Posted 2008-04-15 2:21 PM (#82005) Subject: Very small area to finish - ideas
Member
Posts: 27 Location: Midwest USA
I am getting ready to DIY weekender - no water (area is too small) - my trailer is a 2 horse slant, Featherlite with a back tack (steel trailer), basically new, 2003 model with less than 300 miles on it - dressing room has never been used at all.
I am wanting to finish it out myself - have electric, AC with heatstrip - that I will have done professionally. But the other stuff I will do myself - here is the kicker, not really a kicker but probably out of the norm - it has a 1 foot short wall so there is not a lot of area to work with on the dressing room floor. It is already braced for the AC so that is a good thing.
I hope this link works. Look for user Yippee Ki Yo. She had a 2 foot short wall but it will give you some ideas. also there is another guy that does LQ that you may be able to get some ideas from.
Posted 2008-04-15 4:44 PM (#82014 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Member
Posts: 27 Location: Midwest USA
Thank you - I read her thread and it was definitely along the same lines as what I want to do - I have also went to the other website - great, helpful things to do it yourself.
I am just trying to figure out placement on somethings with that 1 foot wall - it is too narrow for the fridge but the corner by the door is not deep enough either. . . I am kind of at a loss.
I could get an incredible amount of stuff in that trailer. I could have gotten a little fridge in there too, and used a generator hookup to run it... the generator could have run a radiant heater if I'd chosen to keep it, but I sold it to buy an actual LQ. I have a few pics of the finished product on the albums - look under cowgirl98034.
Posted 2008-04-16 7:08 AM (#82047 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Member
Posts: 31 Location: Alpine, AL
We actually started off with a 2 foot shortwall for our 1st slant load trailer. This is how it was set up.
When you walked in to the camper area there was an area to the right of the door which was big enough to put a small dorm type fridge. We actually had a cabinet there to store all of our cooking stuff. This was up against the wall on the bed side.
You can email me and I will send you pictures of our old horse trailer. Maybe that will help some. kimberly.ingram@nucor.com
You can also build a small cabinet above the fridge to allow you to step up to your bed area.
Posted 2008-04-16 10:00 AM (#82070 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Member
Posts: 27 Location: Midwest USA
Thanks - I appreciate the help!
I guess that 1 foot short wall is what has me stumped on where to put the dorm size fridge, it is too wide to be there and on each side of the door it won't work so I guess I am going to have to place it along one of the walls just trying to figure out which will be the best. . .
Also, with a dorm size fridge do I need to do a vent on the backside of it? I am planning on doing a shelving unit with a drawer in bottom, the fridge, little counter on top of that and then microwave - kind of a tower type unit. . .
Posted 2008-04-16 11:03 AM (#82075 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Elite Veteran
Posts: 648 Location: Coconut Creek, FL
Since the space is so small I wouldn't even bother with a fridge. You'll only be able to set it up for electric and it takes a good 8-12 hours to cool down enough to keep food cold. You'll have to bring your food in a cooler anyway as the fridge won't cool down until it's been plugged in. Once you unplug (& that's if the location has electric) you'll have to put any leftover food/drinks back in the cooler to keep cold - so why bother with a fridge????
I have a LQ wiht propane fridge and turn the propane on to the fridge a minium of 24 hours ahead of time in order for it to cool down enough to add food. I board, so I have to bring the food in a cooler out to the trailer. While camping I leave the drinks in the cooler as they stay colder and I put a bag of ice in the freezer. On short trips I don't always bother with turning the fridge on and just use the cooler the whole weekend.
You can never have enough storage space and counter space is also nice for preparing meals, putting stuff on, etc
Posted 2008-04-16 1:23 PM (#82086 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Veteran
Posts: 150 Location: Farmville, VA
I would have to agree with Dunoir. I'm finishing off my dressing room in a "day camper" style with a few 12 volt powered goodies and elected not to use a frig. You can always count on a good old fashion cooler, not to mention, you'll have access to ice if you need it for an emergency ice pack. I would use that much needed space for storage. The cooler can stay in the truck bed. Hide a porta potty in that same space, then move into the back when you set up camp. I have also seen some really neat grills you can attache to the outside of a camper for cooking and then take down when your finished. Good luck!
Posted 2008-04-16 1:31 PM (#82087 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Member
Posts: 27 Location: Midwest USA
Well that is true. . . I had a electric only fridge in my other trailer and really enjoyed having it at the weekend shows that is why I was considering putting one in this one.
My dad has a camp fridge that you can cool with your power point in your vehicle so I might do something with that instead, it is smaller and I could cool it on the way to a show - you fill it with ice or plug it in - kind of a cooler/fridge combo. . . that might be my best option. I can get a small microwave and place it on a shelf in a smaller area than the fridge - mainly I just want to be able to have a cool or warm place to sleep so yes storage is more of a concern than anything.
Posted 2008-04-16 6:07 PM (#82126 - in reply to #82087) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
There are coolers/friges that run on the small propane bottles that you could keep in the back of the truck. They aren't cheap though. I think that is what I am going to do if I ever get my trailer done.
Posted 2008-04-16 8:08 PM (#82136 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 474 Location: White Mills, Ky.
One option is to not install the fridge in the trailer. Put it on a small table under the awning (if you have one) or under the neck of the trailer to keep it protected from the weather.
We have some friends who bring along a small microwave and put it on a table outside. It's actualy very handy having it right there. Mine is installed and I end up using theirs half the time.
Posted 2008-04-22 3:31 PM (#82428 - in reply to #82005) Subject: RE: Very small area to finish - ideas
Member
Posts: 31 Location: Alpine, AL
I have not posted some pictures of our new living quarters that we are working on. We are in the process of putting a walk through door in. So excuse the messed up wall.
Very small area to finish - ideas
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