Weight savings with a Foamie build vs plywood?

[ghcoe]

is well worth the weight savings and lack of rot.

Folks keep bringing up rot with wooden teardrops. It's malarky.

What can rot will rot. What is inert will stay inert.

I agree a properly built wood trailer can last if properly built. How do you know it is properly built though. Most people here are not professional builders. Foam gives you that extra bit of piece of mind knowing that if there is a leak (and there is not) that it wont be a expensive repair next spring.

I use OSB for my floors, 3 years and many a water crossing and still not soggy. It can't get soggy if it don't get wet for long periods of time. Why because it is protected by foam. Just my two cents...

Video of river crossing:
https://youtu.be/q03JboEM4o0?t=518

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River Crossing 2 s.png (508.31 KiB) Viewed 740 times

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[TimC]

is well worth the weight savings and lack of rot.

Folks keep bringing up rot with wooden teardrops...

Tony

Me thinks the rot I've seen in trailers, RVs and teardrops, is mostly due to neglect. If you get some moisture in your TD make sure you let it dry out before storage. Even with George's foamie, if he buttoned it up after a trip without letting things air out eventually the smell might get a little too much. Mold will grow on foam if neglected. Hell, mold will grow on almost anything if neglected. After a trip open the windows, park the TD in the open air/sun, and run the ventilation fans for a day or so.

[ghcoe]

is well worth the weight savings and lack of rot.

Folks keep bringing up rot with wooden teardrops...

Tony

If you get some moisture in your TD make sure you let it dry out before storage. Even with George's foamie, if he buttoned it up after a trip without letting things air out eventually the smell might get a little too much.

I have non closable vents to keep me alive when I am sleeping with the door and windows shut. It is that air tight. It follows me down dusty roads and if dust don't get in water wont get in. The only way water is getting in is me breathing, or I leave a window/door open. The vents do their job just fine for airing out in storage.

I was always afraid of building a teardrop and having it rot. I have known of, and heard of many that have deteriorated over a winters nap because they leaked. Only takes once. Then I heard of foamies and my worries were over...

Since my first build I don't even consider installing a roof vent. Just a bad idea if you want to keep the water out. Plus you don't get moisture drips on your bedding while you sleep and night.

[S. Heisley]

Okay, I'll put in my 2 cents.

A lot depends on the owner/builder. If a teardrop is built right, stored right, and cared for properly, it should last a long time, regardless of whether it is made from foam or wood. But, like George said, most of us are not professionals.

People tend to over-build and not take care of it once it is built. Foamies are a little more forgiving of that. What people do with their teardrop, what they put in it and into it, can also add to the problem. Think poorly installed vents, windows and doors, also added in air conditioners, ovens, heaters. Teardrops aren't meant to be a fifth wheel nor a motor home. They are meant to be one step above a tent and most of us are very, very happy with that.

if you follow what is explained in the foamie threads, I too believe that a foamie will end up being lighter, less expensive, less likely to rot and generally more carefree.

[GPW]

“ They are meant to be one step above a tent and most of us are very, very happy with that.“ …

[tony.latham]

How do you know it is properly built though? Most people here are not professional builders.

Builders need to research. Due diligence. Just like you did for your PMF/foamie. This isn't 1947 and the only thing you have to follow is a Mechanix Illustrated magazine article for a guide. That's what this forum is about. The answers are here.

Also, I spent a year writing my book so builders would need to include their camper in their will. It was not an easy task.



Tony

[Gator417]

Tony,
Nobody here s doubting your knowledge or experience with tear drop trailers. Nevertheless, wood rots. It rots in houses, boats, fences and even our beloved campers. Some people on this forum are probably more concerned about it than they need to be, but it is still a concern.
Building with foam is just one way to eliminate the risk of one's camper rotting out from under them. It also reduces weight, adds insulation value, saves money and allows people with limited tools or experience to build their own camper.
Gator

[tony.latham]

It rots in houses, boats, fences and even our beloved campers.

There is one photo of a camper with rot on this forum.

https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=73003&p=1267267

It should be obvious what caused it. (And frankly, I'm not sure it's rot, it may be OSB that gone south because of water intrusion.) There are several folks discussing failing OSB that is coming apart and calling it rot. It's not.

So it should be a concern. It should make a person do his/her due diligence and figure out how to avoid it.

Build it right, and include it in your will. Wood, metal, or foam.

Tony