Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Those of you who used an offset piano hinge to mount your door, did you use butyl tape, or other sealer between the hinge and door? How about between the hinge and trailer body?

Rob...I'm here in the West County area ( between Olive & Page ).....Building a Generic Benroy.....have questions similar to yours....Offset Hinge...T-molding.....seals ......
Am concerned about doing it right the First time !

Ken Aumiller

I don't seal under the screws on an broken uneven piano hinge as they are on the interior. I use either a silicone or the 3M 5200 on the edge of the door and the jamb between the hinge and the wood. Both of those wood end grain areas need to be well sealed prior to hinge installation though. They need to be completely sealed with something that penetrates the wood well....I use epoxy, others use CPES.

I also shoot a couple of countersunk screws into that part of the hinge to get some good squish on the sealer. Personally I don't think that butyl tape would be ideal in that area as it's nearly 1/8" thick and requires some pressure to get a squish on it all. I'm sure it could be done however. Other opinions may vary. Doug

Thanks for the info Doug. I kinda thought a silicone would be better than butyl tape. I have already sealed the door and jamb edges with epoxy. The door is going on today.

kenaum wrote:Rob...I'm here in the West County area ( between Olive & Page ).....Building a Generic Benroy.....have questions similar to yours....Offset Hinge...T-molding.....seals ......
Am concerned about doing it right the First time !

Ken Aumiller

Good luck with your build Ken. My build is almost complete.