Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Before I close up my walls and ceiling, I was wondering if anyone is sealing the back side of the walls and ceiling before putting in the ridged insulation. I have the interior ceiling in and just started the walls.

WB..if you are using glue and fasteners then they are sealed already...if not, then you realy oughtta(use glue and fasteners)
madjack

To prevent warping both sides of the wood should be sealed to the same level of water resistance.

Ya know, when I read that last night, I got a totally different meaning than when I read it today(must be the old timers) anyway, in agreeing with Malcom, we sealed up everything...inside and out.......
madjack

Do you have to seal up the inside, even with framing? Most people put tar on the bottom of thier floor without sealing the top of the floor...dont they?

Ramp, the floors, walls, ceilings are connected to framing or bulkheads so dont face the same warpage issues as something that is freestanding such as a door. However, there is a good amount of moisture generated on the inside of a tear from the folks that occupy it and to keep that moisture at bay, it is best to seal everything...a couple of coats of water based poly/paint or some sort of vinyl flooring works great...
madjack

When I get to that point, I plan on just painting the floor. I figure paint weighs a lot less than vinyl flooring or any other applied surface.

I strongly agree with Malcom and the Mad One. Seal everything inside and out. The potential for moisture getting trapped in an aluminum box is very high. Moisture is what kills almost all trailers, campers etc. The factories don't seal the back side of panelling and the smallest amount of moisture will then affect the the panelling and the framing assuming like most you are using 1/8" panels and spruce or pine framing. Those materials have very little rot resistence.

For my project I put 2 coats of urethane porch and floor enamal on the back side of the panelling and framing and everywhere else that doesn't show. Cheap moisture resistence, no garantee that something won't leak and eventually cause a problem but everything that can be done to combat water damage is worth the effort IMHO.

Regards, JG

JG,
I'm willing to accept the premise that I need to seal everything. I also have 5 unused gallons of clear pollyurathane for floors. Will that do it. cause while I am messing around I might as well make it rain. (rains everytime I paint).
Miriam

Miriam, the floor poly will be just fine, anything that will act as a moisture barrier.
JG

Thin the floor poly some so that it soaks in good.

mbader wrote:Thin the floor poly some so that it soaks in good.

...yep, thin it 10 to 15% with whatever thinner is applicable and put on 2-3 coats...........................

Okidoki! I'ts gonna rain. we need it so I wll cover the small pieces with thinned floor ploy. I only paid $6 dollars a gallon for this stuff then I got sick and the whole project got put on hold for a dozen reasons. Don't want to use it on my floors now, so the tear insides can have it.

Thanks
Miriam

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was gone for a long weekend and just getting back on track. I am just finishing all the outside 1/4" walls. So if I am following your answers I should seal inside the walls. I am useing the pink insulation sandwiched inbetween. Do I try not to seal the face of the interior frames so I get better glue adhesion when I attach my interior walls?

Woodbutcher wrote:Thanks for the replies everyone. I was gone for a long weekend and just getting back on track. I am just finishing all the outside 1/4" walls. So if I am following your answers I should seal inside the walls. I am useing the pink insulation sandwiched inbetween. Do I try not to seal the face of the interior frames so I get better glue adhesion when I attach my interior walls?

Yeah, I was kinda wondering that too....