Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Seems epoxy is the adhesive of choice here. I don't have any experience with using epoxy, but I understand that it can be heavy on the fumes (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) Since I'll be doing a good part of my build in my basement this winter, I'd like to just go and use Titebond III for the sandwich adhesive. My question is:

Is Titebond III Ok with the foam (pink stuff)? - Will it adhere to the foam and contribute to the side wall rigidity? I'm comfortable with this glue otherwise for wood and plywood, just don't know if it will hold onto the foam.

Thanks,
Fred

Fred, a couple of answers.

I used TiteBond II glue and air driven narrow crown staples to attach 1/4" plywood to the sandwich wall frame. Quick, fun, strong. It eliminated the need to use lots of clamps and/or weights while the glue set up.

I'm using Raka.com epoxy (with fiberglass cloth) for my weatherproof outer skin. It doesn't have much of an outgassing odor. To be safe I use it in the garage with the garage door open.

Have no idea about using TiteBond glue with foam. To make a sandwich floor I used construction adhesive to attach the foam to plywood. Maybe you can run an experiment and glue a piece of foam with TightBond and see how it turns out.

Epoxy warning.

Devout epoxy user here. It's use is addictive. Once you start using it you will find excuses just to mix up batch. Fumes negligible, results exceptional.

I use Titebond III, and have never developed the above symptoms with it.

We've tried T-3 and it's even better than T--2...

I used Titebond III in my sandwich walls. Much cheaper than epoxy and it holds well. I did not use glue on the foam, I just pressed mine into the spaces and let the walls hold it in place.

A primary difference between epoxy and wood glue is it's gap filling properties. Epoxy will form strong joints even if there are gaps between the materials being bonded. If you have a tight joint, in all the testing I've done, the wood fails before the glue joint with Titebond II / III and Epoxy.

The fumes with West Systems epoxy are minimal, although I still like to get fresh air in.

Wood glue (incl. TB III) will not adhere to EPS/foam board.

Eric

Mark - I'm counting on the foam assisting in the rigidity of the sides, or at least I'm sure it will assist if adhered properly. Perhaps it's just overkill on my part, but since I'll be going with a light construction (1/4 Out - 3/4 foam - 1/8 In), I'm thinking this (gluing the foam) can only help.

Thanks,
Fred

Why not use t 3 in wood to wood conections and construction adhesive on foam to skin conections. I would say problem solved. I would squeeze on and use a 1/8 notch trowell to spread it thin and get complete coverage.Or you can buy it in quart cans as well

Rock wrote:Wood glue (incl. TB III) will not adhere to EPS/foam board.

Eric

You might want to test that with Tightbond III.

There was a discussion about insulation and glue not too long ago. Here is the Link

Chris D wrote:Why not use t 3 in wood to wood conections and construction adhesive on foam to skin conections. I would say problem solved. I would squeeze on and use a 1/8 notch trowell to spread it thin and get complete coverage.Or you can buy it in quart cans as well

This is what I did with my walls, solid as a rock!!

You should allways use the proper adhesive and aint that a matter of just readin the directions .To see what is compatible or not? Me I personally feel solid walls are the only way to build. I will however insulate the floor and roof.
Sometimes we all over think things I just keep it real simple. Most important is QUALITY MATERIALS I mean there is alot of TD s from the 40's that still look pretty good.

I have not found a plastic material that T3 adheres well to, but why not do an adhesion test? Take a small piece of foam and glue it to a small chunk of plywood. If you can get them apart the next day without destroying either the ply or foam then you do not have good adhesion.

Polyurethane would stick, as would cheap construction adhesive. I don't think gluing the foam adds much if you have an internal frame, though. My sandwich walls are exactly as described, 1/4 outside, 1/8 inside, and 3/4 x 1.5 internal framing. Solid as a rock and no glue on the insulation.

My next tear, if there is one, will have solid 3/4 walls, maybe even 1/2. I don't think I saved much weight with sandwich and I don't see the insulation doing much for me. But then, it's still under construction.

Thanks everyone for the responses. It's easy enough for me to just use another adhesive for the foam/plywood component, but I was curious if TB III would work as that would be a bit simpler applying. I know I can do a a test also, but the test will only tell me if it holds the next day or week. What the test won't tell me is how well will the adhesive still be holding up say in 6 months or two years AFTER construction is completed (as in - will this breakdown over time) - hence the question.

Thanks again,
Fred