Metal Skin vs Plastic vs Wood finish

[Adirondackersouth]

Having been a licensed driver of a motorized vehicle since I was 16, and having been a wearer of sunglasses for a longer period of time. Shiny metal driving in front of you on a bluebird day can be more than a pain to see around. Hence the question I have for those who are more learned in the art skinning a Teardrop.
I have noticed that a number of companies that produce the Teardrop style of camper not very often choose to clad their cutie pie’s of the road with aluminum. Is it curb appeal, cost or something that I am missing because I am a neophyte?

What I have read about aluminum is that it is light, durable and provides a good weatherproofing and just avoids the whole maintenance issue of having to paint every so many years. I think it makes them look very retro and very durable.

I am a natural guy. I like wood. The color, the textural qualities and after all its what I see in most Teardops. Nice wood paneling. Very retro and very chic I think. Plus a woodworkers art can be displayed there, plus in my book. But the wood outside, exposed to the elements I don’t know about that for the long term. Wooden boats and wooden anything really needs to be coddled loved maintained, refinished, babied to keep its appearance. This means keeping it covered, keeping it coated, cleaned and oiled? I have no clue. In other words not maintenance free.

Finally Vinyl. What can I say about plastic coating. Great, durable, lasts, may crack over time, become faded but if done right, very water tight. So good, right? It can be ordered in many colors and thicknesses like metal but cheaper.


What is your cladding of choice and why?

[daveesl77]

I took several 2x6 and 2x8 rough cut WR cedar boards and using my trusty bandsaw, resawed 1500 linear feet of cedar for the sides of Conch Fritter. It took me 3 weeks, I still have a bunch left over and loved every minute of it. Yes, it means more maintenance, but boy does it get the looks and it just feels right.

dave

[Adirondackersouth]

I took several 2x6 and 2x8 rough cut WR cedar boards and using my trusty bandsaw, resawed 1500 linear feet of cedar for the sides of Conch Fritter. It took me 3 weeks, I still have a bunch left over and loved every minute of it. Yes, it means more maintenance, but boy does it get the looks and it just feels right.

dave

Dave,
That is one handsome pretty looking teardrop. I am with you on the aesthetics of wood. Wood is warm and natural and welcoming like a cabin. What do you do to maintain the wood?

[daveesl77]

When I cut the strips (3/16" thick x 1 to 2" wide) I initially considered planing them down to make them really flat. But then decided I wanted a more natural look, so I just left the slight curves the bandsaw made during the resawing process. Once attached to the 1/8" plywood backing, I sanded everything down, but still leaving those slight "waves". It is sealed with the "mix", starting with 75% mineral spirits - 25% spar urethane, then 50:50, then 25:75, then 3 coats of full strength spar urethane. This is essentially how I've been doing it on boats for decades and never had a problem. That includes many, many tens of thousands of miles of open ocean sailing, including two solo transatlantic crossings. I considered doing an epoxy base, but went back to my roots. Varnish and poly have never failed me yet.

I used no stains, but was pretty picky in getting the rough cut. I wanted different colors, striations and tones. I attempted to book match the 2 sides, but that did not quite work out. This winter I start on the front and rear sections, incorporating aluminum panels with the cedar. Then I'm building a "pirate chest" for the tongue box. The rough cut wood was pretty cheap, just a lot of work.

dave

[Adirondackersouth]

When I cut the strips (3/16" thick x 1 to 2" wide) I initially considered planing them down to make them really flat. But then decided I wanted a more natural look, so I just left the slight curves the bandsaw made during the resawing process. Once attached to the 1/8" plywood backing, I sanded everything down, but still leaving those slight "waves". It is sealed with the "mix", starting with 75% mineral spirits - 25% spar urethane, then 50:50, then 25:75, then 3 coats of full strength spar urethane. This is essentially how I've been doing it on boats for decades and never had a problem. That includes many, many tens of thousands of miles of open ocean sailing, including two solo transatlantic crossings. I considered doing an epoxy base, but went back to my roots. Varnish and poly have never failed me yet.

