Cabinet Build-Out
The first thing we are going to admit, is that we are not experts in every field of this process, and for something as important as kitchen cabinets, we wanted perfection, so we hired a carpenter. We considered purchased cabinets from Ikea, installing and modifying them as needed, but with the cost and time spent on modifications to the curved walls and small space, we opted for higher-quality customization.
We purchased 3/4" maple plywood from a local building supply company, a higher grade product than what we could have found at Home Depot or Lowes. Keeping in mind that our airstream will be mostly stationary, we went with a slightly thicker wood than what you'd want to go with if your plans are to be largely mobile. This thicker wood creates a sturdier, more durable build to the cabinets.
In travel trailers, space is limited and storage is crucial, so in designing the cabinets and drawers we pictured what would go in each - did we have a place for large mixing bowls, pots & pans, cooking utensils? We thought about functionality, where you'd want to store each kitchen item based on where the sink and stove top were placed. We purchased soft-close drawers to prevent slamming, and will still need to look into something to keep the drawers and cabinet doors securely closed while on the road.
We sprayed the cabinets with a sandable priner from Miller Paint, then sprayed them with two coats of Durapoxy, also from Miller Paint. We opted for pure white, although you do have the option to add any bit of color into this paint.
In mounting the cabinets to the wall, we screwed in a 2"x2" square piece of wood directly to the aluminum. We then sealed this hold with a construction adhesive, and attached the cabinets to these wood pieces. Using the same adhesive, we caulked the entire outside edge where the cabinets meet the walls, for a guaranteed hold. Knobs and pulls were purchased from Home Depot and are en route as we speak!
