Installing FRP on walls

[sparkey]

I am getting ready to replace all the FRP on the selfserve bay walls. Any installation do's and don'ts would be appriciated. I don't need to glue this stuff on do I? I am hoping the plastic pound in rivits will be sufficient.

 

[MEP001]

You don't want to glue it on. The FRP expands and contracts a lot and it will bow and buckle. The plastic rivets are sufficient, and you want to drill the hole in the FRP a bit bigger to allow for movement.

 

[Washmechanic]

You don't want to glue it on. The FRP expands and contracts a lot and it will bow and buckle. The plastic rivets are sufficient, and you want to drill the hole in the FRP a bit bigger to allow for movement.

Rather than the plastic rivets from the FRP manufacturer, I buy nylon rivets from Fastenal Inc. The plastic rivets have a tendency to break and the nylon will not, also you can get the nylon rivets in several different lengths.

 

[ToFarGone20]

+1 on nylon rivets
+1 on getting them from Fastenal...or Farmtek

Leave a little room in between sheets for expansion as well. Your h-trim will cover this.

 

[scout]

save time by putting all sheets on sawhorses and 2x4,s and gang drill all holes--

 

[trentu]

I am redoing a 6 bay SS and have concrete walls to work with. What are the recommendations for FRP vs. Extrutech vs. Nuform panels? Any thoughts? Anyone ever use multiple types and have good/bad for each? Thanks

Russ

 

[Washmee]

I am redoing a 6 bay SS and have concrete walls to work with. What are the recommendations for FRP vs. Extrutech vs. Nuform panels? Any thoughts? Anyone ever use multiple types and have good/bad for each? Thanks

Russ

I went with Extrutech when I remodeled my tunnel 4 years ago. I replaced the FRP that was there before. The Extrutech is far easier to keep clean. The shiny smooth surface looks good even after repeated cleanings with harsh wall cleaners. It was easy to install and I think it gives a better look than FRP.

 

[mjwalsh]

+1 on nylon rivets
+1 on getting them from Fastenal...or Farmtek

Leave a little room in between sheets for expansion as well. Your h-trim will cover this.

ToFarGone,

Do you really notice a difference in quality with nylon vs plastic rivets? If I remember right we went with the same brand of rivets as the sheets so the shade of white looked the same.

MJ

 

[sparkey]

I have had trouble with the plastic hammer in rivits from a local home improvement store shattering before the pin was drove clear in when hanging signs. Will the fastenal rivits not do this?

Thanks for all the tips on install.

 

[MEP001]

The Fastenal brand are much better quality than what they carry at the hardware store, in fact all the stuff I've gotten at Home Depot or Lowe's have been pure crap.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I went with Extrutech when I remodeled my tunnel 4 years ago. I replaced the FRP that was there before. The Extrutech is far easier to keep clean. The shiny smooth surface looks good even after repeated cleanings with harsh wall cleaners. It was easy to install and I think it gives a better look than FRP.

Do my tunnels in Smooth FRP now and SS bays with the pebble coat. Saw one guy who did his bays with the smooth FRP and like it. Almost did it and then a local guy who does a lot of installs says the local graffitti artists luv to scratch and cut graffitti into smooth surfaces. You even see it done on glass and mirrors in Bathrooms here.

So, I went with pebble finish in the bays. If graffitti is not an issue you could consider smooth FRP. I think the sheets are larger than Extrutech and wont' dent.

 

[ToFarGone20]

I did notice a difference...Fastenal or Farmtek nylon rivets seem to be less brittle.

I got the last 1000 from farmtek. At the time their price was good and that is where I bought my sheets of plastic.

I went with plastic sheets instead of FRP....they are MUCH easier to clean but the shrink and expand far more than the FRP.

 

[Randy]

We make a jig out of sheet of plywood with all the holes laid out, put 4 or 5 sheets of FRP together, clamp them together and drill all of them at one time. This way they are all the same. We use the plastic rivets from Fastenal, never had a problem with them. We also use the plastic rivets to put up signs in the bays. One of the operators here put up smooth FRP and it looks pretty good.

 

[sparkey]

Are these the farmtek rivets that you guys have been hanging FRP with?

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;;fde5b038_FA6105.html

 

[sparkey]

Rather than the plastic rivets from the FRP manufacturer, I buy nylon rivets from Fastenal Inc. The plastic rivets have a tendency to break and the nylon will not, also you can get the nylon rivets in several different lengths.

I took a look at fastenal's website are these the anchors you are useing?

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=50842&ucst=t

 

[MEP001]

I'd use the ones with the metal pin.

 

[sparkey]

I'd use the ones with the metal pin.

Will these rust over time?

 

[MEP001]

As a rule, no, but I have seen washes where the water is more aggressive and will cause galvanized and plated metals to rust. I don't like the plastic pins because they have a tendency to bend instead of drive in properly.

 

[Randy]

We always use the all plastic rivet. We’ve never had any problems with the plastic nail. We did try the rivet with the steel nail once and they rusted in no time.

 

[mjwalsh]

As a rule, no, but I have seen washes where the water is more aggressive and will cause galvanized and plated metals to rust. I don't like the plastic pins because they have a tendency to bend instead of drive in properly.

Drier climates & where 2 doors on not needed during the winter time trapping more moisture --- seems to be a factor in being able to use galvanized or plated steel of anything anywhere in the bays.

MJ