A DIY rooftop tent

DIY rooftop tent

This is a custom-built rooftop tent, made of metal tube, bamboo plywood and fabric, built and shared by a netizen with the handle “bwouldorwouldnt”. Not without a little difficulty, and also not without making him think of future improvements to his design, this is one serious DIY project for RVers and outdoors campers!

The first noticeable thing is he went with a beveled shape rather than a rectangular simple box as a case, or another alternative: a soft tent attached to the frame. He started out with the metal frame material, the wood, and the finishings, and some tools: a track saw for cutting panels, a metal saw for cutting structural members, a TIG welder, various sanding and finishing tools.

For the wood he used panels cut from 1/8″ bamboo plywood, “chosen for its rigidity and high strength/weight ratio.” Then to weather-protect it he used several layers of marine grade epoxy, followed by several more layers of a UV-blocking urethane. “This process is similar to that used for wooden boats, and should be effective at minimizing damage from moisture or sun.” Then he sealed all the seams of the DIY vehicle rooftop camper with first a thickened marine epoxy, and then a UV-resistant silicone sealant. Then (and this part he mentioned was kind of difficult) he fastened the piano hinges and draw latches so the case could open and close, and finally two gas springs so the case would stay open when lifted. When it came to the material, he used mesh and outdoor Sunbrella material, and added zippers like a tent door. You can read in depth about the work

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