Wheel

How to Build a Tiny House on Wheels

Do you want to build a tiny house on wheels? I get asked this question all the time. As an architect and builder, I spend a lot of my time talking to people. This means I get asked a lot of questions and one of them is pretty common: how do you build a tiny house on wheels? Most people want to know if they can build the house too, and if not are interested in learning more.

Design your tiny house and lay out the loft

When you’re building a tiny house on wheels, it’s important to know the distance between the walls of your home. This will help you design the floor plan for your tiny home and determine how many square feet you have available for your loft.

If you’re just starting out, it’s best to keep things simple. You can always add on later if need be.

  • The first step is to determine how big you want your loft to be and where it should be located in relation to the rest of your home. Once you’ve decided on the dimensions, lay out the loft using a chalk line or string line. This will help give you an idea of how much space there is between the walls and where furniture might go in relation to them.
  • You’ll also want to consider whether or not there will be any doors or openings cut into the wall that divides your loft from other parts of your tiny house on wheels

Build a trailer to fit your design

Building a tiny house on wheels is a great way to have the freedom to travel, without the hassle of renting or buying one.

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge, here are some tips for starting your project.

1. Choose your trailer type

There are three main types of trailers for tiny houses: flatbed, fifth wheel or gooseneck. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, gooseneck trailers can be towed by any vehicle with a hitch, but they don’t offer as much storage space inside the trailer as flatbeds do.

Flatbeds offer more storage space but are harder to tow because they need special equipment that can handle their weight distribution. Fifth wheels can only be towed by special trucks equipped with a fifth wheel hitch which makes them more expensive and less versatile than other types of trailers.

2. Choose a trailer manufacturer

When shopping for a trailer manufacturer, it’s important to find one that will work with your lifestyle and budget expectations. Some companies specialize in certain types of trailers, while others can build whatever you want from tiny houses to Class A motorhomes from scratch or customize an existing model to fit your needs and specifications.

Add a subfloor

A subfloor is the foundation of your tiny house, and it’s the first step in building a tiny house on wheels. This can be as simple as laying down plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board). If you’re installing radiant floor heating, you’ll want to make sure you have a vapor barrier between the plywood or OSB and the ground.

Build the walls

After your subfloor is installed, it’s time to install your walls. You can install these yourself if you have some experience in construction, but we recommend hiring a professional contractor for this step.

Build the roof

You can build a tiny house on wheels with just a few tools. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Build the roof.
  2. Install the plumbing.
  3. Put up the walls, floor and ceiling panels.
  4. Add insulation, drywall, cabinets and other finishing touches.

Construct a loft ladder

Building a loft ladder is one of the most important steps in building your tiny home on wheels. It’s a challenge to figure out how to build a loft ladder that is sturdy, safe and affordable.

The good news: You don’t need any special contractors or tools to build it yourself.

I’m going to show you how to build a simple loft ladder that will make it easy for you to access your sleeping area. It will also make it easier for your guests to get up into your tiny living space.

Add insulation and vapor barrier

We’re going to build a tiny house on wheels! I’m going to show you how to build the foundation, frame, walls, roof and everything else that goes into building a tiny house.

This project will be broken down into several parts:

  • Foundation – This post will cover how to build a simple foundation for your tiny house on wheels.
  • Framing – This post will cover how to frame out your tiny house on wheels with 2x4s and plywood sheathing.
  • Insulation – In this post we’ll add insulation and a vapor barrier before we install drywall or paneling.
  • Exterior siding – In this post we’ll add siding and trim around the outside of your tiny house on wheels so it looks nice!

Place subfloor and flooring on loft

Building a tiny house is not just about building the walls and roof. You also need to build the floor.

There are two ways to go about doing this:

  1. Laying down plywood sheets and adding flooring on top of them
  2. Building the floor out of 2x6s and attaching them directly to the floor joists

If you’re going with option 1, then you’ll want to use plywood sheets that are at least 6mm thick (8mm is better if you can get it). If you’re using a regular old utility knife to cut these pieces, make sure you have plenty of clamps because it’s going to be hard work!

Conclusion

Ultimately, though small in size, tiny houses serve as a tool for real change. If a person living in a large home on top of a hill can build a tiny house and reduce the environmental impact of their housing need, for instance, that’s good for our world. Tiny houses can keep people from making hasty moves to bigger houses; they can curb wasteful spending on large purchases and encourage savings; they even represent spending time with loved ones instead of money.