Attaching the fir stripping

If you want to be able to attach paneling and/or cabinetry, you have to have something to screw into to support it. The trailer framing just doesn ’t cut it as you’ll soon see why. Another reason for this is that if you do attach paneling directly to the frame you ’ll have the problem of transferring condensation to your paneling. If you have ever slept in a cold trailer over night and woke up the next morning with water droplets on the ceiling, those same droplets will ruin your paneling. the stripping acts like a barrier to keep the moisture at bay and along with the insulation you ’ll never have a problem.

That said, I used 1x2’s for most of the stripping. I used 1x3’s where I was going to attach my cabinets and such. I spaced my stripping with 14 ” centers. 12” seemed to close and 16” seemed to far. I used #10, 1 1/2” flat head screws to attach the stripping to the trailer framing. I did used self-tapping screws but I also pre-drilled holes on some, mostly the ceiling, so I could get them set. There were some pieces of the trailer framing where they used a thicker tubing, mostly along the floor, gooseneck floor and vertical wall, making the framing a bit wider at those ares by about 1/2 ” so I couldn’t really use a full size strip. I used my table saw and ripped some 1x3’s in half length wise to turn them into 1/2x3’s and used those where that part of the trailer was wider. On a side note, both Lowes and Home Depot have this lumber. I have found that Home Depots is of a bit better quality at the same price.

There were a few spots along the door frame and the windows where I could not screw in my stripping and the 1x2 ’s were to large. For that problem I ripped a few of my 1x2’s in half to make,, you guessed it...1x1’s. I then glued them to where they needed to go with some fabulous stuff called PL Polyurethane Contractors Adhesive. This stuff is awesome. Put a little on the both pieces your gluing and let them cure for 24 hours and it is never coming off. I clamped the ones I used on the door and didn ’t on the windows. Both ways worked out great.

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Most of the framing I did with 2x2’s except the basic framing of the nose storage area I used 1x2. I should’ve used 2x2’s but it will work just fine. The screws I used to attach the framing to itself and the stripping on the wall were 2 ” #8 decking screws. These thing grip like no tomorrow. I would suggest that you drill pilot holes before screwing. I know that sounds like alot of extra work but the wood I used seemed to want to split alot. I did find that Home Depot had better 1x2 ’s, 1x3’s and 2x2’s than Lowes did and the price wasn’t any different.