DIY Tropical roof

[qlddsl]

Whilst camping over past week, I've been contemplating a tropical roof. Thinking about using a silver tarp but instead of poles was thinking of using pool noodles to hold it off the roof. Has anyone done this, if so did it work ?

[Fun Police]

Our friends have done this, but on a "Jayco" equivalent style of van. Worked well.

When we catch up with them after Feb we'll find out how it went.

[Marschy]

Hi, I have been thinking along similar lines, but rather than a silver tarp I have been trying to source coated nylon as is used on some tropical roofs and virtually all modern tent flys.

So far all I have found is a product called silnylon on eBay which is around $8/yard. I am planning on sewing it up with polyester thread and using fibreglass tent poles to raise it off the main roof.

The pockets for the poles can be made using canvas sewn with an sticking awl. The only problem here is sourcing  only a small quantity of canvas that matches the colour of the canvas on my roof.

For securing the poles in the pockets I'm planning on using nylon webbing stitched to the pockets and tropical roof and secured with nylon buckles.

I plan to start purchasing the materials this month and will most likely start a thread with this in mind.

Cheers Marschy

[duggie]

 

[qlddsl]

This is what I was thinking, the pool noodles should hold it about 3 inches off the roof

[KingBilly]

Just a thought.  Would the pool noodles running across the tent roof stop the hot air from rising to the highest point (the peak of the tent) and escaping?  Would they form pockets trapping the hot air?  We have a canvas tropical roof which works well.  Good luck with your project.

KB

[Hairs]

G'day qlddsl,
Instead of pool noodles, which would be bulky to carry and store, even tho light, have you thought about using wine cask bladder?
Wash them out after use, blow them up, place around under the tarp in a spacing that allows air to move about under the tarp. When you finished camping you let the air out and they compact pretty well saving on storage space.
if seen this used and we started to collect them when we owned our trailer tent camper.
Don't blow them up real tight, just enough to separate the tarp and the canvas roof or hard roof of your camper.
Just a thought.
 

[HerGU]

We tried to do exactly that as you have pictured. We even set up a version using cheap blue tarps with noodles held in by clothes peg and got the local canvas place out to have a look. We were very disapointed when he said, it is possible but i dont want to do it. He was the ONLY canvas place in town. (And people wonder why we dont buy local!). We got the Sh!$t's and gave up after 2 years of me trying to figure out how to do it ourselves with tarps and noodles ( we even tried dome tent poles crossed over and had to be attached in the corners), then just bought a solar blanket recently (we havent put it on yet).

But i do think it will work. Our slight variations to yours was to attach it to the tent permanently, making the guy ropes not necessary, using the existing tie downs on the roof of the tent in the corners, we were going to get additional points sewn into the tent on the sides in the middle to keep the top tight and stop it flapping.

Good luck and let us know how you go.

[wartim]

Try this link http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=16396.msg281912#msg281912

and this one http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=16396.msg250265#msg250265

You will find this is simple, cheap, easy and will make a huge difference to the temp inside the camper.


Cheers

Wartim

[Sawed-Off]

Is there a reason you don't want to use poles? This one took about 20 minutes to set up, and it was our first time doing it. Worked a treat for 2 weeks. It's an 18'x16' tarp, with a poles apart square ridge pole. Fit perfectly over our Tambo. It stores easily.

edit: I forgot to add, the ridge pole made a handy place to attach the led light bar for the kitchen/awning area.

[stretch7702000]

Just before Christmas I was getting some supplies at first choice. I noticed that they had a pallet of ice outside with an insulating type material around it, obviously to stop the ice melting.

It was basicly bubble wrap with a silver backing on both sides.

I have a mate that works for first choice so next time he gets a pallet of ice in I will get him to get me as much as he can as I plan to attempt a tropical cover with it.

cheers

Paul

[meimarocu]

This is what I was thinking, the pool noodles should hold it about 3 inches off the roof

We do what you have drawn with the noodles running long ways.
it make a differance. And the noodle's  make good packing for the trailer.

Ian.

[ewoksta]

Our camper came with a reflective silver insulation type mat over the top. Similar to a tropical roof. Turned out to be just a giant sponge. No cracks in it the water just soaked through the reflective material. Takes ages to dry out as well. We have taken it off and will go the tarp option in the future.

Cheers
Andrew.

[Mallory Black]

Ditto using poles on the tarp,
in hot weather you can make an air gap and if it get's blowey we just shorten everything and snugh ot down on the canvas

It's well worth the little bit of extra work when camping for more than one night