Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I am getting close to applying a finish to my trailer. I want to apply a moulding to the perimeter edge that follows it's shape for extra protection. I notice that some of you have used aluminum moulding material. How do you get it to bend around curved areas? What particular moulding products work well? Have any of you used rubber moulding? Also, what material have you used to seal the moulding?

I plan to cover my roof with canvas and tightbond 2. Then I am applying typical exterior house paint to the entire thing.

If you are going to canvas the roof, I'd go ahead and canvas the sides also. That's what we did, so no molding is required.

We are very happy with the canvas and house paint approach.

Take a look at our build journal for more pics.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=45718



Sam

Part of the reason I'd like to do moulding is so that I can run my tail light wiring up and under the moulding to get to the tail lights. I'd rather not run the wires through the walls of the teardrop because they would be unaccessible and this would make more holes and gaps in my walls that would need to be filled.

I also wanted to do canvas for the top only as to save on cost and the moulding would hide where the canvas stops. I think that the plywood sides will be just fine with primer and paint on the bare wood.

Have you thought about running your wiring through the cabin in wiremold along the outside edges where your mattress will cover it? Running it under your edge trim runs the risk of nicking it with your fasteners.

Irving wrote: I think that the plywood sides will be just fine with primer and paint on the bare wood.

Sounds like a gamblin' man....

Irving,

We used a plastic moulding supplied by a caravan parts supplier.
Easy to bend.

RD

doug hodder wrote:

Irving wrote: I think that the plywood sides will be just fine with primer and paint on the bare wood.

Sounds like a gamblin' man....

Are you suggesting that water will penetrate through several coats of exterior primer and paint?

Roo Dog wrote:Irving,

We used a plastic moulding supplied by a caravan parts supplier.
Easy to bend.

RD

Excellent. Thanks for the info and the picture. Looks great. Have a website or a source where that is available from?

Irving,

I am in Australia but I have no doubt if you search for a supplier in America you will find the same thing as I suspect it is imported to Oz.

Take it easy.

RD

Irving wrote:Are you suggesting that water will penetrate through several coats of exterior primer and paint?

There have been a number of them over the years here that have had that problem. Doug

doug hodder wrote:

Irving wrote:Are you suggesting that water will penetrate through several coats of exterior primer and paint?

There have been a number of them over the years here that have had that problem. Doug

I can definitely see how only exterior primer and paint on bare plywood might not hold up as a roof, but the sides seem like a different story.

desertmoose wrote:If you are going to canvas the roof, I'd go ahead and canvas the sides also. That's what we did, so no molding is required.

We are very happy with the canvas and house paint approach.

Take a look at our build journal for more pics.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=45718



Sam

Your canvas looks very well done. Can you share a few tips on how you got it adhered so well? I canvased the underside of my trailer before attaching it to the frame and I had a few bubbles and areas that came unattached.

Rather that retyping it... (two fingers...), go ahead and take a look at our build journal. I go into some detail there,

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=45718

One thing to do, is don't be shy with the Titebond. Lay down a heavy coat because the canvas will soak some up and leave a "starved" joint.

It was a lot easier that I thought it would be to apply the canvas.

Sam

After seeing a lot of posts over time here on the forum on
the topic of only using primer and paint on a plywood, the
general take on that topic, that I have gained, is that there
are multiple things affecting it. The quality of the plywood,
the type of the plywood and the wood species used etc., is it
stressed - i.e. bent ?, what weather is it exposed to ? in use
and in storage... There is also a continuing maintenance need
with it as well.

The main culprit seems to be movement in/of the wood itself
from normal temperature expansion and contraction and such.
It can be enough to break/crack the paint surface and thus invite
problems with water. One reasonable approach to obviating
the problem is the old-tech glue-canvas-paint/paint-canvas-paint
technique. It has worked on waterproofing wooden boats, and
it has worked on old-time TTs. It's not totally maintenance free,
but is much moreso than just paint alone.

mezmo wrote:After seeing a lot of posts over time here on the forum on
the topic of only using primer and paint on a plywood, the
general take on that topic, that I have gained, is that there
are multiple things affecting it. The quality of the plywood,
the type of the plywood and the wood species used etc., is it
stressed - i.e. bent ?, what weather is it exposed to ? in use
and in storage... There is also a continuing maintenance need
with it as well.

The main culprit seems to be movement in/of the wood itself
from normal temperature expansion and contraction and such.
It can be enough to break/crack the paint surface and thus invite
problems with water. One reasonable approach to obviating
the problem is the old-tech glue-canvas-paint/paint-canvas-paint
technique. It has worked on waterproofing wooden boats, and
it has worked on old-time TTs. It's not totally maintenance free,
but is much moreso than just paint alone.

I have been wondering a bit about using tightbond 2 as a thorough coating prior to applying primer. To really seal all the wood. Then use primer and paint. No canvas.