Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

For those wanting not to use wood what about galvanized metal?

There are some metal channels in L & U shapes that could be used around windows and doors as attachment points. Or bend up your own.

For tall walls there are Z shaped channels used for installing stryrofoam on basement walls. Could use them sorta like a stud every 4 feet (or 2 feet if you want).

Well a lot of issues arise with trying to glue the styrofoam to metal and getting the strength needed to keep from sheering off under a load. The porous nature of wood makes it much easier to bond to and create a bond stronger than the styrofoam itself. I know wood adds a rot point but think the larger gains from the glueability are much better than the non rotting characteristics of the metal.

OK Bad Idea

loaderman wrote:OK Bad Idea

not a bad idea just one that hasn't been tried yet.

if you have the materials give it a try we would all like to know the results
but don't just dismiss it quite yet.
if Edison hadn't invented the light bulb we would all be watching TV by candle light.

pete

I built a trailer a long time ago that was 1/4" ply over steel studs. I used 1-5/8" for the walls and (IIRC) 2X4 for the roof joists. It was certainly light enough, but it was tough to sleep in the thing because every time the wind blew, it sounded like someone opening and closing a silverware drawer !

That said, I didn't glue the ply to the studs: it was just screwed on. I also hadn't used the plastic snap in grommets and the road vibration chafed some of the wiring. Once you factor out "operator error", it's probably not a bad method of building...