Filling screw holes / voids in aluminium roof, ideas please

[olsgreen]

Hello All,

I've removed some unneeded gear from my roof. Some of the base plates were screwed in, as I'm not putting anything in their place, how would you fill the screw holes?

Also, two of them used to feed cables to the habitation and have 15mm diameter holes, how would you blank these holes?

One note is that the internal insulation and ceiling board is bonded directly to the skin, methods requiring no access to the skin from the internal side would be preferred, but if the only way is to rip out perfectly good insulation and wallboard, that may be the way forward.

I've had lots of ideas but I'm looking for more and also anyone that can vouch for a tried and tested method.

Thanks ?

 

[tonyidle]

A blob of Sika in each screw hole. Aluminium discs & Sika over larger holes.

 

[MisterB]

Did you need to remove the base plates? Might be better off leaving them on if they're not a problem. Just glue blanking plates of Upvc etc over them, using sikka flex as the 'glue'.

I assume there was a sat dish, tv aerial or solar panels? You might want to reinstall something a bit further down the line, so if they're not a problem, why not leave them?

 

[ericroy]

My personal preference would be for Stixall, but whatever you use the most fundamental step is getting the area clean so that the product adheres. I have found that over time PU adhesives seem to stay put better than sealants, but I am sure that someone will be along very shortly to argue just the opposite.

 

[68c]

I used a thick self adhesive 2inch aluminium tape. Tape is readily available from B&Q, use two layers if hole is large with a small round patch overlaid with a larger tape patch.

Clean area. Ensure dry.
Fill holes with car body filler.
Sand flat and abrade to key area.
Paint area to give a good surface for the tape.
When paint is dry, apply tape, a round patch is less likely to lift.
De-grease and paint over patch.

The repair is barely visible on completion.

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[Pops 1]

Some of the manufacturers of the gear you removed may produce a blanking plate for the larger holes. I did this when removing an old aerial, the plate fitted over the hole using the original screw holes.

 

[Off da Grid]

Another vote for sikka flex.
Flexible and sticks like the proverbial. I’ve used short screws and caps covered in sikka flex to fill screw holes in our van roof.
I’ve also used it to stick plastic joint boxes to the roof.
If you clean and prepare the area before hand it’s a real pain to get off again!

 

[ManTheVan]

Ah, but which Sikaflex exactly? There are so many types.

 

[Terry]

Hi,your best bet in my opinion is to cut thin blanking plates around a inch bigger than the hole's (either Ali or plastic depending on the roof) fill holes and stick on the plates with a good bead of sealent/ adhesive, clean off excess.
I would use Puraflex 40 from Toolstation it sticks and holds on both Ali and plastic.
There are lots of sealents etc which would do but I have been using the above for a good few years with no leaks
Terry

 

[olsgreen]

Thanks all for your ideas / opinions.

I've got some composite aluminium plates being made to cover the holes, Sikaflex 521UV some short screws and caps to match.

Did you need to remove the base plates? Might be better off leaving them on if they're not a problem. Just glue blanking plates of Upvc etc over them, using sikka flex as the 'glue'.

I assume there was a sat dish, tv aerial or solar panels? You might want to reinstall something a bit further down the line, so if they're not a problem, why not leave them?

Yes, I've removed it all as they were needed by others. They were satellite dish, aerial entry point and wifi/4g dome. I'm going with the plates at I'll be able to remove them and reinstall if necessary.

Ah, but which Sikaflex exactly? There are so many types.

521UV seems to be the headliner at the moment, no doubt I could do it with something cheaper, but why for a few of quid less.

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[Terry]

Hi again, Simply stick them on why would you want to cover screw holes with plates that you are screwing on making more holes ?

 

[olsgreen]

Hi again, Simply stick them on why would you want to cover screw holes with plates that you are screwing on making more holes ?

Sorry, didn't make myself clear, I'm not planning on screwing the plates on just bonding. I have screw holes in other areas, that I won't be plating, that's where I'll use the screw, cap & sika approach.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

Did you need to remove the base plates? Might be better off leaving them on if they're not a problem. Just glue blanking plates of Upvc etc over them, using sikka flex as the 'glue'.

I assume there was a sat dish, tv aerial or solar panels? You might want to reinstall something a bit further down the line, so if they're not a problem, why not leave them?

I’m just thinking of doing this, have a dome and sat system I want to remove from Peugeot Boxer pvc metal bodied conversion and looking at the brackets/plates they are well fitted and the last thing I want to do is cause a leak. I font think you can remove the dome ‘base’ the bottom cup type thing without removing the plates, but looking at them there is a slight ‘step’ in them that looks like it could be angle grinded off and just leave them there. What do you do about the electrical fittings on the roof ( in out controller) can I just blank them off or whack some sika flex on them??
the sat tv is ok but fiddly and frankly we dont use it all, would be nice to have a cleaner look to the van...