I wasn’t going to lose time due to a minor insulation preference. Plus, I’m not fooling myself into believing that I’m going to camp in extreme heat or cold, especially in this tiny camper. As a result, I think nearly any insulation will be an improvement that’s “good enough.”
I goofed-up at the front and didn’t notice. That will come into play later in the project. I knew that the beadboard panel was a little short, but I overestimated how much of a gap that my “crown molding” would cover.
Anyway, I used a couple of cargo retaining bars to hold the ceiling in place while I cut the opening for the roof fan. Then I screwed the ceiling into place using truss head screws. I painted the ceiling with three coats of matte white exterior latex. I chose exterior paint with the hopes that it is a little tougher than interior paint.
The original came OUT in one piece, so I knew I’d eventually get this one IN. Laying on the ground and working from beneath the trailer did the trick. I was asked why I didn’t coat the wood. It’s pressure-treated and was still damp when I got it. I was making great progress and didn’t want to wait for it to dry, coat the wood, then wait for it to dry again, and then deal with any warping. I wanted to get it installed and screwed down before it had a chance to warp. I may still coat the exposed sections of the underside.
In the front, I switched to 1/4″ flexible plywood. That choice enabled me to cover much more of the front wall, which allowed me to use narrower trim strips to cover the gaps. Compare the front wall in this paragraph to the photo I’ve shared in the next paragraph and you’ll see that gap decreased from about six inches to 1-1/2 inches. I was also able to omit the wide trim strips that were with the original walls.
The front wall went in first (pictured). It was easy since it curls a lot. The passenger side wall went in next since it only has one light on it. The driver’s side wall is where my electrical madness resides…
I attached the side walls with 1-1/4″ self-tapping wafer-head screws and the thinner front walls with 3/4″ self-tapping screws that were leftover from when I attached the roof’s trim ring. I thought I was going to cover the gap between the ceiling and top of the walls with a crown molding. But it proved difficult to find a molding that was flexible enough to curve at the front of the trailer.
Remember when I said that I goofed-up the front edge of the ceiling? I misjudged how much my trim would cover, resulting in gaps at the front. I can fill it with white RTV and be happy enough. Instead, I made a small cabinet to cover the gap. When I say “small,” I mean “miniature.” It’s practically a boutique item that’s cosmetic only.
I’m after a look more than function. Sure, it’ll hold gloves or rags. But that’s about it. Too large of a cabinet in this small space will certainly result in plenty of head-knocking.
I added a faux wood foam padding on the floor. It looks okay and is easier on my knees than working on the wood floor. The print is a very thin vinyl over the foam, which makes it a little fragile. It’s easy to remove if I have any awkward cargo to move that I think might scratch it.
Speaking of cargo, the photo above shows the E-track that I installed on the walls. I chose a height that will allow me to store a spare tire beneath a set of 2×4’s, if desired. I’ll share more photos of that setup in the album below. Click here if you’d like to see my video about the interior.
The final phase of my conversion was to refinish the exterior. I’ll share that in my next post.
Close to Completion,
Scott
