New camper trailer restoration

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Re: New camper trailer restoration

Postby Dan Gary » Mon Sep 27, 2021 11:13 am

DrewsBrews wrote:IMO using 2x6 would be adding alot of weight. Running the board down lengthwise is using the weaker direction for the grain. Id suspect 1x boards oriented laterally would be able to handle the cantilever forces since it would be perpendicular to the grain. That is typically how any cantilever structure is built. Should be less weight too.

I must admin I am somewhat going against my own suggestion on my build as I used 1x boards running down the sides uninterrupted, though the overhang is only 3/4" and the front and back perimeter boards are running full width to support the wall at the corners with the perpendicular grain.


Good point at installing 1x6 boards perpendicular. I thought perhaps a 2x6, though heavier, would be beefier/stronger and could resist the 2 3/4” cantilever. The 2x6 or 1x6 is still nearly centered over the frame where it would bolt up so it’s not like the entire 1x or 2x is hanging out in mid air. So you would recommend 1x6’s clad with plywood. What thickness and type would you use top and bottom?
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Re: New camper trailer restoration

Postby DrewsBrews » Tue Sep 28, 2021 6:37 am

I'm not saying it wont handle it, just that it is a very heavy way to get around using the wood in it's least strong orientation.

At every point in the build It is rather important to be sure there is not a lighter option that will work just as well. Otherwise it is easy to wind up with a very heavy trailer for it's size.

Floor ply thickness.. depends on the design/materials and intended use. Im not sure I have enough experience to answer it well enough. I used 1/2" bcx and that seems a bit more flimsy than a hardwood ply (very $$$ in my areas so I don't have much experience with it). But should suffice for non standing purposes. If building a trailer to stand in, that concentrates your body weight more so thicker/stronger material would be prudent.
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Re: New camper trailer restoration

Postby Dan Gary » Wed Sep 29, 2021 6:03 am

DrewsBrews wrote:At every point in the build It is rather important to be sure there is not a lighter option that will work just as well. Otherwise it is easy to wind up with a very heavy trailer for it's size.


Thanks for your thoughts on this and I see your point about weight as an issue. I own and operate a foundation repair business and I’m so used to using pressure treated 2x and 4x material. My build is a standee so I may need to go thicker on the floor since my wife and I will both be standing and moving about around the inside galley. I think 1/2” plywood would be adequate for the top floor if I had enough wood blocking and used foam insulation. Perhaps the bottom ply could be 1/4 or 3/8”. Quarter inch BC plywood from the big box stores is interior grade and not sure I want it facing down in the rain and moisture? I realize it could be coated with undercoating but not sure it’s not 100% protected from wood rot or delamination. What are your thoughts about the bottom ply on an insulated floor?

My pop up camper didn’t have an insulated floor and also wasn’t undercoated. It looked like a treated OSB single ply floor. On a pop up forum I visited, there was much discussion about not coating the floor to waterproof it but to leave it like it came from the manufacturer so it could dry out without having moisture trapped and rotting out the floor. So, I’m scratching my head on what to use for the bottom flooring and if it should be sealed/treated?
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Re: New camper trailer restoration

Postby rjgimp » Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:56 pm

Remember, you aren't building a house here. I think you might be very pleasantly surprised at the strength and stiffness of a sandwich floor framed with 1x2 with 1/4" plywood skin glued and screwed top and bottom and the cavities filled with rigid foam. Resist big dimensional lumber like the plague that it is. You'll end up with a 4500# trailer before you even get all your stuff in there.
:frightened:
-Rob


I hope to make it to a Procrastinators Anonymous meeting someday...
just as soon as the steering committee gets around to scheduling one!
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Re: New camper trailer restoration

Postby Dan Gary » Fri Oct 01, 2021 10:15 am

DrewsBrews wrote:IMO using 2x6 would be adding alot of weight. Running the board down lengthwise is using the weaker direction for the grain. Id suspect 1x boards oriented laterally would be able to handle the cantilever forces since it would be perpendicular to the grain. That is typically how any cantilever structure is built. Should be less weight too.


Thanks buddy, I need to think UL on this build. I’m leaning towards making this a 2” Foamie to really lighten it up. Still undecided on making it 5 or 6 ft. wide? With foam I can go wider without taking a big weight hit. Just not sure about the increased wind resistance since this a higher profile standee at the rear? As for the the issue of cantilevering the floor over the trailer frame if I go with a 5ft build, I’ll just weld outriggers out to have positive contact between the floor system and trailer frame.
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