Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Howdy-

Been putting my shopping list together and having a hard time finding a source of 1/8 ply. Anyone have a source in the Mid Atlantic area? Or what alternatives can you suggest?

Also - for the floor framing can I use 2x2 pressure treated then riping down a 2x4?

As always - great site and great advice

BILL
Gaithersburg, MD

I couldn't find 1/8 ply in my area, but found some metric Baltic Birch plywood that was about 5/32" in 5' X 5" sheets at a local hardwood supply store that caters to cabinet builders.

Bill,

This is probablly obvious but, be careful ripping the "treated" lumber. They used to use arsnic to treat the wood. Something just as nasty now days I'm sure.
Just an FYI.

Norm

Second question, ripping treated 2 by 4’s, try it once before you purchase 20 or 30 2X4’s and cut every one in half. Take one 2 by 4, cut in half length ways, look at what you have, what you will end up with is two 2 by 2’s so crooked they wouldn’t make good kindling if they were seasoned oak.

First question, 1/8 inch birch plywood is easy to find, it’s expensive. Get out of the HD and Lowe’s, go to the lumber yards where the cabined and boat builders go, look in the yellow pages under Lumber, look for the small listings , 1 to 3 lines. In your metropolitan area 1/8 cabined grade plywood is easy to find.

Ron, we need some help here

Thanks-

I think I found a source but as mentioned above - this stuff is expensive. Will look at the panel idea and the 1/4 luan bending jig that Tony mentione in a previous thread.

BILL

Watch using Baltic Birch. I love it, great stuff, but it comes from the Soviet Union , if it's true Baltic Birch, so check your dimensions. It is not exterior rated so if that's your use, seal it off well. it does finish off nicely though. Ken brings up a good point. You're better off to get kiln dried 2x4's, and rip them, even then they may twist and curl. You can always coat them out with Jasco wood preservative, an arsenic based preservative used for fence posts, available at Home Depot . You'll know as soon as you rip one and it curls whether or not it is usable. Doug

This place will ship anywhere in the USA - it is fairly expensive but they offer marine grade plywood in 1/8", wacky plywood (bends very easily in only one direction because the grain of all layers is oriented the same direction), just about any size that you'd ever need, and some really exotic woods that might be fun for adding unique touches.

http://www.boulterplywood.com/

They're located near Boston, MA which is actually only about 45 min from my mother's house (4 hours from my house) I'm planning to go there this weekend to pick up some supplies.

I've heard that the differences between interior and exterior plywood have to do with the glue that holds the layers together. Some glues are water soluble and will disolve in damp conditions (then, of course, the plywood will fall apart!). That has led me to lean more toward purchasing the expensive Marine-grade plywood for my exterior roof (woodie tear). Any thoughts on this?? Does that all sound logical or do you think splurging on the marine-grade is a waste of money (it is only $39 per sheet so hardly a huge investment but Lowes has "exterior" 1/4 sheets for $11 each!).

Lindsey

Hi Lindsay,

Please, let us know how you make out at Boulter Plywood. I live near Worcester and plan to my baltic birch and Wacky wood from them.

BILLYL wrote:Thanks-

I think I found a source but as mentioned above - this stuff is expensive. Will look at the panel idea and the 1/4 luan bending jig that Tony mentione in a previous thread.

BILL

I used 1/4" birch I found at Lowes. If you are going to put in the front cabinet, my way works well as the cabinet base covers the seam completely.

Let me know when you are approaching that part of the work, and I'll supply you with more detail.

I live just south of Philadelphia, Pa. And I have 2 sources both at about $12 a sheet. Both these sources are old "Mom & Pop" Lumber Yards. You won't find it at a Home Depot/Lowes type operation.

Happy Trails

Len

BTW; Concord Plywood, Chester Pa.
Tegg lumber, Media Pa.