a list of questions for a first time builder.

[kitecop]

I am building my first teardrop, 4x8 on a HF frame.

here are a list of questions I have been saving for a single straight forward post.

1. what type of epoxy is used to seal the edges of the plywood? just fiberglass epoxy? I have sum 2 part countertop epoxy sealer left over from my concrete
countertops... will that work? it sits on top, not the stuff that soaks into the concrete.

2. is it ok to put down a decorative floor covering since I have sealed the underside with roofing emulsion?

3. How long is it recommended to make the actual interior portion of the trailer? from the front to the bulkhead at your feet? I plan on doing mine at 6'3". I'm
5-11 and the front of my trailer will be rounded, not straight up.

4. I am leaning towards using filon to skin it rather than aluminum... any opinions on this? it seem filon is gonna be cheaper for me too.

5. I am using 3/4" sandply as the wall frame, with cutouts for insulation, 1/8 skin on the inside but undecided about exterior skin. should I use 1/4ply or will
1/8 be fine?

[KCStudly]

Reply in color.

I am building my first teardrop, 4x8 on a HF frame.
Congratulations and welcome to the forums!
here are a list of questions I have been saving for a single straight forward post.

1. what type of epoxy is used to seal the edges of the plywood? just fiberglass epoxy? I have sum 2 part countertop epoxy sealer left over from my concrete
countertops... will that work? it sits on top, not the stuff that soaks into the concrete.
Most people who use epoxy as a sealer like to use regular epoxy or thin penetrating epoxy (such as CPES). There are mixed opinions on what is best, but the idea is to encapsulate the fibers, especially the end grain. I don't know if you will get the same affect with a high build clear coat but I suspect it would not be ideal; maybe others who have more experience will comment.
2. is it ok to put down a decorative floor covering since I have sealed the underside with roofing emulsion?
Go for it. People have used linoleum, prefab composite wood flooring, sticky tiles, exercise mats, paint, stain/poly, whatever you want; just be sure to leave a good glue surface for your wall to floor attachments.
3. How long is it recommended to make the actual interior portion of the trailer? from the front to the bulkhead at your feet? I plan on doing mine at 6'3". I'm
5-11 and the front of my trailer will be rounded, not straight up.
Most people like to leave a couple of inches around the mattress "for tucking", makes it easier to change the sheets and get under the mattress if need be. That being said, you can fudge the standard mattress sizes a little if using a foam mattress by cutting it down slightly; the sheets will still fit okay if you don't go too far.
4. I am leaning towards using filon to skin it rather than aluminum... any opinions on this? it seem filon is gonna be cheaper for me too.
Okay.
5. I am using 3/4" sandply as the wall frame, with cutouts for insulation, 1/8 skin on the inside but undecided about exterior skin. should I use 1/4ply or will
1/8 be fine?
If you are covering with alum or Filon then 1/8 inch should be plenty. Many first time builders have used 1/4 inch under these outer skins and have stated that the should have or would use 1/8 inch if doing it again. If you end up doing a paint finish with no additional outer skin, then you might want to step up to 1/4 inch, and I would strongly urge you to consider coating with epoxy and glass weave. Some guys are concerned about puncture resistance for their off road builds due to frequent encounters with tree branches and or leaning into rocks and insist on going thicker, but that is for the hardcore, IMO. Good luck with your build. The best advice I can give you is to continue to plan and get a realistic estimate of both the time and budget required to build your plan. It can be simple and thrifty and only take a few months to build something campable; or it can snowball into a major project that cost double/triple your budget and takes years to complete. You pays your money you takes your choice, but regardless of what you decide, be realistic about the features you want to incorporate. If you must have every whistle, bell and appliance, it will take a long time and cost a lot to build.

[kitecop]

If i went with 1/8 outter skin how would i secure my bulkheads? I made slots for them to sit in in the walls core but was assuming i could secure them through the 1/4 outter skin prior to installing the filon. 1/8 doesnt really leave me that option.

Also, what type of fosm mattress is usually used? I need something i can cut down.

[KCStudly]

Have you started building yet? Got any pics?

It sounds like you are saying that you have already cut rabbets in your wall cores, so unless you split them into two pieces why not screw thru into the bulkhead? Unless your bulkhead is only plywood; you don't really want to screw into the edges of the plys. The screws won't hold well that way and can split the edge.

Glue or construction adhesive alone would be enough or you could use pocket screws and an inexpensive drill jig (Kregg is popular). That would put the screws thru the face of the bulkhead and toe them into the wall core at an angle. I used this technique at the base of my bulkhead to secure it to my floor. The pockets will be unnoticed along the base of the bulkhead under the galley counter.

Another basic technique would be to use 1x1 or 2x2 corner cleats. Not the best looking joinery technique but is strong and fast.

5 mm (3/16 inch) is another option. I'm using it for my inner skin on my hybrid foamie build.

Best to study up on the stickies in the build secrets forum and read thru a bunch of build journals that use similar construction to what you are planning. There are so many methods documented here, most of which will work well.

[kitecop]

yes I have already made the cut outs. My bulkheads are 1x3 pine skinned with 1/8 birch and foam filled. My reasoning for securing them from the ends was just to keep the walls from trying to bow out. Once the walls are up, the bulkheads wont need any support vertically or horizontally really. Screwing into them from the outside is just for the sake of the walls. The bulk heads will have a 1" lip to sit on on each end. Basically, the bulkhead will go through the inner skin and the core of the wall and butt up to the outer skin once both walls are installed.

[TxDave]

My wife and I are in the process of building our 4th camper. We have used both Filon and pre-painted aluminum skin. To me, the Filon is more durable and, counting shipping cost, was actually less expensive. Filon can be rolled up and shipped in a tube via regular UPS or FEDEX. The aluminum had to be shipped via freight on a pallet. Of course, if you have a local supplier that changes everything. Just one man's opinion.