Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **Jeeper92** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 8:49 pm

I star building mid week, You had said that i could use luan to keep the weight down. What type is it? at lowes they have it for 9.99 a sheet. I i was to do this what type of wood would i brace it with? 2x2? My flor is going to be 1/2 birch on top of 2x4s lag bolted into the trailer. How will i water proof the trailer?????????

by **mikeschn** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:51 am

I recently had a bad experience with luan. I would consider using 1/4" birch instead.

As for bracing, or framing, you would use pine. Like this...

Mike...

by **Arne** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:56 am

Mike, did you give up on the luan and replace it?

I'm still beatig my luan into submission...

by **Jeeper92** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:47 am

Since i have both of your atttentions, what was your experience with the luan? Mike, how would i go about water proofing the thing after im done? what size pine was that you were using?
I wnat to remain as light as possible, cause i want to tow it with my jeep

by **mikeschn** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:35 am

Yes, I gave up on the Luan.

I am doing an uninsulated wall, using 1/2" birch. If I were doing an insulated wall, I would use 1/4" birch, 3/4" pine and 1/4" birch.

As it turns out, a 1/2" uninsulated wall is lighter than an insulated wall with 1/4" plywood on both sides.

Mike...

by **Airspeed** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:57 am

I used luan door skins on the interior of mine,It worked excellent.It was so easy to bend that I needed no bracing to hold it in place while the glue dried. I wish I would have used it on the exterior as well, it would have save me a lot of head aches. The door skins come in 3X7' sheets and cost me about $7 each. I looked at the birch door skins but they wanted to crack when the were bent,the luan bent like it was made to.
I bought some of the 4x8 "moisture resistant" luan at Lowe's to use on the exterior and I wasn't to impressed with it. I soaked the sheet in my hot tub and they still didnt want to bend as easy as the luan door skins.
If I build another tear I will definitely use the luan door skins on the exterior and the interior. Aaron

by **Jeeper92** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:12 pm

So what , did you like the luan at lowes or not? door skins? holy jesus im confused as hell

by **Airspeed** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:22 pm

I didnt like the luan at Lowes,it was hard to bend,it cracked,it delaminated and it was ugly and not suitable for the interior finish I wanted.
I would strongly suggest the door skins. Like I said I wish I would have used them on the exterior as well. Door skins are simply thin 3X7' panels of plywood used to resurface interior doors that have holes in them.
They smell good too. The reasons I used them are ,They are cheap around $6 or $7 ,the grain is very atractive and they bend very easy.
Most Lowes and Home depot stores should have them in stock, if not they are worth the short wait to order them. Here is a pic of the luan inside my tear. Aarhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6 ... b001.jpgon

by **Airspeed** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:25 pm

well that pic didnt work! Maybe this will.

by **mikeschn** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 4:29 pm

The 1/8" birch is pretty too!

Mike...

by **Jeeper92** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:54 pm

Im talking exterior wood, THe interior of mine is gonna be like the puffin

by **mikeschn** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:59 pm

For the exterior you want something that is not going to warp before you put it on...

A dry, stabilized luan would work, as would a 1/4" birch skin.

but stay away from the wet luan at Home Depot. It curls up like a piece of wet paper.

Mike...

by **Jeeper92** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:02 pm

I think i may jsut go with a 1/4 ply
I was wondering mike

If i make my tt 12 feet lon by 76 inches wide, I know its a strage size but those are the dimensions on the trailer. what type of weight am i looking at??????????? I want to try and keep it as light as possbile becuase ill be towing with a 2001 6cylinder jeep

by **mikeschn** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:06 pm

Well lets see...

my 4x8 was 840#

my 6 x 10 was 1540#

So is a 6 x 12 about 1800# ???

I guess it depends on how you build. Building the way I build, my builds seem to run about 25 pounds per square foot...

Mike...

P.S. But I will say, it is possible to build lighter... My Escape Hatch is
6x10 and is only 800#.

by **Jeeper92** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:09 pm

any tips on keeping it light?
When i go to lowes to get my exterior wood, if i want the luan what is the EXACT name that im looking for, i think if i go with that stuff ill definetly save some weight.

THink i can get in under 2000 pounds on my trailer???
What can i do to save weight inside?
When i build the things inside what can i do to save some lbs?

Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

mike please answer

mike please answer

thanks

door skins?

ok

o ok

ok great

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