Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My teardrop is coming along and I just finished tarring the underside of the bed. I have a bunch of photos of my progress but I haven't gotten to posting them yet. I just started a new job a few weeks ago so that’s slowing it down but the weather has been really nice here and it seems the 40 degree rainy days are finally over.

Anyway, I'm guessing people are going to ask why I didn't just use pressure treated wood for the bed. My thought is that PT is heavier, more expensive and using roofing tar waterproofs better anyways? Just wondering on this. I mean no one wants to deal with water damage down the road (no pun intended) after all the work of building their own teardrop.

Also I've never sealed a driveway but was wondering if sealer would work too. I’m guessing its thinner and would go on easily, but then again maybe the thick gooey roofing tar is better for getting a nice thick coat.

Lucas

My first toy tear was coated EVERYWHERE with white rubberized mobile home roof coating. It has sat outside 2 years in the rain and snow the bare osb has not swolen or flaked as it will when exposed to moisture over long periods. I still have the sweatshirt I was wearing that day and after 40+ washes the coating I got on it remains on it. The best part is soap and water clean up ( IF YOU ARE QUICK)

pressure treated is treated with POISON!!! it's not made to be water proof, it's made to be insect proof..the reason it don't rot is because the POISON kills microbs and termites and anything else that comes into contact with it.

so, spread your tar around and be a happy camper and live a long, poison less life.

Jim's right, I taught him well

Hmm, I'll try to keep it out of my mouth then.

Good stuff to know though, thanks.

Lucas

I used drive way sealer to under coat a van once years ago and it NEVER rotted. so I was thinking of using it again. Now my question is what about the insulation. I want to attach the floor right onto the frame, glue the foam to the underside of the floor. Do I undercoat right over the foam? will that be ok?

Art

LMarsh wrote:My teardrop is coming along and I just finished tarring the underside of the bed. I have a bunch of photos of my progress but I haven't gotten to posting them yet. I just started a new job a few weeks ago so that’s slowing it down but the weather has been really nice here and it seems the 40 degree rainy days are finally over.

Anyway, I'm guessing people are going to ask why I didn't just use pressure treated wood for the bed. My thought is that PT is heavier, more expensive and using roofing tar waterproofs better anyways? Just wondering on this. I mean no one wants to deal with water damage down the road (no pun intended) after all the work of building their own teardrop.

Also I've never sealed a driveway but was wondering if sealer would work too. I’m guessing its thinner and would go on easily, but then again maybe the thick gooey roofing tar is better for getting a nice thick coat.

Lucas

Art, you had better waterproof that floor long before putting the insulation on it(and before bolting it down), otherwise you will trap moisture against the unprotected wood, insuring rot failure long before it's due...
madjack

ok step by step, floor, undercoat, insulation, and? then what, how do i cover the insulation from underneath?

Art

madjack wrote:

madjack wrote:Art, you had better waterproof that floor long before putting the insulation on it(and before bolting it down), otherwise you will trap moisture against the unprotected wood, insuring rot failure long before it's due...
madjack

Art, I don't insulate the floor...with 6"s of foam on top of it, I see no need to place a "pan" to catch water against the floor...many folks use screws and fender washers to secure it in place...others coat it with tar and put it in place...whatever you do, do not make a situation where water can get trapped against the floor with no way out..........
madjack

OK, thank you Jack

madjack wrote:Art, I don't insulate the floor...with 6"s of foam on top of it, I see no need to place a "pan" to catch water against the floor...many folks use screws and fender washers to secure it in place...others coat it with tar and put it in place...whatever you do, do not make a situation where water can get trapped against the floor with no way out..........
madjack

I'm really bass akwards. I insulated my floor from the inside.

When mine was almost done I had a couple little annoying bumps over the fenders. They were 1 1/2" tall so I laid in 2 layers of 3/4 closed cell foam ( Blue board) and then covered the entire floor, fenders and all, with a layer of 7/16" OSB. The January Shivaree at -1 and a -15 wind chill I was real glad I did !!!

madjack wrote:Art, I don't insulate the floor...with 6"s of foam on top of it, I see no need to place a "pan" to catch water against the floor...many folks use screws and fender washers to secure it in place...others coat it with tar and put it in place...whatever you do, do not make a situation where water can get trapped against the floor with no way out..........
madjack

hi madjack i can certainly vouch for trapped moisture = wood rot
i had a signwriter construct a long plywood shop sign for me, he only painted the face side and left the back untreated !!! i questioned the wisdom of this and he said trust me ......i did and 15 years later i removed the sign due to a re-vamp and the wood was well weathered but no rot. The shop next to mine had a totally painted sign which was soft as a sponge inside 5 years. i live on the coast in the u.k ....four seasons everyday !

after many years in the upholstery industry - We found that in marine upholstery, wood that was painted on both sides resisted rot and water penetration compared to wood that was either treated or untreated