RV windows for 4" walls ??

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stormbytes

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Contemplating a scratch built "tiny home" style camper trailer. Love the quality and customization that comes with building a tiny home but still see it (mostly) as a travel trailer. Bones will closely resemble a home with a plywood subflooring and outside walls framed in 2x4" lumber, which brings me to my question: I would like to install RV doors and windows. I've not done this before but to my (very limited) knowledge it seems these are meant to be fitted in 1.25-2" walls, where mine will be at least 3.5" thick. Any input on this would be appreciated. While I'm a long way from the actual build, the finished product would (from the outside) look much like a custom cargo trailer outfitted for living quarters. 
 
A simple solution is to simply indent the interior wall for the windows. Rough out the opening with 2x4 as you normally would in a stick house, then inset a 1x2 (or whatever works) inner frame that the RV window can clamp to.
 
If you are building using the wood frame method, and I assume insulation as well. 

Why would you install the least energy efficient windows that are available when you can very easily install some of the best, true insulated double or triple glazed windows with vinyl or fiberglass frames and Low E glass and Argon or Krypton filled.

You can have slider or awning style which operate in the same manner as RV windows.

The wood frame will also be considerably heavier as well. 



 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
A simple solution is to simply indent the interior wall for the windows. Rough out the opening with 2x4 as you normally would in a stick house, then inset a 1x2 (or whatever works) inner frame that the RV window can clamp to.

That occured to me initially, but I thought the indented window sill would look a bit wonky. Probably worth a shot now that I'm hearing it from someone else. The mind works in mysterious ways!
 
Tom Hoffman said:
If you are building using the wood frame method, and I assume insulation as well. 

Why would you install the least energy efficient windows that are available when you can very easily install some of the best, true insulated double or triple glazed windows with vinyl or fiberglass frames and Low E glass and Argon or Krypton filled.

You can have slider or awning style which operate in the same manner as RV windows.

The wood frame will also be considerably heavier as well.

You are correct that the stick frame will be insulated on all sides. The issue with the windows is more of an esthetic consideration. I simply dislike the square, boxy looking conventional house windows. However, you make an excellent point and quite possibly one I should give more thought to. My main gripe with house windows is that they are squared at the corners. If I could find rounded windows, much like those of an RV I would be quite happy to go with the more energy efficient model. Any info you might have on where I might source these would be great. Thanks for the input.
 
Arch Hoagland said:
How much do you think your new house will weigh?

Impossible to say and I haven't come across any convention other than to weight the materials (or finished product). I'll probably just overstate the gross weight when buying the chassis. I've owned a Jayco Jay-Flight 24RKS which had a gross weight of 7000 lbs. This trailer would be about the same length with a heavier frame but more efficient use of space. I'll guess 10k and go with 14k double axles.
 
Arch Hoagland said:
How will you construct the base or will you put it on a premade trailer frame?

I'm going with a trailer chassis designed specifically for tiny homes (which basically means designed "for standard home construction"). Here's a Youtube video showing the frame along with a demo of all the dimensions and design characteristics. The trailer frame is made by a company called Iron Eagle Trailers in Oregon which I believe specializes in tiny home chassis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmMqREa0lWY&t=327s
 
Sounds like an interesting project! If you decide to use RV windows you could finish the difference in depth by making a sleeve that buts to the window and ends at the finished wall. Where the finished wall and sleeve form a corner that can be trimmed out to hide the raw edges. Because the RV windows have radius-ed corners I usually use a flexible material like aluminum or plastic. I have also done it with wood. It is a little pains taking, but the finished product looks clean and contemporary. I liked the wood the best. lt's a little more work up front, but once the radius's are made it goes pretty fast. I cut the radius's from a solid piece of wood. Then fastened them in place at each corner. Then cut the straight sections to fit between each corner. There will be a little fussing around to get them flush. It can also be done by gluing up all the pieces to make a solid sleeve then install it as one piece.

Hope this helps, keep us posted. Tom
 
tc tom said:
Sounds like an interesting project! If you decide to use RV windows you could finish the difference in depth by making a sleeve that buts to the window and ends at the finished wall. Where the finished wall and sleeve form a corner that can be trimmed out to hide the raw edges. Because the RV windows have radius-ed corners I usually use a flexible material like aluminum or plastic. I have also done it with wood. It is a little pains taking, but the finished product looks clean and contemporary. I liked the wood the best. lt's a little more work up front, but once the radius's are made it goes pretty fast. I cut the radius's from a solid piece of wood. Then fastened them in place at each corner. Then cut the straight sections to fit between each corner. There will be a little fussing around to get them flush. It can also be done by gluing up all the pieces to make a solid sleeve then install it as one piece.

Hope this helps, keep us posted. Tom

I did the same thing when putting a sunroof in my old step van. Boxed it out and bent an aluminum trim piece to make up the difference.
 
you can always use the inner frame to trace out the curvature  and make a wood spacer how ever thick you desire
 
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