7x7x16 V Nose Cargo Trailer Conversion, First Build

[jr9744]

Lesson Learned. If your fortunate enough to have a trailer built for you, make sure you request they use screws for the walls so you can remove them. I read this around the forum but sorta ignored it. I'm paying for it now. Removing panels with screw/nails is very slow and painful.

@aggie79 I did use a impact driver yesterday. If the head holds up, it just spins and spins and does nothing. It does loosen it up some. But i've noticed that the screws will rarely hold up, probably 1 in 10.

@flboy So Luan will stay on ceiling.

@flboy I keep on going back and forth on how to insulate. I was planning on doing everything airtight and leaving no gaps. I did read your journal several times and read how you left the back gap and bottom open. I guess I wonder why you would choose this method over just tightly sealing it all? I'm having a hard time picturing how you left the bottom gap open. Wouldn't air just come in here?

So my progress today was not much. These panels are really taking up tons of my time.

Plywood off V-nose


Plywood off V-nose and side


Gap in V nose


@flboy Based off the above picture, are you talking about leaving the gap open nearest the aliminum?

At this pase, I give myself 3 more days to get all of the plywood walls off. Probably 1 day to take off the floor. Then I plan on beefing up the current electrical for the trailer and using rustoleum where needed. I will probably paint the A frame. Then i'll start the insulation.

[flboy]

@flboy I keep on going back and forth on how to insulate. I was planning on doing everything airtight and leaving no gaps. I did read your journal several times and read how you left the back gap and bottom open. I guess I wonder why you would choose this method over just tightly sealing it all? I'm having a hard time picturing how you left the bottom gap open. Wouldn't air just come in here?


@flboy Based off the above picture, are you talking about leaving the gap open nearest the aluminum?

The insulation is all taped off on the inside of the trailer (see my pics below). No air exchange with what is behind the insulation from the inside of the trailer. I just did not seal off the aluminum skin to the frame (circled in red) which would be on the backside or behind the insulation. My thought is that would let the interior of the wall (between the trailer skin and backside of insulation) breathe some to the outside and dry out from condensation or etc.. I also did not glue the insulation to the aluminum so there would be a minimal or light contact where heat would not be directly coupled. Does that make sense?

I have seen others seal that spot along the bottom with caulk, but I don't know what that does for them... I thought it would be better to have some air exchange between the aluminum skin and the backside of the insulation, albeit it very little, and a place for water to escape.

Another thought I had is if the roof leaked at the side seal, it would run between the skin and insulation and out the bottom instead of into the trailer. No water would get inside or to my paneling. The downside is that I could have a leak and not know it until I service/inspect the roof seal.


I don't know if there is a better way, but I can tell you that a 6000 BTU window AC cools this trailer (18'x7' with 7.5' ceiling and 2 ' Vnose) fine in direct Florida summer sun and I still have to put the Henry roof coating on and have not insulated under the floor yet (maybe someday). It also kept plenty warm in 22 deg F. weather with just a 750W space heater (1500W ceramic heater set on medium) that was off more than it was on.

Wall Gap.JPG (54.68 KiB) Viewed 3198 times

This is how I taped off my insulation. Completely sealed from inside with aluminum tape.






Front is all taped up.I did the sides shown above after this.

[jr9744]

@flboy I will be doing my insulation the same as yours. It makes sense to leave the back part open so the skin and part not insulated can breathe.

So I made some progress tonight. I manged to get off all the left side of the trailer. My neighbor suggested I insulate one side first and then put the plywood back before doing the other side. The reasoning is so that the frame doesn't bend or twist. I thought it made sense, so i'm going to insulate the left side tomorrow with 1 inch Rmatte.

Left side and V nose panels off:


Picture from the back of trailer:


I figured I would put Rustoleum on all the crossmembers.

[flboy]

Sounds like a good idea your friend had to do one side at a time. The plywood in this case is very important to the structure. I painted all my studs also with Rustoleum. They didn't put much of anything on them to protect from rust. Why not while it is open.

Good luck with your insulation job.

[jr9744]

Made more progress today. I insulated the left side, vnose, and taped up all the seams. The work wasn't terribly hard, but time consuming. The heat also was rough. I couldn't work all throughout the day as I had planned. Took about 4 hours break in the afternoon.

I also got my trailer registered in the state of Maryland. Only $500. But at least now i'm legal.

My goal with this build is to have it done by this month. I don't know how close I will get to that, but this is what i'm shooting for.

V nose Insulated


Side Wall


Full view of everything insulated


Tomorrow I plan on putting the plywood back on the left side and nose. Then I will take the plywood off the right side and start insulating. If i'm lucky, i'll have the right side insulated and taped off tomorrow.

[McDave]

Hey jr,
How do you eat an elephant? ... ...


One bite at a time. ... ...

