Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Okay, so I'm not sure if this will work yet but the HD near me doesn't seem to carry 1/8 luan ply...will the 1/4 bend as well?

Will it have to much spring back on the Hatch?
Anything you can tell me? Please?
thanks...

HD won't carry it. They may get it for you though. Have to ask if they carry anything in 1/8. Hint---Ask the regular lumber yards or cabinet shops. Depending on your bend the 1/4 will work but IMHO isn't worth the trouble for the interior. All of my ply except the side walls is running side to side so It bends. The 1/8 Birch bends much better than the veneer I tried first and 1/8 Baltic Birch had the best bend but had patches.

Hope it helps.

Another suggestion would be to look for 1/8 birch ply in 4x8...not necessarily baltic...I've got a small HD near me and they carry it...not all stores may carry the luan...and on the interior, unless you want the luan look, the birch may be a better way to go...and the 1/8" will bend a lot better in both directions than the 1/4"...think of it...you're trying to bend twice the thickness. The 1/8" birch veneered ply also finishes up alot nicer over the luan, tighter and more attractive grain for a finish...just depends on the interior look/finish you want...Doug

Lauan is a decent construcction material. I spent some time looking for some finish to make it look workable and gave up and painted it. I kept the cabinet work stained wood, but painted the rest of the interior.

If you want the plywood to show, interior or exterior, get something that looks good from the get go. It's a lot easier than putting on all of that photo shop stuff.

dave

I checked all the big box stores near me, no one had 1/8 ply. Luckily, the guy at 84 lumber suggested a store in town. They had all the wood that I was looking for.

If they don't have what you are looking for, ask them who would.

srfrcrux wrote:Okay, so I'm not sure if this will work yet but the HD near me doesn't seem to carry 1/8 luan ply...will the 1/4 bend as well?

Will it have to much spring back on the Hatch?
Anything you can tell me? Please?
thanks...

I used what I could easily get locally, ended up with 1/4" red oak on the inside of the TD. It took to the radii just OK. 1/8" would have been better. On my hatch, I used door skins on the inside, I think they were 3mm thick, and came in 36" widths. I covered the inside of the hatch last and wished I'd had 1/8" for all tortured plywood parts on the whole project. Guess there's always next time.

same here. h/d did not carry it, so I called around and found a place not too far away that did.. looked under Lumber in the yellow pages.

I used 1/8" It takes to the curves well, and most any "real yard" will have it, or can get it easily! For underlayment, ask for door skins, a luan ply, 1/8" thick. For finished surfaces, I agree with Doug, use birch. It takes a finish nicely, and will lighten up the interior..if you like that look, of course!


On soapbox!!.
I think that if we, as builders/hobbiests, don't support the smaller yards, we'll see them go away into history, along with the drive-in, local butcher, pharmacy, etc. (Insert Happy Days Theme Here!) I find that the locally owned yard will be really responsive, and usually competitive. At least my guy is!
Besides, most will agree that the box store's quality has declined, and selection is poor. They just sell you what is best for them, not the best product.

End Speech!!

Steve Frederick wrote:
On soapbox!!.
I think that if we, as builders/hobbiests, don't support the smaller yards, we'll see them go away into history, along with the drive-in, local butcher, pharmacy, etc. (Insert Happy Days Theme Here!) I find that the locally owned yard will be really responsive, and usually competitive. At least my guy is!
Besides, most will agree that the box store's quality has declined, and selection is poor. They just sell you what is best for them, not the best product.

End Speech!!

...I gotta agree totally with Steve on this...I have a couple of "real" lumber yards in my area that will get you anything available...if it is out there, they will get it for ya...their prices are a tad(just a tad) higher but the quality of product and service is head and shoulders plus above what the box stores will doyafor...I now return you to the previously scheduled thread...
madjack

Steve, I agree about small yards being competitive. I think I paid about $12/sheet of 4x8x1/8 for mahogany ply... and it was pretty good stuff... I did paint it for maintenance reasons, but it looked pretty good with some cpes on it.. next one I might leave the inside kind of natural, but will still coat the outside white, to match my van.

I'll check around...for sure.
I agree that the little guy is the best guy most of the time at least

but will the 1/4 lauan or luan bend the benroy radius (if anyone knows)...
already have some on hand....

srf...can it be done...easily...no...but it can be done with judicious steaming or putting it between some towels and soaking with boiling water...a couple of times...or kerfing...that is a tough bend to make with 1/4".........
madjack

We used 1/8" prefinished (white) Masonite for our interior ceiling on the Big Bugout... worked easily , relatively inexpensive, pre-finished (time), easy to clean and actually "old school "TD material ...screws and finish washers hold it in place ,making it removeable for further access...

I built my house and Studio from a small local lumberyard .... they provided the best materials ... and service , and it was actually cheaper than buying the C**p that the HD,L or other big -box stores sell...

I lucked out. One HD near me had two piles of 1/8 5x5. One pile had a nice finish on both sides but was a special order and I couldn't buy any. The other had one side finished and most of the sheets were damaged on one corner or edge. Fortunately cutting it down to 58.5" cut off the bad spots. I was able to buy it for $7 a sheet which I thought was pretty good. HD can order it for you. I installed the first piece yesterday and it bent around the 19" radius quite well.

I plan to skin the outside with AL. Is 1/8 enough under the AL or do I need to double it up and have 1/4 on the outer shell?

well, I have been calling around...w/o any luck so far...is there any Louisiana TDers out there that knows of a place that I can get 1/8" 4X8 birch or lauan ply that I will be going through on the way to LCG from Baton Rouge....? Just curious, keeping the options open, I'll be calling around all this week as well surely there is something here...