Lamination?

In tearing into my trailer to make delam repairs (it is the conventional aluminum frame, styrofoam insulation, luan, and fiberglass lamination) I found that what delaminated was not the luan pulling away from the fiberglass but the actually luan disintegrating and the layers of luan coming apart. From that aspect the alternative materials would probably be a whole lot better, but my original point was that there shouldn't be water in there in any case. If you have a stick/aluminum sided trailer, and it leaks, there is no delamination, but the insulation will get wet. In either case, the manufacturers don't seem to take a lot of care in making sure the shell of the trailer, seams and all, are water tight.

Entry level trailers are always mostly wood studded and layered with aluminum "shingles". Not the way to go, so I agree with ScottG!

Aluminum framing has aluminum tubing that usually needs to be welded, whereas with wood, any Joe Blow can frame out a wood stud trailer. It has to do with skill sets and labor costs.

WoodGlue

eluwak wrote:
Our Heartland North Trail has Azdel construction which was touted as being less likely to suffer delamination, but who knows.

That's interesting. Our Heartland Bighorn is luan/fiberglass. I wonder what drives the decision on laminating materials.

eluwak wrote:
Our Heartland North Trail has Azdel construction which was touted as being less likely to suffer delamination, but who knows.

Agree. It's pretty new, and there is a chance we just haven't heard of it yet. But we do know, It won't rot. It might fall off, but it won't rot.

Our Heartland North Trail has Azdel construction which was touted as being less likely to suffer delamination, but who knows.

It doesn't matter how the walls are made. If there is a leak-seam, window, joint, clip light,etc. and water gets in, there will be damage. I learned on a new trailer, assuming all was well. It wasn't.

My recommendation--regardless of the trailer, mfg., or type of construction, I would make it mandatory to have a pressure test done and ALL leaks repaired (yes, there will be leaks) and re tested. If the dealer is hesitant, I would be inclined to ask why, if the trailer is that good.

Next, this does not end the process, yearly you have to inspect and recaulk and I would still periodically pressure test. Only way to tell if there is a leak is to see it.

sandhills wrote:
The dealer trying to sell me a Heartland Wilderness keeps going on and on about how the TT is laminated. Aren't most fiberglass models laminated? What about delamination? Anything to worry about here or is this a good selling point?

The other choice is AZDEL. Yes it's a composite and there is no wood to get wet, so there is nothing to rot, and fall apart. I prefer AZDEL, and the Coachmen Apex has it.

It is 50% lighter, and has a 50% higher insulation value. It's win, win.

Yes, the vast majority (and all new AFAIK) fiberglass RV's are laminated.
Your choice is this or aluminum - which I would never own again but many entry level trailers are alum. to save cost.

There are different degrees of lamination. One is that used in boat building where a layer of gelcoat is sprayed in a mold and then built up with layers of roving and mat, saturated with epoxy. It makes for a very strong but heavy layup.
the process for trailers is not nearly as sophisticated. Trailer "laminate" consists of chopped fiberglass shot onto luan plywood rolled with a thin layer of epoxy and then sprayed with gelcoat. Jayco claims to have some kind of pressure roller system that they put it through, but the end result is relatively the same from what I've seen.
The difference between marine and RV fiberglass is that the marine layups are resistant to water and it usually takes several years of water leaking into an opening to cause the beginning of delimitation, also called blistering. On a trailer, almost any water intrusion into the raw edges or the uncoated surface of the wood will result in delimitation in a pretty short time. That is why you read so much about owner inspection and maintenance around windows and doors. Both aluminum/stick and fiberglass trailers are OK. They are what they are.