Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm having a difficult, no impossible, time finding 4x10 3/4 birch plywood locally. 4/10 fir is available but does not look like it would make for an attractive interior. The exterior I plan to skin with aluminum. Anyone have any suggestions before I rethink my plans and drop back to 8'? I can order it but they are talking $160 a sheet, or is that the going price?

I got mine at a 'Door & Sash' store. Had to special order it and the cost was about $120 a sheet, cabinet grade. So check with custom wood working stores.



Hope that helped, have a good day.

the seam will be covered due to the kitchen area, you will never see it and the outside will be covered with aluminum sot the seam will be hidden there too. use a scarf joint to join the plywood and no need for a brace there.

An easier way is to use a slot cutter in a router. Cut a slot in each piece of wood and use a spine in the slots. Harbor Fright has ¼” slot cutters. If the joint show inside you can hide it with a contrasting veneer wood over the joint.

Chuck

Yea, what they say...

Since it's all covered in aluminum, just make a good joint and don't worry about it.

Mike...

Good suggestions guys. I think I'm going to use 1/4 birch and 1/2 ext plywood and glue them together offset 2' on each end. I'll have a 2' joint on the inside that will be hidden by galley cabinets. The seam in the front, on the outside, will be covered by aluminum like you said. I imagine liquid nail weighted down with 50# salt bags should do the trick unless you have a better glue recomendation.

because of its thicker nature, liquid nail doesn't have a uniform "squish" nature...I would use Titebond III of Gorilla Glue....
madjack

Like Madjack said, Titebond III or Gorilla Glue....
Gorilla glue you have to dampen one piece of wood with water but you only have to spread the glue to the other side of the glue up!

Chuck

Yep... Titebond III is the way to go. Gorilla glue is more spendy and may dry too fast for such a big glue-up? IMHO...

Edit; of course, ya could use epoxy, as in West System, Mas, & others... Plenty of working time if you don't put too much hardner in it. Dang strong & waterproof too.

You're not going to insulate?

I only ask because if you go with a thinner wall and frame it, I'm sure you can find the material you want for your interior walls, and get matching stuff for the ceiling too.

Ira wrote:You're not going to insulate?

I only ask because if you go with a thinner wall and frame it, I'm sure you can find the material you want for your interior walls, and get matching stuff for the ceiling too.

I wasn't planning on insulating the walls for several reasons. Simpler construction. I think, but could be wrong, that the solid plywood walls would be stronger to support the overhang, 10' TD on 8' trailer frame. Don't think I need the insulation because I sleep hot and am used to camping outdoors with only a sleeping bag. Framed walls do offer the advantage of having more places to run wire and more options for skinning inside.

So why don't you just get a thinner ply material for the solid wall, and laminate the interior wood that you want to use for your cabin?

Structurally, you can equal the 3/4 this way.

Solid wall requires a little more planning with the wires, since you have to run through your roof spars and under-floor, but a ton of guys have done it here.

Ira wrote:So why don't you just get a thinner ply material for the solid wall, and laminate the interior wood that you want to use for your cabin?

Structurally, you can equal the 3/4 this way.

Solid wall requires a little more planning with the wires, since you have to run through your roof spars and under-floor, but a ton of guys have done it here.

That's what I plan to do. See my earlier post.

Tripmaker wrote:

Ira wrote:So why don't you just get a thinner ply material for the solid wall, and laminate the interior wood that you want to use for your cabin?

Structurally, you can equal the 3/4 this way.

Solid wall requires a little more planning with the wires, since you have to run through your roof spars and under-floor, but a ton of guys have done it here.

That's what I plan to do. See my earlier post.

Ooops. It's a bitch getting old.