Exterior Laminate vs Aluminum
I',m looking at buying a EVO 2360 old style aluminum siding with wood frame vs a Coachmen Freedom Express 24RBS with laminate siding and aluminum frame? Pros and Cons of each? The trailer will be ...
Forum Discussion
There are pros and cons to each. Which you pick is up to you. (My trailer is 7 years old, and has laminated walls, roof, and floor. It has no delamination, no leaks, and no issues with any of those items. I can, and do at least twice a year, walk on the roof.)
Pros for each:
- Aluminum weighs less (all else being equal).
- Aluminum costs less (all else being equal).
- Aluminum can be replaced, but it's most likely not a DIY task.
- IMO, aluminum usually looks nicer in older trailers.
- Laminated can be significantly better insulated.
- Laminated is stronger (all else being equal) - the wall itself is structural rather than just the framing.
- Laminated can look nicer when new/clean/maintained.
Cons:
- Aluminum dents very easily, and can't really be undented.
- Aluminum can make it hard to detect a leak within the walls until it gets to the point of the framing having rotted.
- Aluminum trailers are usually insulated with fiberglass batting, and there can be significant gaps in the insulation due to quick/low quality construction, as well as settling within the walls over time.
- Laminated will delaminate if there is a leak. If you notice and fix the leak quickly this isn't necessarily a serious issue, but if not it can be.
- Laminated trailers can be repaired but it's costly, difficult, and visible.
- Seems harder to maintain the good looks of laminated walls.
I've been very happy with my laminated trailer, but actually prefer aluminum due to the lighter weight. At the time I bought mine though, there weren't any aluminum sided hybrids available with a floorplan I liked. (There are now.)
Buy the floorplan you like, then take care of the trailer, and you'll be fine with either one.
Pros for each:
- Aluminum weighs less (all else being equal).
- Aluminum costs less (all else being equal).
- Aluminum can be replaced, but it's most likely not a DIY task.
- IMO, aluminum usually looks nicer in older trailers.
- Laminated can be significantly better insulated.
- Laminated is stronger (all else being equal) - the wall itself is structural rather than just the framing.
- Laminated can look nicer when new/clean/maintained.
Cons:
- Aluminum dents very easily, and can't really be undented.
- Aluminum can make it hard to detect a leak within the walls until it gets to the point of the framing having rotted.
- Aluminum trailers are usually insulated with fiberglass batting, and there can be significant gaps in the insulation due to quick/low quality construction, as well as settling within the walls over time.
- Laminated will delaminate if there is a leak. If you notice and fix the leak quickly this isn't necessarily a serious issue, but if not it can be.
- Laminated trailers can be repaired but it's costly, difficult, and visible.
- Seems harder to maintain the good looks of laminated walls.
I've been very happy with my laminated trailer, but actually prefer aluminum due to the lighter weight. At the time I bought mine though, there weren't any aluminum sided hybrids available with a floorplan I liked. (There are now.)
Buy the floorplan you like, then take care of the trailer, and you'll be fine with either one.
