best materials to use for interior construction - not wood

[ramblinChet]

I have a FWC shell and I am looking to build out the interior although I would like to avoid using wood. I am guessing there must be more advanced materials that are lighter and more durable. I am not terribly concerned with the interior being aesthetically pleasing - if it appeared somewhat industrial that would be ok.

If you have information regarding other materials being used please share info or links. Thank you.

 

[billiebob]

Why not wood, it absorbs and gives off moisture, it is natural, it breathes.....
easy to work with, easy to finish, refinish, repair.
pretty inexpensive, absorbs sound.

maybe "sustainable" a natural product that is quiet and warm.
you can paint it, screw screws into it, it is quiet, has natural insulating properties.
Incredibly stable, next to zero flex between supports, available everywhere, inexpensive,
and quite beautiful.... ok so it misses on the "I'm not terribly concerned with"..... but that part is free.

and it is pretty light by comparison to every other choice.

On the east coast.... check out the systems wooden boat builders use. You guy have an incredible history, heritage of building wooden things that float and last hundreds of years.

 

[highwest]

After removing a lot of rotted wood from the inside of a 40yo boat, I am also concerned about using wood in areas that may potentially see water. In the boat, I used polyurethane product, like Coosa board, with fiberglass over the top. For the truck interior, I used 1/2” PVC product, like Celtec, that was painted with bedliner or carpeted and framed by 1” 8020 aluminum. I am very happy with both solutions and have piece of mind that both are impervious to water. However, non-wood materials are expensive, can be hard to get, can be heavier than wood (polyethylene), and experience thermal expansion issues. Whenever I consider how long my truck will actually last (likely not 40 yrs), I also wonder if I should just gone with wood, because it would have been way easier.

 

[turbothrush]

I agree with billiebob . Not sure why wood gets a bad rap for interiors. Only use the thickness you need to do the job . Wood covered xps foamboard from Home Depot makes an Incredibly light and rigid interior. You can make the panels yourself and they are cheap .Also look at marine hull liner as a possible material to use on some surfaces That stuff is like 1/10 lb per sq ft .

 

[DiploStrat]

8020 extrusions and high-quality plywood. You can also buy various plys that are covered with plastic or similar coatings.

Those nice, glued composites, etc., can be a maintenance nightmare unless you build a lot of doors, by which time you have probably lost the weight advantage. And wait until all of your hardware is pulling the screws out of the composite.

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This guy has more good ideas and does better work than just about anyone.

 

[rruff]

I am guessing there must be more advanced materials that are lighter and more durable.

There are, but only if it's a composite... and you'll be paying a lot more $$$ and doing more work. Wood is nature's composite, and it's a good one. Oddly wood has strength/weight and stiffness/weight about the same as aluminum and steel alloys. Fiberglass is strong but wood beats it easily in stiffness/weight. Its big plus besides being cheap, is that it's also light, which makes it excellent for skins and panels.

The best reason to not use wood is because you don't want something to rot from water intrusion. This is why people often choose something else for exterior panels. For the interior though it wouldn't be an issue unless you had a serious water leak that was never fixed.

If you want panels that are lighter than wood and beat it in stiffness and strength, you'll need a composite... lighter core with stiff/strong skins. I made some using expanded PVC core (it's about half the weight of solid PVC) with epoxy/carbon skins hand laid. That's a strong combination that holds screws quite well. If you put a clearcoat over the carbon it's very pretty. A lighter choice would be Coosa 15 or similar for the core, with carbon skins. If you use that for doors and panels with 80/20 frames it could be very deluxe.

 

[Little Faus]

You are replacing rotted wood on a boat after 40 years? It sounds like the wood did its job. ramblinChet, do you think you'll still own this camper after 40 years? Use marine grade wood. Less expensive and lasts. I sold my 1986 SunLite camper two years ago (much of it in Alaska), and it is still on the road. Repair water intrusion quickly, and , and it will last for many years

 

[kerry]

I agree with billiebob . Not sure why wood gets a bad rap for interiors. Only use the thickness you need to do the job . Wood covered xps foamboard from Home Depot View attachment 706772makes an Incredibly light and rigid interior. You can make the panels yourself and they are cheap .Also look at marine hull inner as a possible material to use on some surfaces That stuff is like 1/10 lb per sq ft .

