6x12 V-Nose Build

[lrrowe]

Lets see...
I do not have to take the plywood off to insulate.
I believe I have less of a moisture problem when I use EPS foam for insulation
I think, but am not sure if it makes applying spray in foam any easier or if it gives better results with foam. I believe it does.

I also did it because it just appeared to offer me less work for the inside and it did not cost anymore to get it that way.
A downside that I did not think of was that it adds more weight. Now I have the regular plywood that comes with a trailer, but I also have the added weight for the interior paneling. But I will use the thinnest interior paneling that I can get away with. So the extra weight should not be that much. Maybe in the long run, I will have a trailer less likely to flex for whatever benefit that is.

And there may be other benefits which I am not aware of. I do know that I would do it again.

[MtnDon]

I asked one other builder if they would put the plywood on the outside, and they replied with no, after a moment of silence took to be thinking. I believe it was just outside their area of expertise. Don't the CarMate also have 2x3 wood framing in walls? No metal wall ribs? That makes for more weight.

I believe the biggest advantage is that the plywood right under the exterior metal makes the aluminum skin warmer. Less likely to develop condensation if the moisture path from the interior out is not sealed as close to perfect as possible. At least that is how it works when we compare an all metal barn to one that has metal over OSB sheathing. (My neighbor has a plain metal barn and we have a similar size barn with the metal over OSB. Ours does not "sweat" on the inside, is quieter and stiffer.

It is also nice to not have to remove and reinstall the interior plywood when insulating. When installing insulation having the plywood outside allows easier installation of thicker foam insulation too. That is, foam thicker than the stud or wall rib space, because the plywood is already nailed to the wall studs for max stiffness. With plywood inside, thicker foam means the structural plywood is not flat against the metal ribs. The fasteners are longer and can wiggle slightly. It won't happen much but theory says it could be an issue down the road. Theory and practice can be different.


Gluing thin plywood to the inside of the foam makes a nice wall. Just use foam friendly adhesive. We used one from Loctite and some Gorilla glue.

[lrrowe]

MtnDon, Car Mate will make the CT with either metal or wood studs.

[abqlloyd]

I'll ask today about exterior plywood. It seems to make sense all the way around. I saw a really nice cargo trailer in Nashville that had the filon fiberglass siding instead of aluminum. It looked great.

[abqlloyd]

Gave them my dream list today. They have to contact the factory and see if they can accommodate.