, I have seen many non hot dipped galvanized joist hangers and thousands of nails eaten away when used with treated wood. I am not sure if it is a problem if the wood is dried first and stays dry or it's just because it gets wet. New ACQ treated wood is always wet when sold. As a contractor we are only allowed to use hot dipped galvanized fasteners and metal when attaching to treated wood.

If I was worried about gluing wood to my van I would use Lexel

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

PT wood will eat away iron, steel, etc. IRBC requires HOT DIPPED galvanized fittings in contact with it. It has NO PLACE inside a van.

 

[fosterf]

Thanks I should have said all fasteners were HD Galvanized, Stainless or in the case of the floor decking Deck screws approved for the application. The only exception were the t nails which were EG and were for that reason supplemented with glue approved to attach to treated lumber.

 

[bkhi]

Thanks I should have said all fasteners were HD Galvanized, Stainless or in the case of the floor decking Deck screws approved for the application. The only exception were the t nails which were EG and were for that reason supplemented with glue approved to attach to treated lumber.

If it is directly against the metal of the floor it may start to corrode that. I have seen it corrode joist hangers.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

fosterf and everyone else,
Treated wood inside a van used to slide pallets or something else industrial into is probably fine and the possibility of corrosion is there but I would guess with your care it’s going to be OK too. I said it didn’t belong inside the van for other reasons. Throughout its history PT has been declared “safe” many times to find out later it contains heavy metals or to leach them into the adjacent environment, out gas solvents, and generally to be a health concern. For anyone planning to keep the van closed up and to be in it I just feel uncomfortable about it. Marine grade plywood though not perfect would be a much better choice. If I were going to live in a van I would avoid PT altogether. Why risk?

 

[fosterf]

I have the floor Rhino lined The wood is not in contact with the metal. It will not corrode Thank you for the insight and concern.

 

[FilmShooter]

I went ahead and returned the 5/8 for 1/2". Still haven't started lining yet but maybe this week...

 

[GaryBIS]

fosterf and everyone else,
Treated wood inside a van used to slide pallets or something else industrial into is probably fine and the possibility of corrosion is there but I would guess with your care it’s going to be OK too. I said it didn’t belong inside the van for other reasons. Throughout its history PT has been declared “safe” many times to find out later it contains heavy metals or to leach them into the adjacent environment, out gas solvents, and generally to be a health concern. For anyone planning to keep the van closed up and to be in it I just feel uncomfortable about it. Marine grade plywood though not perfect would be a much better choice. If I were going to live in a van I would avoid PT altogether. Why risk?

Hi,
MDO plywood would be another option. MDO stands for Medium Density Overlay -- its a high quality plywood with resin impregnated face sheets. Its used for things like freeway signs, concrete forms and chemical tanks. Quite durable and very resistant to water damage. Also very stable. I've used it on a lot of projects over the years and never been dissapointed.
About $50 per sheet. Not always easy to find, but of our 4 lumber yards in town, two of them carry it.

But, I suppose if the pallets have things like nails sticking out, no plywood is going to handle that.

Gary

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I went ahead and returned the 5/8 for 1/2". Still haven't started lining yet but maybe this week...

That will be better. I had a Pace trailer with 3/8 ply lining and attached ties to it all over and it was fine. I’d trade again to 3/8. LOL