1/2" vs 3/4"

[msemanuel]

So is there any reason I couldn't use 1/2" plywood instead of 3/4" for the side walls? I am making a grasshopper style trailer. That is going to be roughly 5x9.
thank you in advance
mike

[doctor phreak]

i am doing mine in 1/2" birch ....not much difference in 1/2 or 3/4 but weight.....

[Adz_4]

I asked exactly the same question before I started building mine. In the end I used 1/2" and I am really glad I did. It is cheaper, lighter and more than strong enough for the sidewalls on my 4' x 8' teardrop. If I was building something larger like 5' x 10' I would probably go for 3/4" to give it some extra rigidity but even then it would probably be overkill. With the idea of teardrops being small and easy to tow with most vehicles, I think any method of reducing weight is welcome.

[Nic]

I used 3/4" on my 4x10' teardrop. I wish i had gone with the 1/2". It would be like dropping the weight of a 1/2" sheet. That's a nice bit of weight i think.

[TomW]

I used 1/2", 7 ply cabinet grade for my outer walls. I did a sandwich wall construction with 1/2" insulation between and 1/8th on the interior.

Using the biscuits will help the strength but you will have to back up the seam with something with some strength. or make the seam fall in some place with some vertical backing, like the galley wall or galley shelves.

My next build will have 1/8th exterior, insulation, and 1/8th on the interior. I plan on fiberglassing the exterior walls.