Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

it's spring and I am dreaming of building big big big trailers and campers!

I built my truck camper with 2" foamular 150 from Home Depot. Foamular 250 is aboit 20% more expensive but has much higher compressive strength and I imagine it is much stiffer. Has anyone built with it or experimented with it?

I am in CA so it's not readily available for me to go to HD and pick up a sheet to experiment with

I used it for my floor. I liked it.


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It is possible that a roofing supply place carries it, or an insulation supplier/installer. Maybe then you could see what it is like and possibly get a better price.

I found my 2" regular XPS foam at an insulation supplier for $30 a sheet vs 40-something at HD.

My guess is the thick stronger stuff still needs some interior structure like cabinets, benches, etc.. to help the foam shell stay together.

You are building more than one trailer?

seanc wrote:Foamular 250 is aboit 20% more expensive but has much higher compressive strength and I imagine it is much stiffer.

Spec: http://www.foamular.com/assets/0/144/17 ... 5bea18.pdf

The flexural modulus isn't shown but I doubt the proportion is any more than the flexural strength. Not much difference. Stiffness of the panel is going to depend more on the thickness and the skins. I'd always go for the 250 though for the compressive strength.

I used the 250 on my sip walls. It was all they had at HAD. I liked it. Very good compressive strength. Walking straight on it in shoes would leave very minor tree indentation. But putting a 1/8th ply sheet over it mentioned there was no apparent compression. SE my profile for the 1in thick 250 with skins of 1/8th ply. Very strong!

I used 2" thick 250 formular for all exterior surfaces (walls, doors, roof, hatch). More dense than 150, The 2" thickness leaves better "backing" after routing or burning in hard points, especially if you're doing opposing sides. Very happy with it. About $29 a sheet on sale at Menard's. I think the normal price there is about $34. (although they're confined mostly to the upper midwest). Doing this by memory, so I could be a buck or so off either way. .........JD

Foam comes in many different densities ... usually expressed in pounds/ cu. ft. Naturally the more dense Foam is Stronger... The box stores don’t stock all the “weights” ...Check with the manufacturers website ... They usually list their distributors ...who can be contacted to find out who retails it ... While not as easy as going to the box store , you can find many different types/weights of foam for different applications ... by just a little searchng around ...

And we still haven’t discussed EPP , which is “Unbreakable “ ...

GPW wrote:While not as easy as going to the box store , you can find many different types/weights of foam for different applications ... by just a little searchng around ...

At least where I live, it is very expensive as well as not easy. I only found one place in the US willing to ship, and the shipping was more than the cost of the foam. Local places will order it, but you must buy a full order (about 50 sheets).

Ruff , it’s only expensive one time ... and we’ve known people who drove a good distance to get some ... But I think if you keep searching , I’m sure you can find some close er to you ... Try concrete contractors .... that’s where we got the EPS for the FoamStream ... ( cheap) It’s out there waiting for you , you just have to find it ...

We find it curious the box stores don’t carry it everywhere ?.... It seems the box stores only provide foam for the colder states , but warmer states need it too ( insulation) ... I think we should write to the head offices of these corporations that run these stores and tell them of our need for foam Everywhere...

Thanks for all the replies!

I just finished a little experiment using 1.5" EPS.
I used GG to hastily glue together a "beam" using 1/8" ply skins, 1/4" ply stringers and 1.5" EPS filler.



After I glued it up I trimmed the ends flush. The beam is about 11" x 2" x 24"



then I STOMPED on it. I got a friend to stomp on it with me. It took our combined 400 pounds seesawing/bouncing on the 2x3 to get it to crack.



I am interested in building SIPs, but with a torsion box frame, similar to these singcore panels http://singcore.com/product/sing-panels.

Good Test !!!!!

Sean -150 or 250 in test?

Quetico Bill - The test used 1.5" EPS foam. That's the cheaper, crumbly white stuff with foil on one side. I dont have 150 or 250 available at the big box stores in California.

The glue job on the beam was very sloppy. I think if I had done a better job spreading the GG and clamping it properly it would have been stronger.

Ultimately I would like to build a 4' x 8' vacuum press from the plans available here http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/welcome.htm and glue up entire panels.

This is getting far from the tried and true method of slapping some titebond/canvas on the foam, but I am dying to see a SuperXL tiny house foamie. Something like this 16' tiny house http://rockymountaintinyhouses.com/plans/boulder/ but build like a foamie to be a featherweight. What do you think? could you build something that size (maybe without the loft) on a 16' single axle trailer? Do you think you could come in under 3,000 lb?

I think so if the plan is though out well. Put bulkheads in strategic places. Cabinets, shelves, counters can all be structural if planned out right. I think you could even do the loft. I would build a small TD first so you can get a feel for how it works.

I have thought about EPS as well. It is what sips used to build houses are made with I believe.

But why the ribs? It should be plenty strong without them though your size may dictate more flat on the roof. I've worked hard to not have even large radius curves - all under 14' or so.

I've been looking at vacuum bagging as well.