Where can I drill/screw?

Fourman110

Starting to plan several mods but it dawned on me I need to know where I can attach things in my 2018 T@G Boondock. How thick is the wood above the countertop on the back wall? Anybody screw something to the hatch cover like a paper towel bar (and if so, what type of screw did you use)?

LuckyJ

The back wall is about 3/8" thick. Remove one of the screews frm one of the rack and you will have a good idea of how long the screews need to be.

As for the hatch, the wood skin is very thin. Could be aluminium cross brace in there, but do not know where they are. A stud detector could help.

Michigan_Mike

Be careful with the hatch as it's paper thin, dents easily and the only place to drill would be as Luc noted, in an aluminum cross member piece. You could consult with the factory on the support locations and consider using Command strips on the interior walls for things like pictures, etc. The heavier Command strips work great!

LuckyJ

@Michigan_Mike i know about command strips, and that many people as used them, but I am a little worried that the surface layer of the iner board would peel. And since you already know that I will not use screws unles it is in hard wood or aluminium, that leave me with but a few option.

But maybe I am over stressing about that.

Lightningdon

I am not an expert, nor did I actually measure the thickness of the wood on the backsplash panel, but if similar to the interior panel, you only have 1/2" thick panels. I have opened up the interior plenum area, and you can see the inside supports there. Perhaps a stud finder as Lucky mentioned would work.

LuckyJ

@Lightningdon 1/2" panels (venner in this case) is plenty strong, unless he is planing on building a pation from that point. but you never see 1/2" on camping trailer outwall. It would be nice, but itrailers would be heavy! Even mobile home ( or afordable housing) using thin wall paneling for outer shell and even iner walls.

Lightningdon

Lucky, the panels are a very lightweight wood. I would not put much faith in screws holding under much of a load unless the screw hit the inside supports back there.

LuckyJ

@Lightningdon you said 1/2". If they are 1/2" they will be plenty strong, if it is wood. This is what I based my afirmation on. Unless it is not 1/2" of wood.

Personaly, I am not to worry about the wood panels. But if it is not wood, like outer walls, this is a different story.

Lightningdon

The problem is that the plywood is not your typical furniture grade plywood. It has a very lightweight core. Maybe bassswood? Factory may be able to provide a better answer. I would not expect very much holding power if a screw is just into the plywood panel. It's OK for lightweight utensil racks and such, but I would not want to rely on screws only in the plywood for anything heavy. Hit the internal structure and it would be fine. Just not in the ply panel only.

LuckyJ

@Lightningdon ok, I did not went that far into fixing heavy stuff.

Thanks!