Trailer Storage Suggestions

[Cgmonkman]

Hi, We were going to build a pole barn to cover our trailer when not in use. The permitting process and design have nearly doubled the anticipated cost. We get pitch and dirt from nearby trees that dirty the trailer. Any suggestions for type and applicability of purchasing a water/snow proof cover for the trailer?

[Bluto]

What model and year is your trailer?

I think it will all depend if you have the newer Clearcoat or the older Plasticoat finish or if you have no coating.

Covering a trailer is possible but it will have some side effects like chafing the finish in spots where the cover rubs. I had a cover on an older trailer and I accepted the side effects cause they were better than what happened to the trailer when it was not covered.

[PharmGeek]

what is the distinction with the "newer clearcoat"...I have a new AS on order for october so interested...I will be likely going the pole barn route...pouring the concrete pad today or tomorrow I am told...

Still waiting on quotes from a couple contractors for the pole barn construction...

If your search this site, there are a few really decent threads with various designs shown off

Carport.com has a pretty cheap product...looks NOT very good thought IMO.

I really like many of the pole barn designs out there

SteelmastersUSA has some nice metal pole barn options...for a 32 x 14 roof cover it was going to be about 6,200k for materials alone...

Depending on the size you need to cover, if you plan on concrete or pea gravel...if any grading will be done...what materials you choose in which part of the country...it does appear to get costly rather quick...

I had to have 2 trees removed (900 bucks)...some digging to fix grade (700 bucks)...concrete pour job including materials and labor is running me about 1500...

I will have to wait till spring to build the pole barn to recoop funds :O

[PharmGeek]

my thread I believe has a number of links posted by AF users to various resources, ideas, some photos of their barns/covers..etc...some other threads are out there too

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458...-106125-3.html

[Bluto]

Clearcoat is like the clearcoat on your car and should be treated the same. It is applied to the aluminum sheets before Airstream receives them.
Plasticoat is a formula that was used prior to 1999 that was sprayed over the whole trailer after it was put together. It was a softer finish and tended to peel off after a few years. It had to be stripped and reapplied about every 6 years to keep it looking nice.
IMO the new clearcoat is a much better product.
I've owned both.

[Cgmonkman]

Our Safari is a 20 foot 2007 model. Not sure about the finish. Thanks for the info about the pole barn designs. Will look them over. Where I live the delivered cost for a concrete pad is about $350/yard (ughhhh) and the county permitter's want me to dig 18" holes 4 feet deep which will kill 4 wonderful douglas fir trees on the property. Don't want to do that. I may have to bite the bullet and pour a foundation and build something a bit more substantial. Darn building codes!!!!!!!!