Flooring

[Ron Dickey]

the most important part I would think is flooring.

Plywood what thinkness, one layer or 2 (with insolation)

Type of wood any or certain woods.

is there more?

Ron

[mikeschn]

the most important part I would think is flooring.

Plywood what thinkness, one layer or 2 (with insolation)

Type of wood any or certain woods.

is there more?

Ron

Flooring can be 3/4". You can build a subfloor out of 3/4" thick pine, or 2x4's ripped in half. The subfloor will look similar to this one on Larry's page... http://www.outbackteardrop.com/misc/hrmechanix.jpg?

Mike...

[Eric Adams]

I used 3/4" Advantech flooring. Warranteed to last for 50yrs.

Cuts real nice, drills and counter-sinks nice also.

All non-seen components will be made of this. Its supposed to withstand being under water. Had a local guy try it...not on purpose.

[SteveH]

I went low tech....3/4" CD exterior plywood sealed on the bottom with roofing tar. The way I figure it, it's got to be 100% better than a canvas floor in a TENT!

[Eric Adams]

I went low tech....3/4" CD exterior plywood sealed on the bottom with roofing tar. The way I figure it, it's got to be 100% better than a canvas floor in a TENT!

The advantech ended up being $21.50 for a 4' X 8' sheet in 3/4". Not a bad deal.

[SteveH]

Eric,

I think that is less than I paid for the plywood.

[Eric Adams]

Eric,

I think that is less than I paid for the plywood.

My current problem is that a sheet of 3/4" ACX in 4 X 10 is gonna cost $75 a sheet!!

[SteveH]

3/4" ACX in 4 X 10 is gonna cost $75 a sheet

It's the length you are paying for. However, I bought 3/4 birch veneer both sides 4X10' here for $77.

[norm perkiss]

I used 4x8' x 1/2" AC ply. Our Tear is 5x9'. I pieced the floor with the seams over the cross braces. There is a very slight flex with just the ply. With the mattress on top, the feel is solid. The mattress helps to distribute the weight and any flex is not noticable.

We have a Coleman Pop-up Tent trailer. The floor on it is an oriented strand board of some type. There is no visable sealer on it. I'm not sure of the thickness.

Norm

[Eric Adams]

I used 4x8' x 1/2" AC ply. Our Tear is 5x9'.

Norm

What'd you do about the sides??

[norm perkiss]

I used the Kuffel Creek plans for the Comet and Cubby as a guide. It's a Cubmet...

The sides are CDX 1/2" ply with 1x2 fir and poplar for "studs" and 1/4" paneling on the inside. I opted to make the height at 54". Using 9'x4' ply, I routed an overlapping seam to join the ply on the 9' side. Lots of Gorilla Glue.

The plywood hangs over the frame. The sides are bolted to the frame as well as glued and screwed to the "sill plate" and the "studs". The ply was sort of squirrely at first, but adding the "studs", the cross spars, and the cabinets, it is very solid.

Norm

[Ron Dickey]

I do not think I will be putting much aluminum on mine maybe the top but the sides will be wood.

But I had a thought

could the floor have an alumium sheet on the bottom to protect from weather , stones, and backroad ground stuff.

If I used that I could use 1/2 inch plywood on the bottom.

that ripped 2 by 4 does look attractive though.

Ron

[steve wolverton]

Ron Dickey - I'm not sure why you couldn't use 1/2" plywood as your flooring w/o the aluminum skin. I don't think you really need it. I'm using 1/2" BCX as my floor and it seems to have worked out fine. I sealed the bottom with epoxy, but emulsion would probably work just as well. The foam for your bedding (or mattress) would also displace the weight on the floor.

Anything thicker would be more weight of course. I think (I may be off on this) that plywood weighs roughly:

1/4" = 25 lbs.
1/2" = 50 lbs.
3/4" = 75 lbs.

I'm not sure of your tow vehicle, but weight was a big concern of mine while building.

Steve

[madjack]

I do not think I will be putting much aluminum on mine maybe the top but the sides will be wood.

But I had a thought

could the floor have an alumium sheet on the bottom to protect from weather , stones, and backroad ground stuff.

If I used that I could use 1/2 inch plywood on the bottom.

that ripped 2 by 4 does look attractive though.

Ron

...I am planning touse an aluminum sheet on the bottom of the tear I am currently constructin...mainly because I just want to
madjack

[Denny Unfried]

I do not think I will be putting much aluminum on mine maybe the top but the sides will be wood.

But I had a thought

could the floor have an alumium sheet on the bottom to protect from weather , stones, and backroad ground stuff.

If I used that I could use 1/2 inch plywood on the bottom.

that ripped 2 by 4 does look attractive though.

Ron

...I am planning touse an aluminum sheet on the bottom of the tear I am currently constructin...mainly because I just want to
madjack

Why not just let it breathe? If you clad it with metal it will hold in moisture and take a long time to dry which of course leads to spongy plywood (failed wood). If you just use the plywood with a good sealer it will dry and last for a lifetime.

Remember KISS

Denny