Installing the insulation and wall covering was the first order of business. I went with 3/4" foam board (R-value of 3.8) and a layer of Reflectix reflective roll insulation, with an air gap between because I keep seeing to do that. So, the foam board will be glued to the metal to maintain the gap.
I initially cut the foam board with an X-acto knife and a 4' metal "yardstick" that kept me cutting fairly straight. Later, I got a quality box-cutter with a wider blade that was less likely to curve. I would do a small incision first, to get my path, then go back and cut the board more deeply with the first cut helping guide the second. It usually didn't cut fully through on the second cut, so I'd hold up one end of the board and let it sort of open up the gap and I'd run the blade through to cut that final thin layer of foam.
Despite my careful measuring, I seemed to have to trim most of the pieces once I got them into the trailer. Some areas had braces that required a little extra workaround, but in general, it came together fairly easily. I managed to only cut my fingers (thumb, actually) once but it was a pretty deep cut that took about ten days of Neosporin and band-aids to heal.
A can of Great Stuff insulating foam would fill the gap between the bottom of the foam board and the subfloor. I'd forgotten how much that stuff expands and what I left to dry had tripled in size by the time I returned a few hours later. That was fine, though. I took my blade and just trimmed off anything that came up above the subfloor level.
Installing the Reflectix roll insulation (it's basically bubblewrap inside of two space blankets) was fairly easy but really would have been better with two people. I could have used someone to hold it up as I applied the Reflectix foil tape, but I managed to do ok on my own. I checked with the company to see what they thought of my intended insulating plan and they said if I didn't have a good way to attach it beside the metal wall, this was the next best way. The lady who responded said my R-value in the walls would be 6.0. That's not bad. It will be the same in the ceiling, I suppose, since I'm doing the exact same thing. That's not great for a ceiling, but it's better than a tent's R-value. As this layer goes on, the inside of the trailer is starting to look like a lunar lander.
A year ago, a RV repair business was beside our Campfire Homes facility. They outgrew their location and had to move elsewhere in Lenoir. I was not comfortable doing myself because it involved cutting into the metal and welding and a mistake would be very difficult to repair. So, I contacted Chris with General RV Repair and asked them about putting the windows and a door latch in. They also had a used A/C unit that I had them install. The total for all three of these items was just under $1,750, including tax, labor, and shop supplies. Remember, I had already purchased the windows for $350.
The windows are sliders but also open completely for emergency exit. Note: The door latch they installed (removing the bar that would allow me to be locked into the camper) also has a deadbolt. It's pretty solid.
Now time to get my electrician friend to help me put in some lights, outlets, and get that A/C running.
$1,000 Trailer
$ 350 Windows
$ 500 Window Installation
$ 500 Roof-mounted A/C
$ 150 A/C Installation
$ 300 Door latch & Installation
$ 300 Taxes and Materials
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$3,350 Current Total
This will be a recurring part of the process. There's only so much that can be done on CAD and no matter how many measurements I make, I'm sure I'll have to make adjustments on the fly. It appears that I have 5'9" of width, 11'7" of length, and about 5'11" of height to work with before any paneling. One thing that is pretty hopeful for me is that I can lay out the interior with at least one bed along the short, back wall. I'm 5'7", so it's gonna be close.
I went through many revisions of several different layouts, one including an inside toilet/shower. I knew in all the plans, I wanted a mini-fridge and microwave. A TV is easy to add because it doesn't have to be wall mounted. I also wanted two beds and some storage. For a time, I had a deck that folded out from the back doors, I tried putting the kitchenette on the back, accessed through the rear doors, and many other features that wouldn't make the final cut for one reason or another.
The primary usage for the trailer is intended to be something to take to races. I don't know if my wife will ever stay in it--it certainly hasn't drawn her interest so far--but a friend might come along, hence the second bed as opposed to a larger, single bed. I was concerned about finding a mattress that would work since there are standard sizes, but I located a company that does custom sized foam mattresses for not-unreasonable prices. It's not memory foam, but hopefully they are reasonably comfortable for a night or two.
So, as of this writing, the final plan has a bed along the back wall, elevated at 3'. Below that is a cabinet, mini-fridge, and a water-holding tank for the adjacent sink. A shower "wand" for rinsing off will be accessible when you open the back doors. There will also be a small storage area for miscellaneous items I don't want in the main living space. Back inside, below the sink will be a grey water holding tank. Under the second (and longer) bed will be storage. The TV will be sitting on a small storage cabinet by the foot of the short bed. The long bed will double as a sofa for watching the TV (which will only have an OTA antennae and maybe a DVD player. On the right, as you walk in, will be a tall cabinet that can handle some hanging items and a night stand for the long bed. There may also be some wall cabinets along that front wall.
When pressure washing didn't get all of the black "stuff" off of the side, I realized I'd have to repaint the trailer walls at some point. Getting the non-profit's decals off was a challenge until I got a bottle of spray Goof-Off and let that soak in for a minute. A razor blade pulled the decals right off with minimal effort.
It wasn't until I got onto a ladder that I realized the metal roof had rust on it. I sanded that off and started with a good coating of oil-based metal primer. I also picked up some Flex Seal and may actually consider covering the entire top with that in hopes that a rubbery surface would hold less heat than the metal roof. I also sanded and primed the wheel wells.
Demolition was pretty minimal here but I knew I would want to remove the paper thin interior paneling to add insulation and something a little more substantial. While I had it stripped down, I sealed the floor with Thompsons Water Seal. There may be better products, but I had just enough of this onhand to do this floor.
Removing the paneling revealed that I'd have about 1.25" from the outside aluminum to the edge of the floor to work with insulation options. I've heard about creating "air gaps" but I originally thought I'd be putting foam board in the gaps between the "ribs." That will be a little later so I have time to figure it out.
I ordered two RV windows off eBay. I had trouble finding the "perfect" windows at a great price, but finally found some at a decent price. They measure 42" wide and 24" high and slide open sideways. They have built-in screens to allow me to ventilate the trailer, bug-free. With shipping, they were about $350.
During this process, I realized that the way the doors operate, there is no way to lock them from the inside and someone could actually lock me in! So, once I found someone (an RV repair person in Lenoir) who could put the windows in for me, I asked him about putting in an RV door latch as well. I had decided to put in an A/C unit and if I need heat, just use a ceramic heater. My thought was to put one through the front wall of the trailer, but he encouraged me to go with an RV, rooftop mounted unit. The cost would be more, but not a lot more if I bought a used one from him. My only concern is that they are designed for much bigger areas and I've heard that you can oversize an HVAC unit, just like you can undersize one. I drop the trailer off on August 26th for installation of the windows, A/C, and door latch.
The idea for the conversion project emerged shortly after learning that a non-profit whose board I served on was planning to sell it's 6 x 12 cargo trailer with a sealed bid auction. I bid higher than I probably should have but part of that was due to the fact that I was going off the board and planned to make a parting donation that I just rolled into the bid. A few weeks later, I learned that I was the lucky winner. For tracking the cost of this project, let's just say I paid $1,000 for the two-axle trailer that has its own brakes and has a cargo capacity of 5,250 pounds.
It seemed in generally good condition. I didn't realize until after I'd bought it that it was built in 1999. It has some dings but nothing major, and it will benefit from some new paint. The tires concern me. They have plenty of tread, but they could be twenty years old if they weren't replaced at some point.
We went to the non-profit, handed over a check, and drove it home.
The project begins...
