A few noob questions...

[pmowers]

To find a sheet of pressure treated plywood that would work with no studs to help straighten it out would be like winning the lottery. It's not what you want to use, doesn't paint well etc..Pressure treating is meant to deter rot from insects and growths that occur when the material is exposed to wet conditions on a regular basis. Your wood shouldn' thave to deal with any of that, even if you didn't paint it - it shouldn't be staying wet for long periods at all. Go pick up a sheet of 3/4" treated plywood (take another person, maybe 2) it's so heavy no way you really would want to use it

Compare that weight to a regular sheet of 3/4"- the difference in weight is almost all water. Even after a year, the PT treated 3/4" ply felt "kinda smushy".

and on top of that they normally have a taco like appearance after they are treated, that's why they are generally only used on flooring where they can be screwed/nailed down flat.

I used pressure treated in my first project, had to replace all of the sections with exterior grade ply due to warping and shrinkage. I had used mainly drywall screws to assemble and they tended to break coming out of the wood from chemical corrosion.

When realatively fresh it doesn't cut well either and is very difficult to route, you wind up just tearing out chunks of it rather than cutting it, especially with a router bit.

Not to mention that most of the sawdust and scraps are toxic, you really should wear a mask and goggles when working with the stuff. I have had galvanized parts in the same area as where I had stored all of my PT wood, they look like they have frost on them from exposure to the vapors.

Pat

[ecna]

Thanks everybody. PT is out.

Floor:
I don't see any place with the 5x5 Baltic Birch. Someone commented on the appearance of the 5x9 AC Fir, but will it be suitable for the floor? What would another good alternative be?

Walls:
I had mentioned 4x8 3/4 Select Birch A1. Is that a good choice?

Eric

[Forrest747]

For the floor and the checking i really dont see an issue. its covered by teh mattress and its more important to make the bed.

A1 birch good choice

[NathanL]

For the floor Fir is fine, that's what I use - exterior exposure rated, not just exposure "1".

[ecna]

OK, another question...

Is there a "standard" or "normal" side for a door when you're only using one?

[Forrest747]

Lead with the hinge. Just like a car door unless you have suicide doors.

[Oldragbaggers]

If you're only using one door you will want it on the passenger side of the teardrop, not the road side.

[ecna]

Question of the day...

Where are you guys bolting the floors to the frame? I never see any bolt heads in the interior of any build threads?

Thanks!

[Forrest747]

Bolts we dont use no stinking bolts (Very bad accent)
Actually what i did was recess a hole in the 2x4 and then glued and screwed the floor ontop. one every 2 feet on the sides and two on the front ands rear. maybe three on the front i was drinking htat day. i also had a small hole drille in each bolt access point to use a hex wrench to help tighten. uses 3/8 bolts but could of gotten away with 1/4.


if you look at the edge under the plastic is a small hole that was used to access the bolt

[NathanL]

I just sank my bolts into the plywood in a recess I made with a forstner bit in about 6 places and then just screwed the rest of it down and ran it down flush.

[KCStudly]

I recessed pronged wooden T-nut thread inserts into the top of the floor spacer frame before putting the top skin on. Sixteen (16) 3/8-16 bolts go up through tabs in the trailer frame, four (4) each spaced out on each of the steel xmbrs.