Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello all, I am about to lay out the walls..... I was wondering what everyone has done to seal their walls... Do I paint/epoxy before i attach them or is it ok to do after Im all done? I am building in my garage so it will never see the elements till it is all done..... Just wondering what you all think. Thankx Bill

My trailer was pretty much all put together before I applied the polyurethane, though I removed cabinet doors, drawers, vent fan, lights, etc. I started with a brush but it was a pain to use under the interior cabinets and the ceiling. I eventually used a spray gun.

Any painted parts on my trailer have all 6 sides painted. It was a PITA getting all the parts painted when I really wanted to be putting them together, but years from now I hope I will be happy with my decision.
Brwbier

I am building an all wood TD so epoxy will be a must for me. I went looking for some epoxy and found some in a boating store for almost $100. There has to be a cheaper place to find it. Let's hope epoxy is epoxy. Marine grade might be a better product. Who knows?

NightCap wrote:I am building an all wood TD so epoxy will be a must for me. I went looking for some epoxy and found some in a boating store for almost $100. There has to be a cheaper place to find it. Let's hope epoxy is epoxy. Marine grade might be a better product. Who knows?

Look here for Marine Epoxy at a cheaper price -Wayne-

http://boatbuildercentral.com/products.php?cat=41

You can get 3 gallons for $ 147.00 you most likely will use more than you think.

I cut my sides, glued the frame down then covered everything that wasn't getting glue with some floor finish I had laying around (6gals laying around only used 1 1/2) If water gets in it will need to find a new place to go.

Nightcap,
Marine epoxy is different from the poly and may be worth the extra. There seems to be some debate over that one.

Polyester resin is not water proof, epoxy is. -Wayne-

What do you need to use to seal an all woody TD?

K-1 wrote:Polyester resin is not water proof, epoxy is. -Wayne-

Yes, don't confuse the two. Polyester is a lot cheaper than epoxy but it isn't as durable.

I would seal the walls as soon as they are done to prevent warping..

Ordered 3 gal on epoxy resin 350/127 non-blushing from Raka today....excellent service!!! $159...(i.e. Steve Frederick and other thread recommendations).
Awesome!!!
We'll see how it does, eh?

Has anyone epoxied the completed exterior prior to skinning with aluminum? Can you still use adhesives to hold the aluminum in place until the trim is on? What type?

Joe

srfrcrux wrote:Ordered 3 gal on epoxy resin 350/127 non-blushing from Raka today....excellent service!!! $159...(i.e. Steve Frederick and other thread recommendations).
Awesome!!!
We'll see how it does, eh?

I've done business with them for years and have always had good luck with their products, and their advice.

Just don't mix too much at once if it's warm outside, it will kick off quicker than you think. It's best to mix small batches at a time.

Also, there is very little smell - I actually built a boat inside my dorm with the stuff in winter. No problems. *twitch* *spaz* *foot shakes*

jdjernigan wrote:Has anyone epoxied the completed exterior prior to skinning with aluminum? Can you still use adhesives to hold the aluminum in place until the trim is on? What type?

Joe

I did, I'm glad I did because I brought it out camping in that state. It rained and rained that weekend. All was fine, I only did one coat but it was fine. Still had a slightly rough feel to the surface so I think there was enough "tooth" for the glue to hold down the aluminum.

Asianflava,

What type epoxy did you use? Was is thinned? Thanks!!



Joe