Small camper rebuild

Finally got started on this project. This was a homemade camper built from the ground up by my dad and brother. I've started the process to see if I can save it and plan to make it my mobile hunting cabin.The plywood roof is ok. However the luan sides are delaminating. So I've started by removing that first. Here's what I managed to get done today.

This is what it originally looked like.

fun

too much bed

Agree. That was part of a slide out that went over where the four wheeler is. I've done away with the slide and plan to turn the bed sideways, cut in half and turned into two bunks.

i bet it turns out great

Looks great

Here's a look from the front. Lots to do. Checked 1/4"treated. $36 a sheet. Hardi board 24. Hmmm.

That will be a blast

do we get to make comments ?

Hardi plank is pretty heavy

Yea, that hardi board will add alot of weight and when it gets wet is like wafer board

Comments are certainly welcome.

I was wondering that it may be brittle as well and prone to cracking. Plus sealing the cut ends may be problematic. Looks like plywood might be the best choice. It's pretty light now. On the left rear was a hatch that was used for a little air conditioner. I have a plan now to seal that up and install an ac inside the lower cabinets on the back wall. Then when you want to use it, you just open the cabinet doors. The rear bumper would help support it.

Do you have metal working capabilities
Some 24 gauge metal siding would be really effective
IMHO

I don't. My shop is set up for wood working. I thought about aluminum interlocking siding especially being a couple of miles from the salt, but I don't know enough about everything I'd need to be water sealed. My thought was to use 1/4 inch treated plywood with construction adhesive and staples. Then a few coats of a heavy paint like Cabot Deck Correct and then seal the joints with 5200. That would eliminate any outside moldings. The glued plywood would also help stiffen the walls.

This is a cool project. This is better and prolly more fun than building your own deer stand.

Watching intently!

that is a really good plan
it will definitely shore up your structure

Thanks Butch for the vote of confidence. We have some rain coming so I spent this afternoon wrapping it in plastic. I wasn't going to worry about it. I mean it's been sitting up for years. But I changed my mind. Perhaps I'm getting attached. Who knows.

Got a little more done this weekend. I now have two coats of Cabot on the roof and finished wrecking out most of the front. Also got a straight line cut on the roof in the front using a lightweight 18v Metabo saw that was on sale for $83, reg 139 at Lowe's. Doesn't come with batteries, but I already have two. I screwed a straight edge and the saw ran down it fine. I really didn't want to use a big saw and the little saw I have is made for one hand operation, which I didn't feel comfortable with since it was eye level. The Metabo did the trick.

what about using some frp on the exterior? fiberglass 4x8 panels. they also have 4x10

https://www.lowes.com/pl/Fiberglass...8226?refinement=1971214752&view=List

I looked into that product as an option for the roof, but I read it doesn't do well in exterior applications.

nice edge

can you treat the wood framing before you cover it?

remember you can always fabricate a metal edge
for the roof
to cover the top of your sidinig

if you needed
we have a detail we use in marrying roofing materials

what a fun project
surely you are getting attached

Yes. I'm definitely interested. Lots to go before then. I still have the other side to wreck out, but it's in better shape. All of the wood framing in this was treated. But wet treated will fall apart too. I'll go back with treated framing for the front opening when I get to that point. The linoleum floor covering needs to be ripped out and I know about 3 foot of flooring will need to be cut out. I won't recover the floor.That's just another place for moisture to do its thing. Prob just seal with cabots.

yes sir

Wish I knew the products used, but I saw a rebuild of the overhead on a class C…guy used an epoxy process on the wood….made it water resistant.

Time consuming, but probably worth it.

yes
i think it would make it stronger also
hope all is well PH
how about Them Jayhawks

I thought about fiberglass resin as a coating and have used it before. The deal with treated is that it's still wet. My thought is to seal one side and the edges. Let the inside breathe.

Update?

we haven't been on here trying to tell him what to do

Sorry guys. The project went on backburnerl. Hope to be back on it soon.