Exterior Wood Siding

[Tuckersnator]

Hello all. The wife has this crazy idea that we can rip off all the good aluminum siding and replace it with clapboards or some such variant to get a "cabin look". I have tried to tell her that it is a complete waste of good siding and will definitely introduce the potential for leaks. ...She doesn't buy it because others online have done it. Has anyone here done it, (I hope not)? I need ammo as to why not to do it! Thanks for any advice, (and ammo). Or maybe you have done it and I am just being a jerk?

[GalacticSton]

It might add a lot of weight.

You could possibly put something over the aluminum siding using an industrial adhesive like Liquid Nails.

But if you need ammo, I would go with added weight.

[Steve Collins]

Originally Posted by Tuckersnator

Hello all. The wife has this crazy idea that we can rip off all the good aluminum siding and replace it with clapboards or some such variant to get a "cabin look". I have tried to tell her that it is a complete waste of good siding and will definitely introduce the potential for leaks. ...She doesn't buy it because others online have done it. Has anyone here done it, (I hope not)? I need ammo as to why not to do it! Thanks for any advice, (and ammo). Or maybe you have done it and I am just being a jerk?

Unlike conventional housing, there is no vapor barrier or sheathing under the aluminum skin, just insulation and 2x2 studs. Just nailing up siding is an invitation to troubles later on; especially natural wood rustic material. It shrinks and moves over time.

Of even greater concern would be the added weight if you still tow the trailer.

I'd also be very leery of tightness and durability of transition from roof to siding.

And if you still tow it, I think the siding would loosen and eventually begin to blow off.

The only way this would be successful is doing it to a trailer that is 100% permanently sited. Then you could do all kinds of improvements, but at that point it becomes a cabin with RV guts.

[Jim-Bev-2363]

The wood siding conversions that I saw was by people that said they did not intend to tow the camper anymore. If you plan to permanently park the unit then go for it. If not then keep camper as light as possible for gooder fuel mileage and find other ways to make it "pretty". JMO