the countdown continues for my new trailer to arrive (squee!) and of course I'm helping make the time pass by daydreaming all the fun and neat things I can attatch to make my life even better.

the trailer is a TrailsWest Sierra (triple wall construction, steel, insulated, blah blah blah) with the insulated and panelled dressing room, and the side tack. (did I mention SQUEE!!!!??)

1. for the interior of the dressing room, I'd like to hang curtains or blinds, etc. Now, in my house I'd just drill holes with great elan and be done, but in my insulated and paneled trailer, do I need to worry about messing up my moisture barriers? (we're talking lightweight stuff here, so no need to find studs, etc)

I am also eventually going to be hanging cabinets, and know I need to find the supports for those. again, do I need to do anything special to keep my cozy dressing room from leaking, etc? I have a really talented cabinet maker in the family but his experience is all on fancy arts and crafts era homes, not so much horse trailers ;)

2. for the horse compartment, I'd like to hang one of those rubbery water bucket hooks, up high, in the butt end of the first stall to hang a shower bag. again, will likely need to find the stud for that kind of weight, but do I need to do anything else to keep it from being a potential point of rust?

3. for the outside of the trailer, I'd like to install one of those hi-tie (or the equivalent) systems, brackets for buckets, etc. again, can I just drill and mount, or do I need to do anything so that it doesnt turn into a potential rust site?

for the record, I am well aware of what makes rust happen (water, air, naked metal). by installing things, I'm breaking the seal on a layer of paint, and introducing opportunities for those three things to meet.

do you guys treat the holes with new paint? install a rubber gasket? just not worry about it?  I see  otherwise new looking steel trailers all the time going down the road with bright red rust streaks going down the sides, usually starting where they installed a tie ring or something else. I would really like to avoid that...and am a firm believer in doing things right the first time :)

thanks!

[1. I'd just drill holes with great elan and be done, but in my insulated and paneled trailer, do I need to worry about messing up my moisture barriers?

The holes you drill will be filled with screws, so the barrier will remain intact 

I need to find the supports for those. again, do I need to do anything special to keep my cozy dressing room from leaking,

Unless you utliise my previous idea about using an air gun to drive the fasteners through the trailer wall, you should not incur any leakage .

  I'd like to hang one of those rubbery water bucket hooks, up high,  for the outside of the trailer, I'd like to install one of those hi-tie (or the equivalent) systems, brackets for buckets, etc. again, can I just drill and mount, or do I need to do anything so that it doesnt turn into a potential rust site?

I see  otherwise new looking steel trailers all the time going down the road with bright red rust streaks going down the sides, usually starting where they installed a tie ring or something else. I would really like to avoid that...and am a firm believer in doing things right the first time :)

Anytime the painted surface is broken, a potential source of rust occures. In marine construction, whenever any fitting is attached to the hull, it is "bedded". This is a compund installed under the attach fitting before it is screwed together. This eliminates any moisture being trapped between the two surfaces, and reduces any resulting oxidation.

You can easily duplicate these efforts and reduce or eliminate any rust issues. After the hole is located and drilled, apply a coating of polyurethane caulking to the hardware's surface. Attach the hardware using stainless screws. Wipe the squeeze out of the caulking around the edges of the brackets. Make sure the quality of the applied hardware is such that it is, in its self, rust free.

as much as I appreciated teh earlier air gun info, this is exactly what I was hoping to learn.

thank you :)