Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi. I'm starting my next project, building and installing 6' wide by 1 1/2' deep cabinets, 15" high upper cabinets and 36" high lower cabinets, across the front of my 6'x10' cargo trailer between the front bulkhead and the curb-side door.

I think there are two approaches... 1. Build freestanding cabinets and then screw them into the space. They would be more rigid, but heavier. Or 2. Build a face frame across the front lower cabinet area, and screw it to cleats themselves screwed into the front and side bulkheads. Then lay a counter top across it. The lower cabinets will not only provide storage, but will hide the vented 12V battery box, AC panel and rolled up power shoreline installed at the inside front left corner of the trailer.

Can anyone suggest the direction I should be going in, and perhaps some useful books or videos that will help answer my layout and construction questions? I'm planning to use pocket screws in either case -- I bought a Kreg Jig and a bunch of the appropriate screws. I have a table saw to cut the wood down, a router and router table, orbital palm sander and nail gun available.

I could also use any advice on wood type selection, choosing hardware and finish options. For the bed platform I used a Miniwax combination tint and polyurethane in classic oak coloring -- seemed to work well. But so many of you have built furniture quality cabinets and I'm committed to going slow to get it right.

I'll post some drawings in the next few days of what I'm thinking. Thanks in advance. -Gary

If I wanted furniture quality I would build it free standing and use custom face framing to conceal any deviation from quality........ Do your best and hide the rest!

Maybe one of the furniture builders can help with finishes.

Gary-

Most all commercial trailer cabinets are built with 1/4" thick ply and 3/4" cleating and/or 3/4" face frames to hold 'em together only where needed.

Consider 1/4" thick ply sliding doors.

Think light.

Here's a company that makes/sells patrol chuck boxes/ camp kitchens
& has a DIY book, etc.

http://www.blueskykitchen.com/index.html

Cheers,

Coop

Not that it may matter, but it’s probably a little stronger to build in-place, and you could conceivably use a little less wood.

However, it’s probably easier to do outside the trailer as you have more access and it’s easier to get at with power tools and what not. Also, outside of the trailer it will be easier to get a nice finish as it would be easier to spray on etc.

I second the comment on the light-build issue. It’s not like they get used every day and lighter is better to tow and whatnot.

It sounds like you are well tooled for this stage of the project which is half the battle sometimes. There are benefits to either method as stated above and it will come down to personal choice.

The key to this stage of the project is to take your time. Regardless of construction method, the quality and durability will be dictated by the level of effort in this stage. Pick the method that you are most comfortable with and if you need to be creative with weight later in the build then so be it. The cabinets will be your signature and will be a source of pride for you. Enjoy the process and be sure to post pics of the progress.

OH I forgot about the book question. You can go to a used book store and get lots of books for built-in cabinets. Just remember to leave out the 2x4's............No doubling anything.

like many have said above, i think your idea to build face frames and attach them to cleats is the way to go in a trailer. the weight savings will be considerable. will you be building any drawers, or will it be all doors?

i read that you have already purchased a jig for pocket holes, but have you ever considered blind-doweling the frame? when i build, i don't like any fasteners to show (from any angle). and as a plus, when you use a blind-dowelling jig, your holes are always perpendicular and you're pretty much guaranteed squareness. squareness...did i just make up a word?

i have a book that has a good chapter on cabinet design. if you'd like, i can scan it and email you the chapter.

i forgot about the wood question.

i like using poplar for cabinet face frames. it is very easy to work, it's strong, and it takes stain/wax nicely. and if you don't want to mill your own, Lowe's and Home Depot sell it as 1x2s, 1x3s, etc.

I used Red Oak for my face frames. I used bisquits on the front face frame and used pocket screws on the back one. The pocket screws were easier and faster. I stained them with Minwax® Wood Finish™ (Golden Oak) and sealed it with Helmsman® Spar Urethane (Satin).

also, you can get cabinet facing in whatever you want (to match the rest of the trailer). They will also bulk-rip (at any hardwood lumber yard), to whatever width you want the cabinet facing to be. Standard, is generally 2 inches, but they can set up their saw to rip whatever (been there, done that).

Having some experience building cabinets, I would lean toward building a face frame outside the trailer and attaching it to cleats. That would be light and easy to throw together. You might consider 1/8" plywood for some of the lighter duty portions (like door panels, etc.). 1/8" is actually pretty sturdy when well supported. I'll be using it for shelves and cabinet bottoms when I get to that point in my build.

