Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I live in Columbus Ohio and we have all the usual suspects for materials.

I can't find 1/8" luan in stock anywhere ! There is some 5mm, but it doesn't bend nearly as well as 1/8" luan.
Has anyone else run into this?

ukewarrior wrote:I live in Columbus Ohio and we have all the usual suspects for materials.

I can't find 1/8" luan in stock anywhere ! There is some 5mm, but it doesn't bend nearly as well as 1/8" luan.
Has anyone else run into this?

I found the opposite to be true for me. The 5mm luan bent easier than the 1/8" luan. Maybe it depends on the quality.
Yes, 1/8" luan is available but hard to find. I doubt you'll find it at the big box stores at all.
I got lucky at a wood shop that mostly supplies cabinet wood. They said that they don't usually carry it but had special ordered some 1/8" luan for a regular customer and had some left over. It was definitely better quality than the stuff at the big box stores. Call around to the lumber and cabinet shops and maybe (if you're lucky) you'll find some.

While I have not bought anything from him yet, a local cabinet shop owner also says he can order better quality plywood then either the big box stores or local lumber places sell you. I have not tried to order from him yet? I guess I should have given what I have used already. Oh, and he says he can maybe beat the prices also.

Okay, so after My rant, I kept looking.

No 1/8" at Lowes or Home Depot.
Menards has it as special order but you have to pay a $20 'packing charge' unless you order a whole pallet.

I looked up lumber yards and found a Sutherlands, that is still open here in Columbus.
They had 200 sheets in stock for $13/sheet.
I went over and got some sheets.
It's beautiful and perfect for inside skinning.

Problem solved !

ukewarrior wrote:Okay, so after My rant, I kept looking.

No 1/8" at Lowes or Home Depot.
Menards has it as special order but you have to pay a $20 'packing charge' unless you order a whole pallet.

I looked up lumber yards and found a Sutherlands, that is still open here in Columbus.
They had 200 sheets in stock for $13/sheet.
I went over and got some sheets.
It's beautiful and perfect for inside skinning.

Problem solved !

In case others are not so lucky to find it locally... I bought my 1/8" lauan from Menards. I bought 17 pieces, so, the $20 added just a little more than a buck per sheet to the order. It took only three days to deliver to my nearest Menards store (Escanaba, MI, I'm about 200 miles NE of Eau Clare) and the best part... I ordered a sheet of 5x8 1/2 CDX for my floor at the same time. The dunnage they included with those 17 sheets was four fairly decent sheets of 4x9 T-111 type primed siding which came in extremely handy when gluing up the wall skins as extra weight and a flat surface to glue on. After I am done with those sheets I can stash them somewhere for build #2 or sell them as seconds for someones ice shack or deer blind and get my $20 shipping back.

We need pics of your find!!!

Mike...

Don't know about luan but I used 1/8" birch plywood.Bends nice and you can get it in different orientations. bend like a barrel or bend like a column. I just happened upon a sale and got 10 5x5 sheets for $15/ sheet. not dirt cheap but good stuff.

boulterplywwod.com

Here in N. ILLinois 'Nards' has 4x8-1/8" Luan (2014) $18.00.
BUT!!! I'll never buy it again, has rather huge and many poorly filled voids.
The glue used seems barely adequate. Large sections became interior separated after a 2.5 week trip.
Before buying I asked what glue was used, interior or exterior and I was told exterior. IT'SNOT, it's interior glue, if you can call it glue.
For all I know that glue might have been chinese Bug'Snot.

Hi uke,


Tom here in Columbus, Ohio. I was very worried about my thin ply roof delaminating. I tested the thin cheap underlayment from Lowes and it held up all winter without paint in the rain and snow. The interior looks good, like a 40's speed boat or luxury plane. I used ratcheting tie downs to pre bend the roof curve. By letting the roof ply tortured in a curve over night it took a set and was much easier to place. You are welcome to stop by and see my build and talk over ideas. Warning, I'm not a craftsman but my trailer works.

Tom, west by 270 and Roberts Rd.

That's good to hear Tom, the Lowes stuff is what I was thinking of using, on the Canada site it says it's waterproof glue and is recommended for basements, that's what made me figure it must have good moisture and also rot resistance.

I had checked Lowes this spring and found they carry some fair quality 5mm luan. Will have to test out a 2x4 sheet in the weather to see if it hods up.

UPDATE to my post on Oct 20, 2015 8:31 pm
After this winters trailer storage I found more voids had popped. Some yellowish orange filler stuff was used and apparently soaked up moisture, froze and popped the skin. This filler crumbled almost by breathing on it. I was going to toss that trailer box last year but was curious to it's longevity quality... NONE!

By the way, what's the "ding resistance" of 1/8 luaun like? Just painted or laquered. I am worrying that I'll knock a divot in it with an elbow in my sleep, or a forgotten object bouncing around on tow will ding it or something.

I guess it's used enough on door skins to deal with some wear and tear, though I've seen dented doors, just don't have recent conception of if it takes a light bang or a deliberate hard punch or kick to do it.

Door skins and 1/8" Lauan are different enough to be different.
DS are thinner but use a fairly close corrugated cardboard interior. Being flexible also helps deflect direct blows to holes.
1/8" Lauan is thicker and will hold up to elbows and most night time knees. Unless the two of you are rather spirited.

Depends what you're looking for integral strength or lightweight.
Personally I'd do the 1/8". Hail, tree branches, etc. can be easier patched by surface grafting. Tho a full panel repaint is needed.

Maybe look for a discarded door and buy a 2'x2' Lauan and do some 'Punch & Judy' testing.

.

If you have more than one Home Depot you might check the others. We have 4 in our area but only one carries it in stock. About $13.00 a sheet.