Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi Guys,

Well we're deep into the planning of our Camper and would like some advice on the construction of the floor and walls. We would like to have as much insulation as possible so we can try and get out in the cooler months as well as stay cooler in the heat of summer. It is for that reason we were thinking of doing the walls and roof with a sandwich of 1/4" ply, 1" foam and 1/4" ply. The floor I was thinking of 3/8 ply, 1" foam and 3/8 ply.

Are we thinking along the right line with these sizes? And how do I do the doors, same as the walls of just in 3/4" ply?

Cheers.

Chris

Chris,

If you're going for lightweight, I think your planned plywood thicknesses are too thick.

For my plywood floor, I used 1/4" plywood top and bottom and 1x2 framing.



To save weight, I'd use 1/8" plywood on the road side of the floor, and probably on the mattress side of the floor too. Instead of full width 1x2s, I'd rip some pine down to 3/4" x 3/4" and fill the voids with 3/4" insulation.

If you're skinning the teardrop with aluminum, I'd use the same section for the sidewalls too - 1/8" ply, 3/4" framing and insulation, and 1/8" plywood. If not, I'd increase exterior plywood to 1/4".

For the roof, I"d use 1x2s on edge as framing filled with 1-1/2" insulation. The interior ply wood be 1/8" and the exterior plywood be 1/8" or 1/4" (two layers of 1/8" laminated) depending upon what you skin the teardrop with.



Take care,
Tom

Cheers for that Tom,

Sounds like a good idea and yes I do need to keep the weight down as much as possible. I wasn't sure how thin I could go with the floor section, though I guess as long as the fames good you can get it down to the sizes you've said about. Also should reduce build costs a little



Thanks again.

Also keep in mind the sheer small size of these campers, they don't need much to get cool or warm!