The Trailer 1.3: The Walls Come Down

Start of Day - Sunday Morning

                                    














Progress has been made.  The center section of the trailer has been dismantled.

The removal took a bit of a different turn than initially expected.  The initial removal concept was to start at one end and move to the other.  However, upon considering the existing structure, which is fairly minimal and realizing the 1/8" plywood paneling (luan board) was probably a structural diaphragm, removing the walls took a different turn.

To me, it made more sense to remove the central part of the structure because it was essentially open space, had less holding it together than the two rooms at either end which could support themselves independently.  And that is what was done. 

The removal sequence was:
1   Remove all the interior trim, fixtures;
2   Remove the three walls separating the bathroom from mechancial / laundry and
     kitchen.
3   Remove the interior ceiling, insulation and vapor barrier.
4   Remove the galvanized metal roof.
5   Remove the interior wall materials (gyp wall board, luan board and insulation)
6   Remove the windows.
7   Remove the aluminum trim and skin.  (At this point all that is left are the studs and roof
     trusses).
8   Remove the roof trusses and cut sections of the wall and remove them in sections with
     the truss removal.




The result...all digits, toes and appendages are intact, nothing fell on the head, and it was a fairly surgical process of deconstruction.

I have yet to take the aluminum to the recycler and will provide a material weight on that.  Most screws are saved to be sent to the recycler as were staples....and there are a lot of staples used on the project. 

The water heater was drained and removed.  Don't know if I will sell it or recycle.  It is a relatively new (2010) 40 gallon gas fired water heater.  Someone may want it...and selling it will offset the dumpster cost.

The dumpster is at least 3/4 full at this time.

It was a long day of work on Sunday and rather than pull screws from the studs...they went into the dumpster...and some of the studs were pretty rotten.  I was tired.

We opened up a new view to the beautiful old tree on the North side and more will be revealed in the next two weeks.

At some point I will post the construction section of the trailer. It is interesting to note how minimally constructed the trailer was...and how long it lasted.

 

    End of day - Sunday