I used no stains, but was pretty picky in getting the rough cut. I wanted different colors, striations and tones. I attempted to book match the 2 sides, but that did not quite work out. This winter I start on the front and rear sections, incorporating aluminum panels with the cedar. Then I'm building a "pirate chest" for the tongue box. The rough cut wood was pretty cheap, just a lot of work.

dave

David - But it looks great. Two Atlantic crossings. Man! I teach Oceanography at the high school level. I would like to pick your brain on keeping wooden boats afloat and woodworking in general. I am familiar with your ratios and choice of sealants. Water and Wood always needs a bit of divider between the two. How often do you recoat with the Urethane? Booking is lovely when it can be done. I make rustic furniture and cedar is my all time favorite wood besides Paper Birch. I agree that staining can be a drag and a half. I have seen some teardrops (pictures) with sheet copper as well. (Steampunk)

Thanks for sharing your wisdom. and recipes.
Cheers!

[noseoil]

Being a wood worker for many years, I chose metal for the finish on my build. I live in the desert & the sun here is brutal on any finish for wood. While a wood trailer looks very nice, it just won't last here. UV light is the killer and will eventually destroy just about anything and ruin the wood. For me, since my parking space is outside all year, I just went with a mill finish .040" aluminum on the roof & pre-finished .040" on the sides. It's a manufactured aluminum sign panel available in different colors & sizes and should hold up well enough over time for the sides. The roof gets the worst of the sunlight in summer at our latitude, so plain aluminum will just oxidize a bit & then stay the way it is.

I was looking for durability first & looks second. Function won out over form for me, due to storage, sunlight & the seasons here (hot & hotter).

[daveesl77]

While I have not had to redo the trailer yet, on the cedar I put on my house, I've found that a "scruff down" with 220 grit sand paper, wipe down with mineral spirits and then another coat about once ever year or two is fine. On my boats it was about once every 6 months, but that is a much, much more demanding environment. I will actually be redoing the outside of the trailer to a certain degree this spring, as I accidentally put a final coat of gloss on last year and prefer the satin finish. It takes me about 4 hours to sand, prep and coat the trailer.

Several of the folks on here have done beautiful jobs using tongue and groove cedar siding.

dave

[Adirondackersouth]

So what you guys are saying is, that it depends on the climate of where you live and the amount of wear and tear and repair you are willing to undergo to have a teardrop. ?

[Talia62]

There is a fourth skin to consider: canvas.

[tony.latham]

I built two wooden drift boats and sold them with the business that they supported. I'd like to have one someday, but it'll be aluminum or fiberglass. Or I'll have a shed to park it in. I've got a cedar strip canoe that's sweet... but it stays indoors unless it's on the water (epoxy with spar over the top of it). Nothing beats the look of a clear wood finish... but they do require maintenance if exposed.

I'll stick to aluminum clad teardrops but would consider one covered with epoxy/fiberglass and painted with a good bedliner. (Mine does wear a cover in the winter to make sure it's not getting any leakage.)

T

[Adirondackersouth]

There is a fourth skin to consider: canvas.

I have thought about the Conestoga wagon style a number of times.

[daveesl77]

No, the 4th skin is what is commonly called PMF or Poor Mans Fiberglas. I have it on the front, back and bottom of mine. It has been used for centuries on boats. It is fairly inexpensive, very easy to work with and can come out with an amazingly nice finish. Once hardened, it is just about bulletproof.

dave

[Adirondackersouth]

No, the 4th skin is what is commonly called PMF or Poor Mans Fiberglas. I have it on the front, back and bottom of mine. It has been used for centuries on boats. It is fairly inexpensive, very easy to work with and can come out with an amazingly nice finish. Once hardened, it is just about bulletproof.

dave

David -

Wait I think I know what you are talking about. My uncle had a kayak from the 1960's I think that was fabric stretched over a frame and then I think it was painted. I remember it well because he pulled me on it behind his Cabin Cruiser. It was old and clever and I have never seen another one outside of a boating museum.

[Adirondackersouth]

I built two wooden drift boats and sold them with the business that they supported. I'd like to have one someday, but it'll be aluminum or fiberglass. Or I'll have a shed to park it in. I've got a cedar strip canoe that's sweet... but it stays indoors unless it's on the water (epoxy with spar over the top of it). Nothing beats the look of a clear wood finish... but they do require maintenance if exposed.

I'll stick to aluminum clad teardrops but would consider one covered with epoxy/fiberglass and painted with a good bedliner. (Mine does wear a cover in the winter to make sure it's not getting any leakage.)

T

That is sweet!

[DMcCam]

Hi David, We went with anodized aluminum for a real retro, no maintenance finish. We've been in really hard rain storms ending with a day of dessert sun leaving tons of water spots. Once home, we washed it then dried it and she looked like new. The only draw back to anodized finish is scratches are permanent; you can't buff them out.

Cheers,

Dave