Ceiling issue solved...no money spent. This is working out great!

[Tina]

In my basement...which suffered major water damage when a sump pump gave out during a heavy rainstorm (water seeped in through a crack in a block. The ground could not keep up with the water)

...is a drop ceiling.  The tiles suffered damage with warping from the humidity, so they all had to come down.  I have loads of channeling in the crawl space, and I looked at that and wondered.

It worked!  I screwed this channeling onto both sides of the 2x4 where the ceiling was dropping the most, removed the support lift board and nothing dropped!  

Now I will cut and fit for the rest of the 2x4's, and probably do some 2x2's the same just for that added support in some areas, like around the a/c unit.

For a small RV like this, I think it's going to hold up well.  I dunno if it will work for the larger RV's.

Now ya'll don't be afraid to burst my bubble if you think this won't work or will create any kind of problem.  So far, I can't think of any reason it won't work and last awhile.

During the winter months I plan to put some 2x4's across the top with a tarp over them.  Have them spaced enough that the full weight of the snowfall isn't resting completely on the roof.

Back out to cut some more channeling and get back to work before it gets really hot out there. 

:)

[Tina]

I got the first one in an email David. :) Thank you very much for your information and suggestions!
Yeah, a little crown would be great....but I don't think it's gonna happen with this one. LOL

Hope everyone is well today. I drew first real blood this morning trying to get the TWO layers of stapled/glued/nailed carpeting off the wheel well box. Of all the things I've done so far in that RV, this is the most difficult for such a seemingly simple thing. Didn't have my gloves on...and scraped a few layers from my knuckle across the back of that age old hard as a board carpet. Grrrr.....but...that will teach me to put those gloves on first thing from now on. :)

[david craft]

It was a long one too. The next evolution in roofing after the 2x2 was a 2x3 tapered to a 2x2 on the ends. That would be great if the existing roof would accommodate it. Do one beam like you've suggested and then load it and look below, see if it's strong enough. It would be great if you could get a little crown on the roof.

[david craft]

Hehe...went to edit and deleted...hopefully someone got it in an email?

[Tina]

Thanks everybody. Can't tell you how happy I am with this. It's not very often that I don't find something I can use around here.  Being a person who doesn't like to throw things out (not a hoarder, mind you), pays off!  Gotta love freebies.  LOL Got it almost done, except for the cabover. That will be last, cuz I need a plan on how to reframe that.  It's odd up there.

[Ken and Cindy Haney]

Perfect. Great repurposing idea. Super light channel metal. Should hold up and won't rust.

[Russell E Johnson]

That looks like a great idea to me, Tina. Suspended ceilings have about a 15# per sq ft. weight ratings so I would think that metal strip will not ever bend being tied to the 2x4. And free is an exceptional price. You are hitting on all cylinders with this idea. Congratulations on the ingenuity. 

[Daniel Long]

Great idea there. Using the T channel as a stiffener. Good use of existing materials!