enclosed trailer interiors

[DougD]

I just traded my open trailer for an enclosed one. My Mustang will withstand a little rain while trailering, but the Cobra needs a drier home away from home.
The interior walls appear to be paneled in thin mahogany plywood, with a plywood floor. I'm planning on painting and finishing the walls and floor, and would like to solicit suggestions on what to use. I'm thinking plain old house paint in white for the walls and ceiling. What should I use for the floor and ramp?
DougD

[427Aggie]

I had the checkboard floor that was made from vinyl and it didn't last for crap....I bought some diamond plate in 4x8 sheets for like $70/sheet and it went down great....no more problems. Personally I wouldn't worry about the walls...get some banners to hang on them.

Matt

[DougD]

Matt
The walls are sort of a dark mahogany finish, and I want to lighten them up so it's not soooooo dark inside. Hence the white paint.

Was your checkerboard floor made from the vinyl self-stick tiles? I wondered how they might hold up (or not).

[427Aggie]

Nope it was a large sheet of Vinyl....it only took 1 antifreeze spill and some oil and it was a gonner...lasted about 1 year.

Matt

[CHRIS POTTER]

I used semi gloss interior paint in my trailer interior.Really brightened it up, been in there for 2 years, haven't even touched it up. Cheapie Wal Mart or Kmart paint works fine. Also, I tiled the floor in checkerboard, glue soaked into the plywood floor, had to remove it, reglue, and replace the tiles. Waay too much free time on my hands!

[CMansfield]

Doug D,
My experience with painting paneling is that it is a PITA. The best results I have had is by priming with KILs or similar product and then using the house paint. It takes 2 coats butthe advantage it that it only takes 2 coats to cover the walls.
Chas

[DougD]

Thanks for the help guys!
Doug

[Ken Greene]

if there is a finish on the wood walls be sure to give it a light sanding with somthing along the line of 220 paper just to give the finish some tooth otherwise you will have problems of some pealing at somepoint.
Been a wood worker and old home restorer for 20 years.... been through it all

[Flyin_Freddie]

Most enclosed trailer interiors are 'paneled' (if you will) with 3/8 inch luan paneling. It takes most paints well, but it will really suck up some paint with the first coat. Mine's been painted with cheapie white interior latex...looks good after three years. But, as pointed out by CMansfield, KILZ would help seal it better as the latex did allow some of the resins to bleed through, but not bad. Certainly the ease of clean-up with latex outweighs the disadvanates of the bleed through - in my opinion, anyway.

As for the floor, mine's been coated with Rhino-Hide pick-up truck bed liner. It provides a non-slip surface and keeps moisture, coolant, oil, etc, from soaking in to the plywood. I've also got two strips of ATP down for the car to ride on. Neither are cheap, but you can buy some of the roll-on pick-up truck bead liner stuff fairly cheap and do-it-yourself. I have no experience with their longevity, however... they may not last a fartin' spell.

Check out the picture of my trailer in the photo gallery. Pace American 20' Shadow model.

[Bill Wells]

Flyin Freddie..is your surge tank an Olthoff aluminum tank ? bill, spf 156.

[Double Venom]

Doug D,

The Rhino, or bed liner materials work great. I mean great! Will out live the trailer, and if it is necessary to touch up a section, it's easily done.

Z-Bart can spray it, you can buy kits and do it yourself, or look in the phone book for more suppliers. I have two suggestions:

Dont use any liner that is rough textured - reall pain to lay down on when your tying up your car.

Bring it up the walls about a foot or two - this will totally seal the trailer from the invariable floor gaps, sealing out all dirt and dust.

Painting the walls with least two coats of white will make a huge difference.

You can even do the floor in multi colors if you want!

Just my 2-cents..

DV 300 Cobras are NOT enough! Are you registered?

[panz]

I just purchased a 8.5 X 18 enclosed trailer. I will be making my first trip with it to DVSFII...so DV I'll be looking you up for advice on doing the interior along with everyone else there. I like the idea of using the diamond plate on the floor and painting the wall white to brighten things up. I'll not only look at other cobras for ideas, but the trailers too.

[Great Asp]

I have the 15 mil marble layed in my new trailer.



Great Asp

[Cobranut]

Doug,

I painted the floor when I first got the trailer, before it had anything loaded in it.
I used an oil based floor and deck enamel, in a medium grey gloss. Thin the first coat and use it as a sealer, then brush the second coat on and let it dry for about two weeks. It has held up great.
If you want a non-skid surface, they make a sandy additive to mix in the paint, or the truck bedliner would work also.

Mine has the luan paneling on the walls, with a white vinyl ceiling. I finally got around to painting the walls with white exterior gloss latex. It really brightned up the interior, but I still got some bleed-through even after two coats. (Heck, it ain't the living room.)

Jeez, even our trailers are projects.

Later,

[Flyin_Freddie]

Yes, Bill...that's the Olthoff designed tig-welded surge tank. I've since used some Mother's Metal Polish on it and it looks chromed, now. I didn't take it off the car, though, but just polished it as it was mounted. I plan on removing it to really polish it up sometime in the future, but probably not before DVSF.2.

Speaking of Double Venon....Ed's got a good idea about bringing the Rhino-Hide up the sidewalls a little - say 2 inches, or so. I didn't put mine down, the former owner did, so I didn't have any input. But, it looks professional, works well, and seems to be holding up well. Bringing it up the walls some would indeed seal the floor/wall joints better and would be worth considering.

FWIW...I've seen some trailers that have been finished with linoleum tiles, too. The only caveat I've seen is that sometimes the tiles pull up when the car is placed on them and then tied down. This seems to put some side load on the tiles, and had caused some of them to pull loose. They're easy to put back down, but I wonder if there's something else that can be done to prevent this from happening. My friend, Ron Frohs (SPF#723) had this problem, and he installed some 24x24" ATP squares right where the tires contact the floor. Seems to have solved the problem.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention this. You'll have a lot of trailers to look at when you go to DVSF.2, so your idea is on target! Look for me...my trailer's got big Flyin' Freddie graphics on the side of it. Hope we can hook up...

[Okiesnake]

If you use the oil base KILZ make sure its well ventilated or don't operate heavy equipment for about 5 daze! The latex base Kilz cleans up easier and is pretty much odor free.

[Flyin_Freddie]

Ain't THAT truth, Okiesnake...! I don't think KILZ is oil-based though...smells more like a lacquer-based product. Either way, the fumes will really knock you out - oil or lacquer based. I would definitely make sure the area is well ventilated. Use one of those 20" box fans, if you can. Can't hurt....

[DougD]

Thanks for all the opinions, guys. I'm now thinking about some sort of smooth Rhino liner for the floor and good ol' white latex for the walls. And of course the obligatory Cobra posters, banners, etc. for the walls.
Doug

[rldunn7]

Great Asp(Eric) are the walls in that trailer painted or are they covered with sheel Aluminum...looks pretty spiffy with that marble tile...kinda like a little Roman touch....or maybe Greek...just need a spa and you would be set..

[Great Asp]

The marble is a sheet material, supposed to be very tough. 15 mil thick, they make a 10 mil thick also.

The walls are sheet aluminum as you suspected. When my wife found out what I paid for the trailer, she ask me to move into it!... (jk)

Eric