McDave

[jr9744]

@McDave I know. I'm hoping I can have a toilet, shower, electricity and the solar done by this month. My grandmother just got placed in hospice and has two months according to the doctors. I'd like to get this in 'livable' condition and get down there.

So I bought some self-tapping screws and put the osb back on the insulated side.

OSB back on the insulated side


OSB Board back on


After this, I started taking the plywood off the right uninstalled side.


Right side off


Then I threw some rustoleum on the studs


Another view of the Rustoluem


I picked up some Henry 287 for the roof.


I also picked up some framing lumber for when I insulate the floor and roof


I'm taking a break now, but hope to finish cutting the insulation and taping the right side before the day ends. Then I plan on painting the floor to protect it. Not sure what to use yet, so will take any ideas on this. Then I plan to insulate the floor. Then insulate the roof.

[flboy]

Nice work. Sorry to hear about your grandmother. That is hard to watch. Good for you getting to visit with her. Best wishes.

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[featherliteCT1]

Looking VERY good! Keep going!

[jr9744]

Thanks for the encouragement all. This is a lot of work!!

I finished insulating the right side and put the wood boards back up.

Screws I used to to put the wood back up. These worked very good.


Right Side Insulated


Boards back up on the right side


Started taping off some areas. Front Nose. I plan on putting the PD045, inverter, batteries...in that right corner in a cabinet.


Full view with kitchen and right side taped up.


I bought all my electrical wire for the 120V and DC. Tommorrow I will start running the wire and cutting the wholes for the outlets. After I wire the outlets I will put the first layer of insulation on the roof and then run those wires. Then finish the roof insulation.

I took off the boards on the floor/frame, and decided not to paint the frame because they looked pretty good. It appears like the company didn't go cheap on the protection, so i'll leave this as is.

For insulation on the floor, I decided to just put the foam insulation under the plywood on the floor in the frame. I've seen several people do this, and it seems simpler and easy to do. I'll probably coat the bottom of the insulation with some protectant and glue/screw them in place.

I did decide to get a sump pump to move the shower water and sink water to the gray tank since I will have a hard time with the gravity feed since the tanks will be inside. The shower and toilet will be on a platform, but I don't want to worry about angles and getting the water to the gray tank.

[Padilen]

Those are good screws, I've used them for screwing deck to utility trailer frame.
Just FYI most campgrounds electricity posts are on left and rear of site.
I've insulated underneath and nothing needs to be screwed or glued. If you cut them so they fit snug. I did mine spaced out from floor. I used scraps those I did glue only to keep in place. Then I caulked around all seams. I painted it with UGL dry lock, tinted dark grey. 1- because insects seem to love insulation. Not sure if they'd get in it up off the ground but I don't want bugs. 2- looks nice.


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[jr9744]

Those are good screws, I've used them for screwing deck to utility trailer frame.
Just FYI most campgrounds electricity posts are on left and rear of site.
I've insulated underneath and nothing needs to be screwed or glued. If you cut them so they fit snug. I did mine spaced out from floor. I used scraps those I did glue only to keep in place. Then I caulked around all seams. I painted it with UGL dry lock, tinted dark grey. 1- because insects seem to love insulation. Not sure if they'd get in it up off the ground but I don't want bugs. 2- looks nice.


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Good to know where they place the electricity posts. I'll probably put my inlet in the middle left side of the trailer and run it back to the power center.

Thanks for the tip, i'm going to see if I can find that UGL dry lock at HD. Any issues with insulating underneath? Or is it pretty much holding up for you and doing it's job?

[Padilen]

No issues, and I tow over dirt roads, my CTC is higher because of axle flip.


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[jr9744]

So I spent the last few weeks in Florida with family since my Grandmother has passed.

But, now I'm back in MD and trying to get back in my regular routine. Which means continuing my trailer build.

While in Florida, my Brothers/Nephews/ and Nieces did help build the tiny house. We painted the roof. Painted the bottom of the floor, and insulated the roof.

I plan to start working on it a little everyday and try to get it complete!

Some pics of the work we did in Florida:

Roof prepped with vinegar and water


Two coats of Lanco Ultra Siliconizer Acrylic/Silicone Elestometric Roof coating we bought from Home Depot. I had Henry, but used these instead.


Coating used to cover the bottom floor facing the ground.


Bottom of floor with two coats of Deck Over


Front roof Insulation


Back roof Insulation


My plan for this week is to finish insulating the very back of the trailer where the spring mechanism for the door is. I actually took this off tonight along with the wires that help pull up the ramp door. Let me tell you, this door is way heavier than I expected.

After I touch up the back with insulation, I plan to sand the floor, and then use some Behr waterproofing stain that I had originally bought for the underside.

Once the floor is ready, I will start making some preliminary framing and start running all my wires.

[McDave]

Boy, that roof looks dynamite! She's coming along. Just keep chippin' away at it.

McDave