Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

My plans are to build a light weight “Canned Ham” style “standy” that will pull easily behind a mid size suv/crossover. We currently have a Subaru Tribeca that is rated to tow 1,000 lbs w/o trailer brakes/3,500 lbs with.

Hoping to hear from anyone who has some experience using cedar as siding.

Concerning siding, I want to use cedar fence pickets on the sides and the flat surfaces on the front and rear to create a unique look. The roof (and most likely the front and rear radiuses) would be 1/4” plywood with PMF or fiberglass mat and epoxy. I may try to cover the radiuses, front and rear with cedar siding, but not sure if it is a good idea.

There is a YouTube channel call ENDGAME where there are videos showing slide in truck campers built using cedar fence pickets for framing as well as siding. There are some pictures online, but not sure how to add them to this post. Tried, but got an error message.

My concern is that a travel trailer may flex more then a truck camper and without solid sheeting, the integrity of the structure may suffer.

The idea is to plane the pickets to 1/2”, true up the long edges, rip them to a standard dimension, dado the long edges and short edges as needed, to create a ship lap siding.

Install directly to the framing using construction adhesive or Titebond II, nailing and/or screwing boards in place to help secure siding. Also apply flexible caulking at the dados to help make the lap joints water resistant.

After installation, apply a wood sealer and reapply yearly or as needed.

Any thoughts, ideas or comments appreciated!

Regards

I realize this is an older post, and have no comment on cedar shiplap, but you may want to look closer at compatibility between mat and epoxy. As I understand it, the binders used in the manufacturing of glass mat are only compatible with polyester resins, not epoxy.

I'd go with epoxy and light glass cloth over the plywood rather than PMF. Epoxy/glass is more waterproof. You will get some water past the shiplap seams; driving in a rainstorm is like going through a mild hurricane. Water is being forced in all directions.

Epoxy/glass is used in ship hulls. PMF has been used for top side protection for wood for at least a century but not for underwater.

If it was mine, I'd use the cedar as exterior sheathing but do it cedar strip style: 1/4" or 3/8" cedar edge glued and glassed BOTH sides. You'd essentially be making flat sheets of cedar/epoxy/glass panels first and then using them as you would plywood. (You need to both sides or the unglassed side will expand with moisture causing the panel to bow.)