trouble finding low toxin camper

[Lonely Road]

Hi, Margaret here again,

I went and looked at a camper, and even used, it seemed to off gas fairly significantly.

I am allergic to mold and chemically sensitive.

I have to leave my house and neighborhood fairly urgently, and a camper gives me the freedom to be in (at least) a mold-free environment, while I look around for a place that feels best (for my body and lungs).

On the FB mold forums, the Camplite (yes, I know, not Fiberglass), Scamp, and Casita are recommended, but the people who run those groups recommend that the latter two be bought used in a dry climate, so that they have had a chance to off gas (and be--hopefully--mold free).

Camplite had a corporate takeover of sorts, and while better insulated, how has more toxic components and a higher possibility of mold.

I checked out the Oliver website, and it looks great, e.g. no carpeting on walls, etc. etc., but it's super expensive.

Is the Egg no longer made, period?

I went to see the Parkliner, and while the design was really innovative, and the unit was really cute, it definitely off gassed (and this one was used). The manager, who was very nice, said he would be able to customize a lot of stuff, but not everything. The cabinets are made of marine grade plywood, which, according to Wikipedia at least, contains formaldehyde.

I don't know anything about the Lil Snoozy, other than what's on the website. I like the fact that the cabinets don't include any plywood or particle board, but I wonder about the rest of the unit?

I prefer something I can use while boondocking, or even live in full time until my current house sells or rents, and I get enough rent money from it to build a new house.

Thoughts?

Margaret

[charlsara]

The LiL Snoozy doesn't contain any particle board. Except for the doors the cabinets are plywood.


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[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by charlsara

The LiL Snoozy doesn't contain any particle board. Except for the doors the cabinets are plywood.


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Plywood is still sandwiched layers that have been glued together. I thought their cabinets were supposed to be solid wood?

Margaret

[bpfick]

Given your health challenges and in reading your other threads on the subject, you might give serious consideration to foregoing an RV. They are what they are, I'm afraid they're not for everyone and just may not be right for you.

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by bpfick

Given your health challenges and in reading your other threads on the subject, you might give serious consideration to foregoing an RV. They are what they are, I'm afraid they're not for everyone and just may not be right for you.

Hang on here a sec., bpfick and others:

Check out these links:

My Chemical-Free House: Trailers for the Chemically Sensitive

For this one, you have to scroll down to "trailers," which is the word Canadians use for "campers.

Here's another link:

Search for the Cure: My Healing Journey: Safe and mobile housing

I need to leave my house and my neighborhood because of toxicity and possibly mold. I need to find the "right" place to live. What else am I to do?

Off gassing solves a lot of problems, so I'm hoping I might be able to find an "egg" type camper out West somewhere.

Margaret

[David B.]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Plywood is still sandwiched layers that have been glued together. I thought their cabinets were supposed to be solid wood?

Margaret

Mine is solid Red Oak. No plywood except for very thin sheet under the mattress and couch. Dave and Paula

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Plywood is still sandwiched layers that have been glued together. I thought their cabinets were supposed to be solid wood?

Margaret

I have made cabinet doors by gluing up solid Lumber and then running them through a surface planer . ,so you could replace the plywood cabinet doors with solid doors .Be aware that plywood is much more dimensionally stable and will stay flat , where solid wood doors can twist ,warp or split. On many cabinets the face frame and the door rails and stiles are solid Lumber but the cabinet body , shelving and door panels are MDF or in better cabinets veneered plywood.

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by David B.

Mine is solid Red Oak. No plywood except for very thin sheet under the mattress and couch. Dave and Paula

Now we're getting somewhere! What about doors? Bathroom door?

Is the couch vinyl, and if so, can it be custom made into something else?

Did yours off gas much when new?

Sorry about all the questions.

Margaret

[charlsara]

Here is what the factory website says.

Our cabinets are built to last! There is absolutely NO particle/pressed board used in our construction what-so-ever. All of our cabinets are made of quality Red Oak and sealed with two coats of Valspar water resistant lacquer and two coats of Valspar water resistant sealer.

Notice it says Red Oak but does not say solid wood. I have taken some of mine apart to build my side dinette. The cabinet face under the couch and the face piece under the bed is 1/2 oak plywood. The sides of the upper cabinets are the same. The doors and the stiles and rails are solid oak. This is better construction than sawn lumber because the ply will not warp. However is does contain glue. Even if it were solid wood the planks would have to be glued together. I don't think you will find any campers that contain wood that doesn't have some glue.




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[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I have made cabinet doors by gluing up solid Lumber and then running them through a surface planer . ,so you could replace the plywood cabinet doors with solid doors .Be aware that plywood is much more dimensionally stable and will stay flat , where solid wood doors can twist ,warp or split. On many cabinets the face frame and the door rails and stiles are solid Lumber but the cabinet body , shelving and door panels are MDF or in better cabinets veneered plywood.

