Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I've been calling around to the various "big box" stores (Lowes & Home Depot), along with regular lumber (Parr) and specialty lumber (Crosscut Hardwoods) stores getting prices on 3/4" birch plywood to start my walls. They all seem to be quoting anywhere from $109 to $122 for a 3/4x4x10 sheet.

However, they've also all told me I can get "cabinet grade" 4x8 sheets for well under $50 a sheet, and even as low as $39 a sheet at Lowes (in stock). I plan to frame the interior walls with 1x2, insulate with polystyrene and skin the interior with a nice veneer.

So, is there any "good" reason NOT to buy the lesser expensive 4x8 sheets, even though it'll make my outside walls two pieces instead of one piece each?

csdivine,

Why are you using 3/4 inch plywood?

If you are doing sandwich constuction for your walls and ceiling you can use 1/4 inch for the outside and 1/8 inch on the inside. This should save you some cash, also Crosscut has 1/8 inch bendable plywood, I found it stuffed between the wood stacks in the back

Ditto the thinner walls. If you just want 3/4 walls go with the 4x10. If you piece it you will need 3 sheets and the difference isn't worth the work. Can you get 1/2"?

Framed walls are cheaper but you add the cost of insulation. You can however cut your own wall studs and that will save bunches. Makes it lighter too.

For samwich walls, use 1/8in ply. cheap cheap cheap.

You can make 4 by 10s pretty easily with a biscuit cutter (rented if necessary) and glued biscuits. I did that on the Modernistic I built and it worked out fine. Three 4 by 8's will allow you some extra 3/4" ply and still be less expensive than the 4 by 10's.

Jerome
"

Go with the cheaper design as mentioned above. Put your seam in the middle of the door where you'll only see the seam a little above and below the door. It will save you a lot of weight too.

What they said:

You would only use 3/4" if you weren't framing, what we call sandwich wall as opposed to frame. And here's the thing about using 1/4":

If you don't think you're going to like your finish, depending on what you're planning, you can skin with a thin (1/8") birch or whatever.

csdivine wrote:So, is there any "good" reason NOT to buy the lesser expensive 4x8 sheets, even though it'll make my outside walls two pieces instead of one piece each?

If you lay the 4x8 down all you will need is a 1/4 sheet to complete the 10 foot. After you complete both sides The 1/2 sheet left could be used for the galley wall. Your galley wall should be at about 24" to 30" in from the rear. Make the seam fall on the galley wall framing. Some artistic trim will help to hide or draw the eye away from the seam and there are several types of buttons that snap into the screw heads that will hide them. I started on my 5 x 10 last Sunday and I am using 3 sheets of 1/2" stood upright but I shifted until I got 1 seam right at the hinged side of the door and the 2nd at the galley wall framing.