Idea for critique: Insulation in the trailer frame, sealing

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Idea for critique: Insulation in the trailer frame, sealing

Postby kevindford » Mon Nov 20, 2017 10:33 pm

Hey all-

First posting, have been lurking and enjoying everyone's hard work and advice.

I'm towing with a '09 Ford Escape Hybrid, which is rated to tow 1000 lbs, so I'm thinking about weight as I design.

Here's my idea:
Using a Harbor Freight 4x8 folder, thinking about bolting the floor, a sheet of 5/16 plywood, directly to the trailer frame, installing insulation within the C-beams of the trailer frame, then using corrugated plastic to seal the bottom of the frame.

Seems I can save the weight of the flooring frame and one sheet of plywood.

Thoughts? Anyone done this? Thanks for reading.
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Re: Idea for critique: Insulation in the trailer frame, seal

Postby Pmullen503 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:34 am

I'd worry about water getting trapped somewhere and rusting the trailer frame.
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Re: Idea for critique: Insulation in the trailer frame, seal

Postby Rainier70 » Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:54 am

Here are a couple of threads on this that might help you: viewtopic.php?p=1154695#p1154695 and viewtopic.php?f=42&t=67940
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Re: Idea for critique: Insulation in the trailer frame, seal

Postby tony.latham » Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:15 am

If you lose warmth through your floor, you don't have a thick enough mattress. You're building a bed on wheels, not a standy.

We've got 5" of foam and 2" memory topper and it's probably overkill but our mattress is as comfortable as our bed. 8)

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Re: Idea for critique: Insulation in the trailer frame, seal

Postby working on it » Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:41 am

kevindford wrote:... bolting the floor, a sheet of 5/16 plywood, directly to the trailer frame, installing insulation within the C-beams of the trailer frame, then using corrugated plastic to seal the bottom of the frame....
  • I wouldn't use the corrugated plastic on the bottom, because water will eventually find a way into the open spaces, and rot the underside of your plywood. I think a better way to have a waterproof material bonded under the plywood would be to use FRP (fiberglass reinforced panel) there, bonded with either Loctite PL Premium adhesive (505 is recommended, but most versions should work), or the Liquid Nails product made specifically for FRP ($24 a gallon, if you can find it). Once the FRP is bonded to the plywood (with the edges, in particular, being glued with a continuous bead), then there'll be no place for the water to enter from underneath, after you seal the bolts thru the floor to the frame.
  • I would've done mine this way, if I hadn't used spray-can undercoating, which I can easily maintain and touch-up, if needed. I would also use the same adhesive to seal the edge grain of the plywood sheet. I did, then painted over it, as my floor sits exposed on top of the frame. No problems, yet!
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Re: Idea for critique: Insulation in the trailer frame, seal

Postby kevindford » Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:31 pm

Ok, thanks for feedback all. Going to go with no underfloor insulation and treat underside of floor.
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