Those are all good points. That's why a lot of people liked the old Camplite, bc it was all aluminum (with some Adzel).

I would say, in general, the less plywood, the better. And any remaining plywood can be thoroughly sealed with AFM.

Margaret

M

[charlsara]

The bath door is also plywood. The couch is vinyl. When ours was new you could smell the fiberglass when the unit was closed. The smell dissipated over time. We have had the trailer two years and there is no smell.


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[floyd]

How about a cargo trailer then line it with materials you like and equip it with furnishings which are not offensive to you? you could even install HEPA filters on the the vents and run a roof fan to insure clean air.

[charlsara]

The LiL Snoozy people will sell you a shell. Then you could have the interior built the way you want. I considered doing this. They priced it about half the price of the completed unit. My wife said if I did that we would never go camping. The build
would be fairly easy because the LS furniture is not required to stiffen the body as some others are.


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[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by charlsara

The bath door is also plywood. The couch is vinyl. When ours was new you could smell the fiberglass when the unit was closed. The smell dissipated over time. We have had the trailer two years and there is no smell.


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Thank you for that, Charlsara,

How long did it take for the smell to wear off?

Do you like the camper?

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by floyd

How about a cargo trailer then line it with materials you like and equip it with furnishings which are not offensive to you? you could even install HEPA filters on the the vents and run a roof fan to insure clean air.

Floyd, do you mean like a box truck, or a cargo trailer that is being sold as a camper, and that has been plumbed and wired?

I don't want to do plumbing and wiring.

I knew I could rely on the folks in this forum!!

Margaret

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by charlsara

Here is what the factory website says.

Our cabinets are built to last! There is absolutely NO particle/pressed board used in our construction what-so-ever. All of our cabinets are made of quality Red Oak and sealed with two coats of Valspar water resistant lacquer and two coats of Valspar water resistant sealer.

Notice it says Red Oak but does not say solid wood. I have taken some of mine apart to build my side dinette. The cabinet face under the couch and the face piece under the bed is 1/2 oak plywood. The sides of the upper cabinets are the same. The doors and the stiles and rails are solid oak. This is better construction than sawn lumber because the ply will not warp. However is does contain glue. Even if it were solid wood the planks would have to be glued together. I don't think you will find any campers that contain wood that doesn't have some glue.



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I think you're right. There probably isn't a camper that doesn't contain plywood! So, my choices are . . . either sealing the whole thing with a non off gassing sealer, or, going out West . . . .

[Lonely Road]

Originally Posted by charlsara

The LiL Snoozy people will sell you a shell. Then you could have the interior built the way you want. I considered doing this. They priced it about half the price of the completed unit. My wife said if I did that we would never go camping. The build
would be fairly easy because the LS furniture is not required to stiffen the body as some others are.


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

Now that's an interesting idea!

What about plumbing and wiring?

Margaret

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Hang on here a sec., bpfick and others:

Check out these links:

My Chemical-Free House: Trailers for the Chemically Sensitive

For this one, you have to scroll down to "trailers," which is the word Canadians use for "campers.

Here's another link:

Search for the Cure: My Healing Journey: Safe and mobile housing

I need to leave my house and my neighborhood because of toxicity and possibly mold. I need to find the "right" place to live. What else am I to do?

Off gassing solves a lot of problems, so I'm hoping I might be able to find an "egg" type camper out West somewhere.

Margaret

Kind of have to agree with bpfick but on a little different tack. My wife lived in NC for many years and mold and such was typical just because of the everyday weather and east coast location. Many people have moved from cold, wet and humid climates for asthma relief with many successes....I'm one too. Moving to a different climate may reduce your overall sensitivity. Just a thought, good luck to you.

[RV Rabbit]

if you do a search you might find a NOS Camplite trailer which would be all aluminum...I've seen several 11F models...

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by Lonely Road

Floyd, do you mean like a box truck, or a cargo trailer that is being sold as a camper, and that has been plumbed and wired?



I don't want to do plumbing and wiring.



I knew I could rely on the folks in this forum!!



Margaret

I have just built a cargo trailer into an RV from scratch starting with the raw already built cargo trailer and RV'd it up the way I wanted exactly.

I have no idea about your threshold for the various materials and how you might tolerate certain items but I do know that you could sure build one from scratch exactly the way you want and need it to be.

When I mean you I mean either you or an experienced builder or manufacturer.

Many of the better companies will indeed custom build to order and roll one for you as you think you want and need.

Mine was Steel,Aluminum and Plywood when I got it and it would be pretty simple top replace the Plywood if needed or somehow seal it to your needs even.

You can also get an interior this way that has only what you need and nothing that you don't.

There are adhesives commonly used in these cargo rigs that you might not realize are used too but they can sure do it another way if that is what you want?

I like Pro Line Trailers in N.H. as an example of a smaller custom builder that would make it the way you want.
Look them up and give them a call,I have and was surprised and excited at the willingness they have to make it my way!

Listen to Floyd,He knows things!