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Need to trim a very tall hedge in my driveway and wondering if the roof of my 2019 Berlingo would take my weight?
Probably not its just thin sheet metal and any load is designed to be spread by feet to specific points on the rails or doors.
Damn. I paid someone to do it last year and they stood in their van but it could have been a stronger roof. Could do without paying again but don't want to dent my roof.
Roofbars and planks might be an ok bodge if it all came in under the roof limit.
But it would be better to treat yourself to a big combi ladder or even better, a platform ladder.
Is it worth borrowing or investing in a trimmer on a pole. Saves falling off a roof or ladder later. Our neighbour has one. I mainly use a step ladder but my taller hedges usually need loppers not a trimmer.
Easily available cheapish one from Argos as an example:
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/2680002?clickPR=plp:2:30
I paid someone to do it last year and they stood in their van but it could have been a stronger roof.
Sounds like a reputable company! Fully up to speed with H&S regs! 😬😱
My trimmers on a 2 meter pole already. But need to get trim about 4 meter up.
I'll have a look at platform ladders.
From memory the roof bars (the ones running from front to back) are rated to 65Kg max weight...I've got roof bars (across the way to fit bike racks to) on it that are rated to 75Kg and I thought at the time it was 10Kg too much for the actual built-in bars.
From memory the roof bars (the ones running from front to back) are rated to 65Kg max weight
I'll check that out. I'm bellow that even with the trimmer so might be an option.
you could lay a sheet of something strong across the top so it lays only on the roof rails (assuming they're present), and stand on them?
The middle of the roof won't take the weight of a person without denting but the rails will be fine. 75kg is the weight whilst driving over speedbumps etc, I wouldn't have a problem exceeding that whilst static
I did this. Bit of ply on the roof. Ladder wedged against roof bars. Supported my 100kgs. It did dent the roof but it popped out ok'ish. It was a company car so I wasn't too bothered.
I have a lovely picture somewhere I will dig out.
I would rent in the proper access platforms/ladders. Pointy power tools while wobbling high up is recipe for an issue..
And reduce the whole thing to a manageable size to save this in future?
From memory the roof bars (the ones running from front to back) are rated to 65Kg max weight…I’ve got roof bars (across the way to fit bike racks to) on it that are rated to 75Kg and I thought at the time it was 10Kg too much for the actual built-in bars.
That's the load whilst travelling. Static loads will be 4-5 times that much (according to the roof tent company website I was reading the other week).
That said, I'd just rent a platform
^ yeah, the best option is to get it reduced to 2m or so (not by the van roof lot) then maintain it yourself with the pole trimmer.
Something like a cherry-picker is going to make any access at height safer
or even a some forklifts
Pointy power tools while wobbling high up is recipe for an issue..
The car won't be driven while he's cutting the hedge surely.....
We used to do it off the transits roof loads. Much bigger and more stable than the types of platforms we had access too and could transport.
Would I stand on my own Berlingo roof.....nah
A mate of mine sent me a picture that this thread reminded me of. Berlingo van, dining table strapped onto roofrack & a chair on top of the table. He was stood on the chair with a petrol hedge cutter with his wife driving up and down the hedge :o) Looked like something out of Billy Smarts circus. He's still alive.
I expect the center will depress,even dent, but the edges could probably hold the weight of the car, likely down to testing should the vehicle roll over.
Why not put a sheet of ply across the whole roof and strap it into place, using ratchet straps so it cannot slide off.(open the windows a bit and pass the strap through the whole car Maybe even something like that carpet gripper mesh stuff between the two, just to ensure the board remains in place should you put sideways pressure on it while leaning.
Pointy power tools while wobbling high up is recipe for an issue..
I used to do a bit of hedgetrimming and grass cutting in glasgow. one industrial estate had massiv centre blocks of catoneasta that at some point had got out of hand it was fully 5 feet high in the middle maybe 15m wide and 30m long.
W quickly learned you can walk on catoneasta and use the pole trimmer like a powered scythe, every so often your foot would go through. IT was bloody stupid but also very funny until i went through and heard th rats all kick off.
I've been up on the roof of my Transit cutting a hole for the skylight and fitting a solar panel.
A Transit may or may not be stronger than a Berlingo and I am only 10st4