Hello All. Love the site. Starting my design.

[fartblossom]

Hi,

My name is Hal and I live in Frisco TX.

Seeing the various tiny trailers here being towed by small 4 cylinder cars has given me the bug to build my own. I'm shooting for a full featured camper, but built simply on a 4x8 HF using super low weight techniques. I love the simplicity of the 'weekender' series, but prefer the look of the classic curved front, so I'm kind of combining the two.

I've worked in the commercial metal stud/drywall business for 30 years, which gives me a little different perspective on the design. I see people building nice strong subfloor assemblies which they then set on top of the trailer, and those are great, but when I look at a bare trailer, I basically see a metal stud wall laid flat. I think I can infill between the crossmembers with metal studs adding much more floor support without much weight penalty, thus allowing much lighter, thinner plywood material for the floor. Plus I could sheath the bottom of the trailer with something, maybe coroplast?, and then fill the trailer cavity with batt insulation. I.E., make the trailer itself the floor assembly. Probably been done before, looking forward to your feedback.

As far as the side walls, I have access to a large boneyard of metal stud materials, and I'm tinkering with the idea of a wall assembly layered like this, outside to inside: Sheet aluminum, tyvek vapor barrier, 1-5/8" metal studs infilled with 1-1/2" rigid insulation, luan plywood. I could also be convinced to go the foamy route. I'm going to get some studs and make some mockup assemblies here soon and test them for strength, rigidity and water resistance.

I'm not going to be building this year due to other priorities, but that gives me time to tinker, poke and prod every aspect of the design, which I love doing.

Here are some pics of my sketchup design so far. Little rough, just learning it.

[bc toys]

welcome to this great site looks like you got a great start with that design good luck and hope to see you on the camping road

[M C Toyer]

Welcome aboard Hal - I'm nearly your neighbor in Pilot Point.

My first build, which is very smilar to your design, used 3/4' plywood for the sidewalls and 1/2'' for the roof. I used 3/4" by 2" plywood furring strips on the outside, with 3/4" rigid foam in between then followed with Tyvek and a metal exterior. The inside of the walls and roof were sealed with clear polyurethane.

Build journal and photos: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=50714

I too have considered the use of metal studs for a future build. It will be considerably larger based on a 7 x 12 frame from a pop-up. Like you proposed I would use the metal studs for the sidewall structure and roof rafters, laid for the 1-1/2 thickness, and wall cavities filled with ridgid foam insulation.

I have already made a mock-up of the overall shape from the metal studs to better plan the interior layout and make any adjustments before beginning construction.

I'm thinking of attaching the outer metal skin with rivets over over the Tyvek but may add a thin layer of plywood or corroplast over the outside of the studs first for a truly flat surface. I would also rivet diagonal bracing and tie-straps made from the studs. I have a metal brake so can custom make additional pieces and profiles.

My question to you - do you see any problems with the metal studs not holding the rivets? I decided against using the standard short screws for that reason.

On the inside was thinking of wood blocking within the cross section of the metal studs to provide a base for gluing the inside paneling and screwing the bulkheads and other attachments for the walls.

Re batt insulation I think the general concensus is rigid foam is better to avoid possible settling within the walls. On the floor it would stiffen the thin plywood in between the metal cross members of the trailer frame / metal studs.

M C

[fartblossom]

Hey Neighbor!

I have never had a problem with screws not holding in metal studs, but then when I build walls, they don't get bounced down a highway, so I can see your point.

I don't see any reason pop rivets wouldn't work, but I do know there are two kinds, regular and waterproof, so obviously we'd want WP.

I like your idea of coroplast as a shim layer to take up the bulges from the framing screws. I had been thinking of removing them from the outside before sheathing with the aluminum, but this is better.

Would love to see your work sometime. When the weather cools off, the wife and I like to go for drives north of Frisco on the country roads, so maybe we can stop by and take a gander one of these days.

[M C Toyer]

You're welcome to stop by. I sent you a pm with my phone number.

M C