Owning a travel trailer can be extremely useful whether you are an avid camper or enjoy going camping on occasion. These campers can take a long time to manufacture since the companies must be sure they are made using only the best quality materials. The outer body of the travel trailer and the interior can both be designed using various materials. That gives the owner the freedom to customize their trailer to add various features to the construction of their RV trailer.
Some travel trailers will have plywood construction on the interior, and others may feature fibreglass or other materials for their construction.
One material that is commonly used with travel trailers is Azdel. This material is considered to be of higher quality than plywood and offers several benefits to travel trailer owners. However, there are also several disadvantages to using Azdel that you should know about.
What is Azdel?
Azdel is a type of composite board material used in the construction of travel trailers. Instead of plywood, you can use it to give your RV trailer an exciting and unique look to provide the owner with a trailer body that is resistant to several factors.
Azdel is commonly used today by top travel trailer manufactures. It is often used for the interior design of a trailer in contrast to plywood or Luan material. These composite boards are lighter than wood and provide more protection to your trailer. They make excellent dividers on the inside or outside of your travel trailer.
The Most Common Disadvantages of Using Azdel
While Azdel may be commonly used in the manufacturing process, not all companies will utilize this material when creating their travel trailers. Or they may not use Azdel in all areas of their trailers. Azdel can be very useful when customizing a travel trailer exactly how you want it to look and helping the trailer way less.
Delamination
The most common issue that travel trailer owners have with Azdel is delamination. It is the process where the outer layer of the trailer made from fiberglass begins to separate from the plywood behind it slowly.
Some travel trailer manufacturers may use gel coating to keep the plywood and fiberglass attached, making delamination even worse. Azdel can sometimes help slow down the process, but even if you use it on the exterior of your travel trailer, the material will delaminate eventually.
The only way to prevent this from occurring early is to keep up with regular maintenance on your trailer.
Maintenance on your travel trailer can include cleaning your vehicle and wiping away any water or moisture left behind by rain or early morning dew. It would be best to store your vehicle in a location where it will not be exposed to the outdoor elements.
Unfortunately, even after taking these steps, some owners will still notice delamination occurring on their vehicles. There are repair kits available to correct issues with delamination, and these kits can range between $200 and $300.
While that is often more than some trailer owners want to pay, it is necessary because your vehicle is more susceptible to damage once it begins to delaminate. It can lead to further issues such as the rotting of plywood on the inside of your vehicle. Therefore, it is best to stop delamination from spreading as soon as you notice the problem.
Azdel is highly desirable due to the customizations it allows. But users must maintain water tightness in their coach. Otherwise, once the plywood gets wet, the material can become more of a nuisance than an advantage.
Costly
Azdel is a great lightweight material that is considered 50% lighter than Luan, also known as plywood, which is another popular material used for constructing travel trailers and campers. It is more durable and lasts longer than plywood while also providing you with more protection.
When you consider all the benefits of Azdel, you may wonder why many manufacturers still choose to use plywood instead. The reason is that Azdel can be extremely expensive, and it can cost you a fortune to have a travel trailer made with this product instead of using plywood.
However, if you have the budget to purchase a trailer or camper made with more Azdel material than plywood, you should do so. The product is a definite upgrade from using plywood alone.
No Warranty
Azdel can be a great product to use in your travel trailer, camper, or other recreational vehicles. However, it would help if you kept in mind that there are no warranty services provided with the use of this product.
If Azdel becomes damaged, the owners will have to compensate for the damages on their own, no matter how long they have owned the vehicle. Another major issue that owners have with using Azdel is if they order the product and never receive it.
The company only offers their customers a refund of around 10% of the price they paid if they never receive the product after placing an order. That can be highly frustrating after investing so much into the product.
All consumers considering using this product should be cautious since purchasing anything this costly without a warranty is often a considerable risk.
Possible Fire Hazard and Odor
Those considering using Azdel in their travel trailer should be aware of the potential fire hazard of the material. While rare, the severe overheating of Azdel composites can result in auto-ignition.
If there is a sustained fire, you must wear a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Azdel can produce an odor due to resin processing fumes. However, the odor is generally not offensive to most owners.
Purchasing a travel trailer made from Azdel material may allow you to customize your trailer exactly how you want it. But it would help if you kept in mind there are several disadvantages to using this material.
Doing your own research on this product and the other commonly used materials involved in manufacturing travel trailers will help guarantee you have invested your money wisely. You will have a trailer that is strong and sturdy enough to withstand many years of use.
