Travel trailer purchase gone mad.

I wasn’t intending to start this project, but ended up purchasing a rotten trailer last June. I learned quickly that these things are built to fail and are generally unrepairable. But, I fixed ‘er up good. What do you think of the cedar siding? Still planning some kind of white stripe or mountain graphics along bottom of the sides. Towed her 300 miles last weekend and interior is useable now but not finished.

 

Looking pretty good - I rebuilt my hunting trailer - lots of work yet the results is superior to anything offered. As you know - water leaks really kill these things fast.

What will you use it for? Luck and enjoy.

 

Yeah, if you can, much better to just build your own from the get go vs. buying these piles for tens of thousands. IME, cedar pickets are great siding material, just a litlle short so one needs to be creative. Sheet material gives it structural strength, so I hope it has some sort of diagonal wall bracing.

 

Travel trailers are built with the cheapest shit they can find, because that also makes them light. Thin walls and flimsy wood panels achieve both goals. Adding what seems like “quality” or “sturdy” materials ends up adding a lot of weight. Thin and light and durable is expensive. Yours looks like it turned out pretty good!

 

@Johnsonman thanks, going to use it for camping.

 

@2mchfun I used 8’, 3/8 cedar t&g. Honestly, I was worried after driving down the road the first time it would all crack. But, after a short shakedown trip around the city and then 300 miles it shows no signs of having flexed. I did glue it on as well as staple. Before buying this one I thought about building one but decided I didn’t want another project.

 

@KNABORES you are not kidding. I knew they weren’t great before I had bought this. But, I wasn’t prepared for how bad they are built. I really couldn’t believe how the underbelly was stapled 6” up the inside to trap water like a bathtub! When I decided to tear it apart and salvage as much as possible, I learned they are also built from the inside out, making it very difficult and time consuming to destruct. New PVC roof has kept it very dry. The old aluminum siding was corroded where they stapled it on so that was hardly attached.

 

You would be wise to look at some Simpson Strong Tie diagonal wall bracing material to apply to the inside walls before you sheet them. You can cut it into shortened lengths to brace under windows, short spacings, etc. This will help keep it from wanting to fold over from the wind loads. Good luck!