Question for Woody Builders

[lazyriverstudio]

Hello everyone.

Still planning and researching. Wondering if anyone can steer me in the correct direction here. I would like to build my teardrop with a cedar exterior. Debating cedar veneer plywood VS solid cedar.

Ideally, I will use a solid cedar 1 X material for exterior. But I am not sure how to do the curved portion of the roof. I am probably wrong here, but I was thinking the following:
·For the roof, plane down my cedar material to 1/4" thickness
·Orient the boards to run the 5' width of the trailer (oh, my trailer will be 5' x 8'), and glue to luan. Allow roof boards to extend / overhang the side walls a little bit for trimming.
·When the roof begins to curve, cut down cedar material to thinner strips and continue to glue. Maybe progress down to 1" wide strips ???
·Trim overhang of boards with trim router. Then round the edge at least 1/4".
·Fiberglass the corners and roof.
·Seal the side walls with other method (something without glass). I would like to add some relief carving on the side walls (hence my desire for using solid cedar VS cedar ply) so I hope it will be ok to just fiberglass the roof and roof/wall corners. I figure this area is most crucial for waterproofing, correct?

Any input is greatly appreciated! And apologies for butchering terms... still learning
Scott
PS, I made a quick 2D sketch of my profile... thanks Algo Dan for the ideas!

[dogscats]

Why not get the two router bits that make a roll top desk are laps side boats Flute & bead bits
I got a kit a long time a go 2005 that has fiberglass side & top rails about 2.5 " with a lip to set the wood in and use EMT for the spars .The plan was to rip each piece close then working back to front cut the bead then the flute on the next piece so the air movement would blow any rain over the trailer

[doug hodder]

Correct...the roof will be the most critical. I've done a couple of woody tears and a couple of mahogany boats. If you are going to do solid material as opposed to ply on the roof, I would highly recommend sealing it completely, that means, FILLING all the gaps and making the roof totally smooth. Then sand it down and if you want, lay a layer of cloth over it and building it up with epoxy over that, then top coating it. Me, I don't believe the cloth is a necessity, but that's just me and how I store a trailer. On a boat, I just do the epoxy resin on top decks, like 7-8 layers sanded between coats, and then top coated with auto type clear for UV protection. Too much, maybe, but the last one I did has a deck that is like a mirror. Might be more than you want.

You need to decide just how much effort and dollars you want to spend on it, and whether or not you want a top notch finish, and just how long you want it to exist. A quicky top coat on the roof will last only so long. 2 layers of resin enough....nope...Some people will recommend a 75/25 coat of poly over raw wood and I guess it works for them. I'm not a fan of that approach. Whatever works for you and your budget. How long it holds up and how it looks will depend on how much effort you put into the finish and how you store it. I top skinned my woody tears with aluminum and left the side walls "bright". The boats, if not in the water, are covered to limit any potential UV damage. That said...many others will put on a couple of layers and then hit it with some poly and be happy with it. Kinda depends on what you want. In my opinion, 1/4" roundover might be a bit tight to work glass cloth over, unless it's done on the bias and you tend to it while it cures.

I use no cloth on my wooden tears, but have larger radiused corners, just epoxy resin and auto paint. Oldest one is 8 years old now and is holding up great. Thing is...cut a corner now, pay for it later and later makes for a much more difficult repair IMO. Others opinions may vary.

For what you are wanting to do...ply will do any of those bends easily.
Doug

[lazyriverstudio]

Thanks much!
Dogscats, I should have prefaced that my woodworking is limited. I will have to look up those bits you mentioned. Thx.

And thanks Doug! That helps a lot! I probably will still go with the cloth on the roof and roof/wall corner as I don't trust my skills . Thanks again!
Scott

[Chuckles]

If I understand you right you will have a lot of end grain showing on the edge of the roof. End grain does not rout very well and you will have to seal it well with some thin coats of epoxy and sand well so you don't have lots of bubbles under the glass that wraps the corners.

I would plane it all down and use it as a skin over a sandwich wall construction. It's lighter than solid wood and you get the insulation and strength.

On mine the perimeter is full 1-inch thick ash rabbeted to fit the cedar planks and the roof. The corners have a 3/8 inch roundover. The walls have 3/4 inch thick framing with 3/4 inch foam insulation. Cedar is 1/4 inch thick planks with ship-lap edges that overlap. Planks are nailed on with copper boat nails. The interior is 1/4 inch plywood.

Mine is a standy and you can't see the roof (at least I can't) so the roof is 1/4 inch plywood. The whole thing is wrapped in glass and epoxy. No stain or oil finish at all on the wood. Just glass and epoxy with spar varnish for UV protection... it is stored indoors when not in use.

I still have to add fenders, a new door, and cabinets this summer

Chuck

[tony.latham]

Cedar strip canoe building is a common method. The strips are 1/4 thick and about a half Inch thick. There is a bead on one side and a cove on the other side. The bead and cove is cut on a router table. Google cedar strip canoe building. The boats are encapsulated in epoxy/fiberglass.

[lazyriverstudio]

Thank you much chuckles and tony! This helps a lot!!!