Thread: Building cabinets in caravans/campervans

The following link is from a search I did on the Airstream forum. While Airstreams may be different than your trailer, it may give you some ideas or answers to your question.
In my view, it is critical to keep the weight down and I would base my decision on that.
"http://www.airforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1168782"

framed cabinets will stand up to the rigours of travel better than unframed and will work out lighter weight

Hi Barry:
Our materials may be different here in Canada but the considerations are similar. I have built, installed and modified cabinets in my fifth wheel trailer and I always consider durability, weight and motion.

I'd avoid MDF because of weight and it does not respond well to the high humidity and dampness that may be encountered in this application. High quality laminated and solid materials will perform better. Face frame construction allows for less stringent tolerances on door and drawer construction. This also provides some forgiveness as the unit moves down the road and furniture must respond to the motion. Light plywood panels over a gable frame work well and keep the weight down.

If you have access to a table saw and a miter saw for accurate ripping and crosscuts, the job will proceed better and quicker. I would try pocket screws for construction of the frames. This system is easy to use and is great for someone with only limited shop equipment.

Try to prefab as much as possible outside the vehicle and do only the final installation steps inside the cramped space of the vehicle. Set the vehicle level, then use templates to scribe the components for fit prior to installation. Use robust latches so the doors and drawers stay closed on the road.

Good luck! Jim.

Thanks for the answers so far - I have done some figures and can see that frameless 16mm MDF for a cabinet can be up to 3 times heavier than a pine framed 3mm ply cabinet. Thjat is quite something.

If I was to use a framed system - what sort of glue do you recommend? Standard wood glue, or a silastic type.

Thanks for any further advice

Barry

The white, pva carpenter glues work fine. If you think there will be any exposure to moisture or an extra strong bond is needed, polyurethane glues are great.

I've had some experience this year building just this sort of stuff in a caravan factory. The basic process is to build the carcase flats from Canadian spruce (I think it is 1 1/2" x 3/4") by simply stapling over the butt joins from both sides (bridging the two pieces), and allowing spaces in the framework for doors and drawers, with no glue in the joints. All of this of course was done on big ply jigs. The stapling technique I've also seen used on theatre flats, and I've heard that joints like this have a bit of give so they can flex doing the drive!?
Then PVA glue is applied to the flats and veneered 1/4"ply laid over it before finish stapled along edges later covered by plastic beading. When its dry the holes for doors and drawers are cut out and edges trimmed, all with a router. The various flats are then screwed or nailed together to form the cabinets, often with a plastic bead between them on edges that show.
It all sounds shonky untill you see the finished product, which sell in excess of $75,000

Good luck

I made caravan cabinets at my last job. Did that for a year and a half. Like others have said weight is a big issue and the less the better. The cabinets I made were mostly 18mmx18mm pine and 40mmx18mm pine frames with 3mm ply veneer laminated onto the the frame. All joints were stapled together, 8/join (thats 4 each side)

Very much a similar process to Andy Macs description. The cabinets are pretty sturdy (and light) once they are all screwed into the caravan.

Bazza,
I grow and sell Paulownia timber. If you are not aware it is very light but stong and very suitable for your framing. Cover it with a ply veneer and you will save a lot on weight. Paulownia has a density of 290 Kg per cubic metre compared to Hoop Pine which is 450 Kg. Check www.paulowniatimbersales.com.au for sizes and costs.
I also have a contact that can supply solid Paulownia panels. These are very light. A 2.1 x 1.2 x 16 mm weighs only 12kg and 2.4 x 1.2 x 19 mm weighs 17kg. There are other sizes available but I listed these as examples. They would look great in their own right.

I agree with what the other said. Glued joints will not stand up to the flexing in a caravan or a motorhome. However, when a unit is built from new the cabinets are usually put together before the skin is put on and stabled from the otside of the unit.
When we put a bathroom in our caravan, we screwed it to the frame after stabling all the parts together. It stood up to a rather rigorous trip in WA down the King River road and through some steep stone river beds. We used the stabler for the compressor.
I would use frame and veneered plywood. At the time we used the old random groove ply but that is no longer available.
Wolffie