Ideas For new wheel house,

[crappiekiller1]

Need some thoughts from everyone. i have a 7x12 trailer going to make into a drop down trailer. ? for you guys that built them before: is a thin wall square tubing good to use for walls and roof? Weigth wise i think it would be the same just alot stronger and longer lasting. spaced 2 ft apart for studs. next one aluminum siding or menards steel siding? Insulate the floor or not too. And then insulating with the foil faced foam insulation. Tell me your thoughts. i dont want carpet as i would rather put a truck lining on it and lay cheap carpets down when the floor was dry. and it will only have two fold bunks. thinking light weight here.

[hovermn]

2 reasons I wouldn't go with steel tube for studs. it was explained to me once that with the constant heat/cool/heat conditions in the fish house, moisture trapped inside the tube will eventually rust it from the inside out.

also, you'll have frost lines on the walls at each stud because the steel transfers the cold to the wall, and takes MUCH longer to heat up than wood studs.

i actually built a house frame from 1x1x 16 gauge steel, but decided to cut it off from the trailer because of this and built a wood frame. it was very light, though...

just my $0.02

[crappiekiller1]

i have also heard this and then looked at enclosed trailers and they all have tubed frames. thankx for ur 2 cents also.

[matt_bewley]

well i just got done with mine its not the lightest thing in the world but it sure is solid i used wood studs but i do agree with hover about rusting from the inside not only because the heating and cooling but a house heated with propane gets really humid inside and could also rust the outside of the tubes. now if i would have used steel it would have been steel studs that are galvanized because they are light and resistant to moisture.. i would go with they smooth aluminum siding rather than the corigated steel just because it is a little lighter and it is easier to cut and work with but it also is more expensive, it all just depends on what you want to do because they both function the same. another thing that i did was put on a rubber membraine roof wich works great but you could also use your steel or aluminum but the rubber was only $80 and 60 for the glue to hold it down. i definatly would insulate the floor because the money you save on not insulating isnt worth it in the long run because it will cost you twice as much to heat. with my floor i insulated the floor with 2 inch pink foam and just glued it to the loor from the underside between the trailer cross members but make sure you use a glue that is made for foam so it doesnt eat the foam away, and dont use the white beadboard foam because if iges we it molds and rots away. last i would cet some waterproof sealer for the floors and paint that on both sides just so it doestngt wet and your floors rot but carpet re is nice what i did i get carpet for boats that is mold resistant and is thin enough to dry out easily. hope this helps and if you have anymore questions let me know. but in te long run y can save alot of money doing it youself mine is a 8x20 v-front with anll kinds of bells and whistles that i built everything on from the drop down tailer on up and i only have about $3000 into it.