I agree with Diablito; poplar is a great wood to work with. It's lighter and less expensive than a hardwood and will hold a screw much better than pine or fir. It's easy to find good clear boards and it paints up nicely. I don't have any experience staining it. There's not a lot of interesting grain and you often find green coloring in poplar.

Good luck!

Brad

Poplar. In my opinion there is no better wood when being painted. Not very attractive when stained. Kreg jig is the best tool ever for cabinet face frames.

Status update: We went camping in the trailer as-is for the first time last weekend. It poured buckets Saturday night, so all four of us huddled inside (my wife and I, our 7- and 10-yo sons) for the night. I've learned a lot about what we need to add into the trailer to make it comfortable. We need handholds in strategic places to move around, cubbies to put things, little shelves for things like eyeglasses, cell phones and the other junk you pull out of your pockets when you go to sleep.

Still working on some diagrams and measurements, then I'll undoubtedly have more questions.

Getting started is soooooo hard....

Thank you Planovet -- I'm getting a lot of inspiration from your two pictures. That's how I want to build my cabinets. I've scanned my drawings and put them as a picture in my album. Really sorry about the clumsiness of the drawings, but hope they get across what I'm planning.



My basic dimensions will be 68" across, 30" from countertop to floor, 20" from center of front wall to front edge of countertop, 17" from L,R ends of front wall to front of cabinet (the 3" difference because of the rounded front wall), 12" from top of wall to bottom of overhead cabinet and 12" gap between upper cabinet and lower cabinet countertop.

I also want to build a leftside cabinet that hides the AC panel and shoreline, that juts out from the main cabinet 14" from the leftside wall and 16" from the front face of the main cabinet, and of course the same 30" height as the main cabinet. Then I could put an 'L' shaped countertop across both.

I wouldn't have any shelves inside either lower or upper cabinets.

With all 3/4" red oak stock, I think my cut list might look something like this:

For the upper cabinet: (there is a 2" drop from the main trailer roof to the top of the front wall, approximately where the top edge cap is outside. So I need to build the front face of the upper cabinet 2" deeper then the height of the front wall would suggest.)

(2) 68"x2" rails
(4) 10"x2" stiles
(1) 68"x20" panel to be the floor of the upper cabinet.

For the lower cabinet:

(1) 32"x2" rail (top of front face of main cabinet)
(1) 32"x2" rail (bottom of front face of main cabinet)
(2) 16"x2" rails (top and bottom of left cabinet)
(2) 26"x2" stiles (left, right of front face of left cabinet)
(1) 26"x2" stile (left side of front face of main cabinet)
(1) 26"x16" stile (right side of front face of main cabinet, assuming 14" door opening)
(1) 30"x20" panel (right side of main cabinet)
(1) 30"x14" panel (left side of left cabinet)

and enough cleat stock to screw this in place.

Where I'm getting confused is in things like, how do I figure in the overlap needed to butt the left cabinet against the main cabinet? Does assuming 2" rail heights and stile widths allow for hinges, cabinet snaps (not sure what the hardware which allows the doors to snap shut is called), proper door sizing, room for the pocket screws, etc?

Also, is it reasonable to build only a front and bottom to the upper cabinets, but leave no top or sides? Just cleat the front face and back of the bottom to the walls/front of trailer and that will do it?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

looking good!

assuming you're going to buy 1x2 stock, remember that it's not 2" wide, it's 1.5" wide. keep this in mind when you figure out your cut list.

how do I figure in the overlap needed to butt the left cabinet against the main cabinet?

because your are using cleats to fasten the frames to the trailer, i would suggest taking the face of the main cabinet all the way across from one side to the other with a singe rail. this will give you a strong base. you could then butt the side cabinet against the main's frame.

Does assuming 2" rail heights and stile widths allow for hinges, cabinet snaps (not sure what the hardware which allows the doors to snap shut is called), proper door sizing, room for the pocket screws, etc?

i used 1x2 stock to build the face frames for the kitchen cabinets in my house and all the hardware fit nicely. you'll be fine. but i can't say anything about pocket screws as i have never used that method of construction for cabinet frames.

Also, is it reasonable to build only a front and bottom to the upper cabinets, but leave no top or sides? Just cleat the front face and back of the bottom to the walls/front of trailer and that will do it?

yes. that's how the RV manufacturers do it.

good luck and have fun!