Seeking some remodeling advice

So I picked up this old camper a couple years ago for free.  I believe it is from somewhere around 1980 or so.  It sat for many years and has many problems(broken windows, water damage, busted pipes, busted holding tanks, etc.).  Well, instead of using it one weekend out of the year as a shelter over my head and nothing more, I've decided it's time to do something with this.  I'm wanting to complete remodel this camper from inside out.  I plan on gutting the entire inside and making it into a mobile workshop.  I'm getting rid of all of the appliances, most of the cabinets, all of the furniture, the bathroom, etc.  The bathroom is on the very back of the camper.  I would really like to just cut the entire bathroom off and make it into a porch.  So basically, leave the roof over it.  I want to put some decking down and obviously some posts on the back corners to support the roof.  I picked up a 72"X80" sliding glass door that I would like to install either going to the porch or as my main door on the side of the camper(the old one is being held on by 2 pieces of angle iron after the wind ripped half of the siding and the door almost completely off.  My biggest concern though, being that the camper is as old as it is and has water damage inside the walls...what will happen when I start cutting at the back of the camper?  Any advice when it comes to this?  I'm not looking to put a whole lot of money into this.  Just looking on some suggestions on the simplest way to convert the back 5 feet or so into a porch without causing total destruction.  Another question as well...how does sheetrock hold up in a camper? 

Sheetrock (drywall) is not a good choice - it tends to crack and the joints flex too, busting them open. And vanilla sheetrock is extremely vulnerable to moisture damage - that's why the make a special grade for bathrooms and kitchens. Look for "greenboard" for a moisture-resistant sheetrock product. It's a different composition and surface covering.  Personally, though, I would use a bathroom-rated wallboard or plain old plywood, e.g. luan. There are inexpensive ones around if you hunt for them.

When my friend redid the inside of his he bought large plastic sheets meant for showers and used it like wallboard...he put wooden strips varnished to cover the seams and it came out real nice...

I agree wallboard will just soak up water and fall apart...

Good Luck,

Jim

If it where me i would use corrugated galvanized metal for walls and ceilings, leave existing roof and support the rear corners with galvanized steel pipe, deck flooring just wood planks like flat trailers.

Wigpro said:

When my friend redid the inside of his he bought large plastic sheets meant for showers and used it like wallboard...he put wooden strips varnished to cover the seams and it came out real nice...

I agree wallboard will just soak up water and fall apart...

Good Luck,

Jim

Click to expand...

I did the same way and am glad I did it.  Cleans up easy too.

FRP aka fiberglass reinforced panels are light and waterproof.

There are H shaped strips which get siliconed between sheets to provide some degree of waterproofing