Skylight Curb Material - Azek?

[br928]

I am replacing the skylights on my metal building. The ones I have now are fiberglass with an R-panel profile. I am replacing them with a curb mount skylight. I would like to find a non-wood material to build the curbs with. I am considering 1.25" Azek. It does not need to be structural but does need good screw holding ability. The r-panel profile could easily be machined with the Bot.

Two questions:
1)Does Azek have good screw holding ability?
2)Does anyone know of a better material to use in this application?

[zeykr]

Stan,
I use Kleer which is a pvc material similar to Azek. I don't find it's screw holding to be real good. Stress tends to pop the screws out with some material still attached to the screw or causes the material to crack (thinner material) where the screw was inserted.

It needs a good support structure, but I expect it's use as curbing for a skylight would provide the needed support and if you can use glue along with the screws, it will likely work fine.

[br928]

Thanks Ken,

I will likely use long lag bolt type screws. Pilot holes should reduce the stress on the material.

What type of glue is compatible with this material? Gorilla glue? PVC cement?

[zeykr]

I use Bond and Fill: http://www.bondfill.com/

PVC pipe glue will work for small areas. It sets up too quickly to glue up a large area.

[oddcoach]

Gorilla glue works great it just needs to be clamped well. Could you use machine screws with nuts instead? If you are using screws to hold the corners together the Gorilla glue will work fine. you can Laminate the stuff too would give you a thicker frame for some added structure

[br928]

Another product that caught my eye on the Bond & Fill website was the self gripping plastic biscuits. These are used with a standard biscuit jointer. These should make the corner joints very easy.

[zeykr]

The biscuits work well.

[br928]

As much as I would like to use this material, they have priced it way out of reach. And I can usually justify most things I want to use. This material is quoted at around $7.50 a b/f. The Azek rep told me it was about 3 times that of wood. I don't know what kind of wood he was comparing that to. Yellow pine cost about $0.70 b/f. That's over 10 times the cost.

I decided to use yellow pine with two coats of epoxy to waterproof it and latex paint to protect that.

I would rather use something maintenance free, but this is as close as I can get and still be affordable.

[zeykr]

Stan,

I give about $5.25bdft for Kleer in 3/4 x 4' x8' with woodgrain.

[br928]

Ken,

The closest source to me for Kleer was in Florida. They never called me back. I am sure shipping alone to Louisiana was going to be expensive.

A 1.25"x9.25"x16ft board was quoted @ $127-$133 ea. In total, this would have been over half of what I spent on the skylights themselves.

Kleer has 4'x10'x1.25" sheets. So they say. I could not get availability or price.

[zeykr]

4x8 x 1" Kleer is $186 here. I can only get the 4x 10' sheets special order and if they have a truck coming anyway.

It looks like I can get a 5/4 x 10" x 18' for about $95 but like you say, probably can't afford the shipping even if we precut to length - the stuff ain't light.

[gc3]

...not to hijack the thread but...Ken, we got the bot, setting it up now, it got a little tweaked in shipping but fixable. Thanks again for all of your help. Here is our web site www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com) photos soon of what we will make with the "vintage bot" Thanks again, Familia Crain, Gene Terri Fort Ellie

[br928]

The material I was quoted was 6/4 material. So the price is close to the same. I would have liked the opportunity to work with it, because they say it machines beautifully, but it will have to wait for a smaller project.