Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Greetings!

I searched high and low through the forums and couldn't find the answer I was looking for, so here goes. I am about to skin my TD and was hoping to use FRP exclusively for the outside skin and the galley hatch (inside & out). Wondering if this is a good or bad idea and if others have had success with it. If so, anyone know the best way to bond it to the spars/insulation? I plan on putting trim around the perimeter/edges so I should be good there. Any help would be appreciated.

Dan

and was hoping to use FRP

How's it do in the sunlight?



Tony

It would really depend on how it's framed underneath. The framing needed for plywood is much less because the plywood adds most of the rigidity needed for a hatch. With a flexible skin, the frame has to do most of the work and must be designed accordingly.

It can work, there are fabric covered airplanes still flying today.

tony.latham wrote:

and was hoping to use FRP

How's it do in the sunlight?



Tony

Hey Tony, not sure about the sunlight aspect, which is why its great to hear from experienced builder such as yourself. I do plan on using a UV paint on the outside. Not sure if your reply was aimed at UV protection or temperature/humidity fluctuation in general. Trying to find thin plywood is not easy; at least hasn't been for me.

Pmullen503 wrote:It would really depend on how it's framed underneath. The framing needed for plywood is much less because the plywood adds most of the rigidity needed for a hatch. With a flexible skin, the frame has to do most of the work and must be designed accordingly.

It can work, there are fabric covered airplanes still flying today.

My build design is based of off the Steve Frederick's build. So the hatch will be very close to what he advises. The only vertical support is the sides with 1x3 or 2x2's going horizontal. I only have the sides completed at this time, so its not fully assembled yet. I am constantly rethinking (as any DIYer does) but finding the right skin seems to be my biggest challenge. Especially for my first build that is 62 inches wide

I do plan on using a UV paint on the outside.

That's what I was referring to. Good luck with your build.



Tony

Do some pricing between FRP and filon. Both will require a plywood subbase. Both require the same glue types. Filon is used on outer walls of newer RV's. Filon is lighter. You can get filon is a few colors also.

Filon or FRP doesn't matter. They both have the same issues. If the plywood subbase gets wet. The panel is going to bulge and do other stuff. So think hard about how you are going to seal the side to roof connection.

if your plaining to use filon. best if it's floated. it expands quite a bit . Has a lot of resin and maybe a layer or two of mat you can make your own skin much stronger cuz you can add Wovening and all you need is a piece of $11 hardboard to use as a mold. What in the hell is wood?

FRP can be used for skinning. Caseydog did it.
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=29535&start=214
I believe he used stuff available from Home Depot or somewhere.
I believe it was screwed directly to the frame, no plywood underlay.
This is the build that inspired me to take the journey.
The simplicity is stunning and I even now, as I get about halfway through number 2, re-read the thread just to remind myself that we can overthink and overcomplicate these things.

I couldn't get a suitable affordable product to emulate this build here in Oz. Stuff made for caravans is available but it's $100's per metre.
In any case he told me via PM that the bathroom and kitchen stuff is brittle and hard to work with.

MickinOz wrote:FRP can be used for skinning. Caseydog did it.
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=29535&start=214
I believe he used stuff available from Home Depot or somewhere.
I believe it was screwed directly to the frame, no plywood underlay.
This is the build that inspired me to take the journey.
The simplicity is stunning and I even now, as I get about halfway through number 2, re-read the thread just to remind myself that we can overthink and overcomplicate these things.

I couldn't get a suitable affordable product to emulate this build here in Oz. Stuff made for caravans is available but it's $100's per metre.
In any case he told me via PM that the bathroom and kitchen stuff is brittle and hard to work with.

Good to know. I am forging ahead on my build and should be skinning soon. Galley is almost done and will be doing the inside skin soon, then on to electrical. I'll post a few pics soon.

From what I've read in the forum, people seem to like pictures.
Here's a few on my build. So far so good for a complete rookie woodworker.

I would suggest that you wouldn't put sheet FRP on that.
I'm assuming you are in the US where everything is more readily available and usually cheaper than it is here in Australia.
You should skin it with thin plywood, then consider one of the many extra durable top layers available to you.
e,g, PMF, Aluminium sheet, epoxy resim with woven cloth, etc.

FRP panels are fairly common on commercial built trailers. I have a Coachmen Clipper with FRP exterior walls on a stick built frame and have had no problems with over the 3 years that I've owned it.

Here's a thread on a home built ... viewtopic.php?f=65&t=72427

PCO6 wrote:FRP panels are fairly common on commercial built trailers. I have a Coachmen Clipper with FRP exterior walls on a stick built frame and have had no problems with over the 3 years that I've owned it.

Here's a thread on a home built ... viewtopic.php?f=65&t=72427

Thanks for the info. I've read through that post previously. From what I understood, he had plywood underneath all of his FRP and not a stick frame with insulation like mine. Good to know your Clipper was built that way. Finding thin plywood as an outside skin underlayment seems to be my biggest hurdle (Aside from learning what all of those lines on a tape measure mean ). His TD still looks good after 20 years though. Thanks for your reply.

Our Filon which is FRP, is 15 years old.