Posted 2012-05-16 3:11 PM (#143987) Subject: NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
New User
Posts: 4
Ok, I have been on this site for awhile now and my eyes are going crossed. I am hoping to purchase a 2005 Trail-Et gooseneck with a 4' dressing room and the walls inside the dressing room are this smooth white material and the ceiling is fiberglass. Every post I read and link I viewed showed trailers that clearly had a "frame" whether aluminum strips whatever and people put insulation inbetween then somehow screwed wood strips to those trailer supports and added walls, cabinets, etc. But how do I do this with a smooth wall? I am trying to attach a photo but not sure how to do it. I want my walls and ceiling to be covered with nice wood paneling and would like to add a nice padded storage step up to the bed area, maybe a cabinet and eventually add an air conditioner. All I have ever owned was RV camper trailers and we just plugged them up to an outlet power source at camp ground. Having a horse trailer that I could camp in without power at the location is also confusing. Would I need a generator? Sorry but yes, I am truly clueless and need some major help and advice. Eyes need to uncross! Thanks everyone! Happy Trails.
Posted 2012-05-16 9:03 PM (#143995 - in reply to #143987) Subject: RE: NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 379 Location: Missouri
I think you'll have to strip the walls back to the outer skin and build up from scratch. Behind the white board it should look like your ceiling is now. As for camping with the need of a generator, that depends on what you need for power. If you're wanting air conditioning then yes you'll have to have a generator. If all you need is lighting and cooking, then 12v batteries and propane is all you'll need.
Posted 2012-05-16 10:41 PM (#143996 - in reply to #143987) Subject: RE: NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
If the interior wall skin is metal or fiberglass, you can attach furring strips and build up a normal construction with insulation, wiring chases etc. You will loose about 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" on each wall's interior dimension.
I would leave the present interior surface intact and add to it.
Posted 2012-05-17 7:28 AM (#143999 - in reply to #143987) Subject: RE: NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
New User
Posts: 4
First thanks for both of your reponses. Attaching the furring strips - would I nail them, screw them, glue them? In a house you would look for your supports - your wood frame to nail your dry wall to....in this trailer if I did that where would I do that? Again thanks for all the help.
Posted 2012-05-17 8:58 AM (#144006 - in reply to #143987) Subject: RE: NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
New User
Posts: 4
I actually checked out RedWrench yesterday but it was difficult to understand how he was attaching because his trailer already had aluminum strips where as mine is just smooth. So I wasn't sure. I understand what he did, just confused on how he fastened everything to the wall - in some pictures it looked like he used screws or nails? But on the metal support beams.
Posted 2012-05-17 10:47 PM (#144021 - in reply to #143987) Subject: RE: NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
I'm not sure how the interior panels of a TE are attached to the wall studs. If they are rivited or screwed, you will notice a vertical line of them at each stud. If they are taped or bonded, you will have no inkling.
If you take the handle of a screw driver and tap the panel, you will be able to determine where the studs are located. As you tap across an area, you will notice the difference in sound when you're over a stud. Place a pencil mark at that point. Coming from the other direction, do the same. You should end up with two marks ~2" from each other.
Measuring from their center laterally about ~20" -24", you will find another area where a stud is located. Mark this and move about the space until you've located all the studs.
You can drill through the interior skin into the studs, being careful to set the depth limit to ~one inch. Furring strips can then be affixed to the surface, by screwing through the wood into the studs and inserting SS sheet metal screws.
Many types of surfaces can then be attached to the strips, with insulation installed between them.
Posted 2012-05-18 7:19 AM (#144024 - in reply to #144021) Subject: RE: NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
New User
Posts: 4
Gard thank you soooo much!! That completely makes sense. I had to do the same thing in my old farm house because we had plaster walls and finding the studs was difficult. Now that I know this I at least have a clue of where to begin and then how to apply what RedWrench was doing in his pictures :) all smiles now. thank you everyone for helping me out! What a relief! Happy trails.
NEWBIE help with walls and ceiling!!
