RV maker stands out with innovative wood cabinetry

As a company that specializes in architectural details, our wooden components have appeared in a wide variety of interior designs.

So when an RV manufacturer sought our help with their camper trailer cabinetry, we were confident we could meet their expectations.

The project was out of the ordinary for both companies. The customer typically preferred to produce their own components, and we had yet to work within this industry.

However, we are accustomed to meeting the unique challenges our customers bring us each day, and our reputation for quality landed us the job.

Here are three ways we helped this market-leading company implement their new trailer designs.

Round doors improve appearance, functionality

The first project was a distinctive feature for a camper kitchenette. The lower cabinet doors needed to match the contour of a half-round countertop with circular sink.

The curved doors did more than give the camper a sleek, modern appearance. They saved precious interior space, allowed for 180 degree access to the sink and prevented sharp corners from intruding into the walkway.

While Rockwood has long-standing experience manufacturing curved components, there were other important issues we needed to address.

Keeping the doors as light as possible was a must for this application. The company spends countless hours ensuring their products meet vehicle towing specifications. By reducing weight, we could add value.

The material also needed to be durable as it would likely see heavy use. We worked with the customer to review wood species that could offer the right balance of weight and hardness properties.

The project was ultimately a success and the curved cabinet is now an eye-catching detail in the camper’s floor plan.

A design to prevent warranty claims

Next, the customer turned to us for a larger, flat door with a wood veneer surface.

The company initially considered building the door in-house using standard ¾ inch plywood. However, there were important considerations that led them to partner with Rockwood.

The campers in this application feature full bathrooms. Due to moisture exposure, doors had to be built to resist warpage. Twisting or racking would hurt both their appearance and functionality, potentially leading to warranty claims.

Rockwood needed to find a way to add to the door’s structure without increasing weight.

We developed the capability to create a 5-ply door with a honeycomb core that could meet tight tolerances. Within the door are layers of high density fiberboard and strategically placed harwood blocking for hardware mounting.

By using a hot press, which Rockwood relies on daily for door panel production, we ensured the door was constructed to the highest standards.

We refined our processes, identified the most effective manufacturing methods and ultimately satisfied the customer’s requirements. As a result, the customer has not experienced warranty issues with our door design and has come to rely on Rockwood as a trusted partner.

Edge-banding for curved plywood components

Another unique cabinet project required us to again be creative in our approach.

This time an overhead cabinet called for a curved door that opens vertically, similar to an airplane luggage compartment. As with the previous designs, weight was a key consideration. Using our experience we selected the correct core to meet the required specs for the project.

In addition, the veneer face of the door required edge banding of the same species. Because the door was not flat, a standard edge banding machine could not be used.

Rockwood developed a process to apply banding to the curved edge, creating an attractive door that now appears in several camper models.

Let us bring your design to life

This company initially contacted Rockwood because our commitment to high-quality products matched theirs. But these projects also demonstrate Rockwood’s ability to embrace new ways to solve problems.

We are continuing to explore how we can help companies in a variety of industries enhance their products with curved components and wood details. When you need customized solutions to meet one-of-a-kind challenges, you can rely on Rockwood.