regarding oak interiors

[jen b]

What is your taste in FGRV woodwork? Snowed in this weekend by Snowzilla, I've been poking around window shopping for my next trailer (a five to ten year plan) and I'm a little amazed that the wondrous Escape uses oak, which reminds me of my family's dining room in the 1980s.

Scamp at least offers a birch option.

Isn't oak one of the heaviest of the woods? To me it's like putting a real granite kitchen countertop in a travel trailer - a pointless increase in overall weight. I hope Escape decides to diversify their wood choices in the next decade because I really like them otherwise!

[Jon in AZ]

It's not solid oak- mostly veneered.

[jen b]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

It's not solid oak- mostly veneered.

Oh, that's good to know - makes a lot more sense. Though I'm afraid oak-look still is so weirdly antiquated.

[Jon in AZ]

So are a lot of trailer buyers...

Did you see the used Scamp for sale in CA with walnut cabinet doors? Don't know if it's really walnut or just walnut stained, but it sure looks sharp against the white fiberglass with stainless steel accents.

[Donna D.]

All themes and wood cabinetry in homes is cyclical.


I don't even notice the oak in Ten Forward. Only the cabinet doors are solid oak, the walls are a printed look veneer (to save weight). Bigfoot has used walnut and cherry and I find those to be dark. If I had my druthers, I would prefer a white pickled oak. But with my fabric choice, Formica color of my choosing, throw rugs and throw pillows... the cabinetry is secondary.

[BillE]

I our previous 2011 Scamp 13 standard we had Amish made cherry cabinet doors and solid table.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/m...lbums1226.html

[bpfick]

The MDF boards used, with or without real oak/birch trims are themselves VERY heavy. Lifting or lowering an MDF board for a dinette is similar to weight training at the gym. There is so much MDF induced weight injected into these FGRVs. While Scamp's "deluxe" appears to have nice wood (and it does) so much of it, largely the panels, are still MDF. The interior hatch covers too. It all adds up.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by jen b

Oh, that's good to know - makes a lot more sense. Though I'm afraid oak-look still is so weirdly antiquated.

Trends come and go to everything but any kind of real wood is a thing of beauty to a woodworker. Certain woods work better than others for the theme you're going for.

[TappyGee]

I love oak.

[Darwin Maring]

The oak doors in The Scamp we owned came unglued.

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by TappyGee

I love oak.

Me too. With the right stain it is a nice warm color that is not too dark. If I ever get around to setting my woodworking equipment up where I can properly make some cabinet doors I will probably use Oak. Although I have quite a bit of Hard Rock Maple on hand. There is not enough wood in all the cabinet doors to make a lot of difference weight wise. And some nice panel doors shouldn't really be any heavier than the original plywood.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

Me too. With the right stain it is a nice warm color that is not too dark. If I ever get around to setting my woodworking equipment up where I can properly make some cabinet doors I will probably use Oak. Although I have quite a bit of Hard Rock Maple on hand. There is not enough wood in all the cabinet doors to make a lot of difference weight wise. And some nice panel doors shouldn't really be any heavier than the original plywood.

That's one of the reasons I love the fiberglass interiors. Doors are an easy sway, and you can have any look you want.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

The oak doors in The Scamp we owned came unglued.

I would venture the guess that the problem with your oak doors is due more to the type of material used / construction method and the glue used to assemble the cabinets / doors than the type of wood used (oak , Ash ,cherry hickory etc.). I built 40 ft of oak / ash cabinets 5 Years ago using Titebond II glue. The doors are glued and doweled and have been subject to temps from 30 below to 100 deg and none of the doors have deteriorated.
I have never had good luck with veneered MDF holding up to humidity and large temperature changes.

[Dennis mn]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I would venture the guess that the problem with your oak doors is due more to the type of material used / construction method and the glue used to assemble the cabinets / doors than the type of wood used (oak , Ash ,cherry hickory etc.). I built 40 ft of oak / ash cabinets 5 Years ago using Titebond II glue. The doors are glued and doweled and have been subject to temps from 30 below to 100 deg and none of the doors have deteriorated.
I have never had good luck with veneered MDF holding up to humidity and large temperature changes.

I replaced all of the MDF doors in our Scamp with paneled doors of cherry. Since I use Titebond II for all of my woodworking, that is what I used for these doors. I found that the new solid Cherry doors are in fact, lighter in weight than the original vinyl clad MDF.

[bec]

We like the look of the oak in our Escape , it's light and oak is a good hard durable wood that can take a fair bit of wear . Love cherry but I think the cost would go up considerably and wear and tear would be more noticeable . Maple or birch.....natural they get pretty yellow over time ( especially birch - which is often used in place of or passed off as maple ) .... Painted wood ...something I wood do if it were very worn out looking . Foil coated doors ...hmm ..that's just MDF or HDF .....no thanks ....( MDF is heavier ) . Everything ETI uses is really well thought out and cleanly put together . It is easy enough to add " fluff stuff" to dress up and personalize ..... Yup we really like our Escape with the light Oak !

[Burro Bill]

I was buying some lumber for a project a few days ago and as I was lifting some fairly small pieces thought how heavy the campers are with full wood trim. Granted I love wood and they look great but that weight thing. I did replace all my doors with birch wish I could afford birds eye maple! Love that stuff.

[charlsara]

Our LiL Snoozy has light oak cabinetry. There is no MDF or particle board in this trailer. it is all solid oak or oak plywood.

[CASITA BANANA]

The red oak stile-and-rail doors I made for my Casita weigh less than half the weight of the OEM composite.

[Darnelle]

I like all species of real wood, but dislike mdf. The fake oak-look mdf doors in our Scamp are still there only because they are in excellent shape and I have about 700 other projects!

[OhTom]

For me(and this is just me) I think hickory with a clear or "cider" finish is the most beautiful. The lighter tones and varying hues just looks so good. But I haven't seen it done in a trailer. We re-did a bathroom in Hickory in our present home and a complete kitchen in our last home and never tired of it. It appears more natural (and expensive) to my eye.