Got more details on how you made the wood covered foam boards? Exact wood used and glue?

 

[rruff]

Got more details on how you made the wood covered foam boards? Exact wood used and glue?

I've done that before; it works well for large panels that you want to be stiff and light. Used PL Premium for glue. The plywood can be whatever you like, but I used 2.7mm luan.

Sanding and texturing the foam is a good idea. I like the wallpaper perforators. Then work the glue into the foam, and use a notched trowel to give it some vertical before putting the plywood on. Lay it on a flat surface (concrete floor?) and pile on a bunch of concrete blocks.

 

[Joe917]

Look for "Russian Birch" or "Scandinavian birch" plywood. It has many more plies than spruce or fir and is far more durable. Cut it to fit then layer it up with West system epoxy. Forget 40 years, it will outlast you! Bond it in place with 3M 4200 or 5200.

 

[rruff]

Before concrete blocks lay a sheet of 3/4” or thicker plywood over the thin layer.

Make sure that plywood is flat!

 

[Josh41]

Check out Boulter Plywood near Boston. Quality plywood with the right specifications will look great and hold up for years. Marine plywood cost a little more but won't separate if wet. They have some great info on their website and have been very helpful in person and on the phone.

 

[Peter_n_Margaret]

I built the interior of our OKA motorhome 17 years ago using fibreglass / polyurethane closed cell foam sandwich panel. Enormous strength, much lighter than timber.
I have stated a new build and the interior will be built from twin and multi wall polycarbonate roof sheeting, glued together. Much lighter than the sandwich panel.

From the top down.......
8mm twin wall polycarbonate (just have a small sample. You can buy this from Bunnings).
10mm twin wall polycarbonate (tinted) 1.7kg/m2
19mm fibreglass sandwich panel (that I used on the original build) New build walls etc will be 23mm. 6kg/m2
10mm multi wall polycarbonate 2.6kg/m2
18mm multiwall polycarbonate 3.1kg/m2

Compare that to....
19mm chip board 12.5kg/m2
9mm plywood 5kg/m2
4mm plywood 2.25kg/m2

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

 

[plh]

Look for "Russian Birch" or "Scandinavian birch" plywood. It has many more plies than spruce or fir and is far more durable. Cut it to fit then layer it up with West system epoxy. Forget 40 years, it will outlast you! Bond it in place with 3M 4200 or 5200.

Yep, Baltic Birch - great stuff for cabinet making.

 

[billiebob]

After removing a lot of rotted wood from the inside of a 40yo boat, I am also concerned about using wood in areas that may potentially see water.

So yes, poorly built wood might rot......
Have you seen plastics or metal in a fire??
A log home will burn for hours. A fire crew can put the fire out and the log structure only needs refinishing, plus a new roof. The structure is still sound.

Yes, improperly built wood can rot. but wood has the potential to outlive all the alternatives.

9/11 the towers collapsed because the steel "melted". Today there is a trend to Mass Timber Construction because wood has better survival rates in a fire than any alternatives. Plus.... it is beautiful.

B.C. communities lead the way with mass timber technology | BC Gov News

Thirteen B.C. communities are leading the nation as they adopt innovative and safe mass timber technology for taller wood buildings that are faster to build, better for the environment and create new jobs and opportunities for forest communities in the province.

news.gov.bc.ca

google Mass Timber Construction..... it is becoming a global trend. .... Wood properly built is a best choice.

These guys, an hour from where I live are BCs leaders in Mass Timber Construction.

Mass timber products and lumber company | Kalesnikoff

Kalesnikoff produces mass timber products such as cross laminated timber, glulam beams and many other specialty engineered hardwood products.

kalesnikoff.com

Baltic Birch.... is one of the oldest BEST materials for any finishing product.
Absolutely the best "composite" building product for any limited, not mass produced, custom, one off project.

Baltic Birch is the best. PERIOD.

BUT .... "I am not terribly concerned with the interior being aesthetically pleasing".... opens the doors to many not so beautiful products.