Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

While exploring my local HD for cheap deals I went over to my favorite cull bin. Yes, lots and lots and lots of 1x nice clear boards, 1x6, 1x8, 1x10 and 1x12. I loaded up on some more of these (heck at around $3 each for a 10 foot, can't be beat). I then saw 4 sheets of Parkland Plas Tex white plastic panel. These are the thin 0.060 white plastic panels and are super bendy. They had hard creases on the final foot of each sheet, so the price was marked down to $4 each. I figured what the heck for $16 for all 4. We've decided to paint the inside of the Conch Fritter anyway, since all of the wood we are using. I've already installed 2.7mm ply on the inside ceiling and it is bonded. My thought is, if this stuff can work (kind of like floppy-bendy FRP), why not just glue it to the interior front/ceiling/rear structure. Waterproof, easy clean, white. My concern is the attachment part.

So, has anyone tried this stuff before? The company recommends either Henry 444 or Liquid Nails FRP 310 adhesive. I'd cut the panels down to 64" x 48" and run them sideways, so 4 panels more than covers the entire front/top/back. If you've used it, how did it work for you? If not a good idea, I'll use them for something else. The product literature says it isn't recommended for a normal ceiling due to the bracing that is necessary and long adhesive drying time. For my trailer I don't think the bracing issue would be such a big deal, as the area is small and not 8' up in the air like a house. I can put a lot of bracing in fairly easily and don't care if I can't get inside the trailer for a few days, lots of outside stuff to do. But maybe I'm wrong in this.

Thanks in advance

dave

I'm doing a glue test now on sample pieces to the ply. Power Grab, not holding at all after 2 hours, but will see tomorrow. Contact cement, absolute bond. Wall adhesive, need to wait until tomorrow to see if it works. I don't have any of the 444 or LN 310 yet. The contact cement might be the way to go. Oh, and according to the literature, on a full sheet you leave a 1/8" gap between sheets and corners for expansion.

dave

I don't know what Parkland Plas Tex is . I used pvc wainscoting for my ceiling and front cabin wall. Glued it with gorilla glue. It holds better if you scuff up the pvc glue surface a little. Just used some spring loaded poles to support it while glue cured. One piece a day. (slow process) the curve kinda self supports it.

While this stuff isn't pvc, it is kind of similar. 1/16" inch, no design but does have a kind of textured finish. On my glue test the Powergrab was junk, the old wall adhesive didn't really work well either, the contact cement was fine. Now, I have not tried any of the recommended adhesives, but I think I may just use contact cement.

dave

Just remember that the solvents in most contact adhesives will eat foam, so make sure that it is all cured before you insulate.

And remember that some of those solvent-based adhesives will continue to out gas for a long while when the TD gets hot inside. That's why I used 3M water-based contact adhesive to hold the insulation to the exterior walls.

<Chas>

Good point KC. Luckily this will be going on over 2.7mm ply, so there will be no contact with foam.

I've been reading up on what the rc and av folks have been doing with this stuff and there seems to be a rift between using solvent vs water based contact cement. Some say the water base works great, other say it doesn't. I may go with the solvent based since all say it works. On the outgassing, the temps here are already in the upper 80s -90s and it will be a couple more weeks until the trailer is fully sealed, so I think that should be enough time. I won't actually be using it until the end of May or June, so I have about 6-8 weeks to let it air during some really hot weather.

dave

I had mixed results with the water based stuff, too.