Attach shelves to wall

crowsnest

We took out the TV and bracket and want to know if we can mount shelves to the wall for lightweight stuff. Thanks 

VictoriaP

It would help to know the year and model of your trailer as TV locations differ, but generally, the answer is No. The exterior walls aren’t designed to hold weight, being of a laminated sandwich construction (no studs). The interior walls are generally thin or hollow. Depending on the model & year, there may be spots on interior walls that you can anchor into, that either are already reinforced or can be further reinforced as a DIY.

Tabaz

Agree with VictoriaP - the walls are simply thin laminate materials over a Styrofoam core.  Also, the wood valances may not be attached to a structural material.  Please proceed with caution. 

Tabaz

Here was my experience with adding a shelf:
https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/12640/extra-shelf-for-320-not-recommended-by-owner#latest

manyman297

A lot depends on your model. I have a FLIR thermal camera and have identified multiple areas where there are aluminum “studs” embedded in the sandwiched walls. On our 2021 400 the tv looks to be mounted to a vertical stud. There are also studs that hold the entire wardrobe assembly to the wall as well. I know there are others but they escape me at the moment.

techietab

I've seen a handful of T@b 320 owners on Youtube that have added a folding table below the TV area, which is a wood panel behind the veneer (or at least, it is in my 2022 320 S). They used folding wall brackets like these: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Whale-Stainless-Hardware-Brackets/dp/B01N5YH7XH

I wouldn't trust anything heavy on it, but it seems like it's doable.

crowsnest

Ok. Looks like it’s a bad idea. Thanks 

VictoriaP

@crowsnest It’s not a bad idea. We just can’t tell you how much work it will be, or if it’s doable at all, without knowing what your year and model are.

For example, the 320 series underwent a major change with the 2021 model. The interior wall @techietab described in their 2022 as wood is actually hollow in my 2019. I might be able to do the same mod, but not without reinforcing that wall, which might be easily doable or might not, depending on how I go about it. Others with my Tab generation have removed the TV on that wall and built a small cubby into that hollow space to hold very small and lightweight items, like a place to put your phone. Likewise, @manyman297 has found studs in the 400 exterior walls…we have information from nuCamp complete with diagrams that show such supports don’t exist in the 320.

If you give us more information, we can advise. But without it, the safe answer is “don’t do it”.

techietab

VictoriaP said:

The interior wall @techietab described in their 2022 as wood is actually hollow in my 2019.

To be entirely clear for future readers in this thread - it's specifically plywood + a hollow space (with some vertical PVC pipe for wiring runs) + followed by the bathroom wall on the other side of the hollow space. You could probably secure a shelf decently well with toggle anchors, or even wood screws. You'd want to be careful not to drill/screw into the PVC (one is roughly aligned with removable panel in the microwave compartment,  one is behind the TV mount), and make sure to use shelf brackets that are braced at approximately 45 degrees to distribute load.

It's also worth noting - the area with the recessed 'nook' for the TV VESA mount hardware seems to put a decent load on the wall, especially when the mount arm is extended...so it's not like the wall is incapable of supporting a load. You'll just want to be careful that it doesn't support too heavy of a load (though it's not really clear what the actual weight limit would be).

crowsnest

Thanks again for the input. We’re coming up with alternatives to attaching to the wall (shelves that have legs)

ScottG

VictoriaP said:

...

Others with my Tab generation have removed the TV on that wall and built a small cubby into that hollow space to hold very small and lightweight items, like a place to put your phone.

...

@crowsnest, I did this in my 2015 320. Here's another version.

Again, it's hard to advise without knowing your model and year.

Homebodyatheart

Just a FYI if you switch walls: Since you’re in a hanging stuff mode, here’s a pic of your Adzel walls in the rest of your Tab. It pays to know your rig. Happy camping!

Mickerly

I just finished some air conditioning mods to my 2018 CS (mounted in the upper cabinet by the lavatory). I had a lot of things disassembled. The outside walls are Adzel: Styrofoam with a thin coating on both sides. the Ceiling is and aluminum frame with Styrofoam insulation. The outside is a thin sheet of aluminum. The inside is thin wood paneling, depending on the year there may be a coating to look like wall paper. I wouldn't trust any of these to support weight. NuCamp doubles this with 1/2inch plywood where they needed more strength.

The only real walls are around the lavatory. There aren't many studs, but they are there. The TV mount and the box around it were framed in wood in my 2018. There was one stud about 3 inches from the corner of the lavatory and another about 4 inches from the outside wall, where the lavatory sink plumbing access attaches. The sink moved in 2020, this access may be missing in newer trailers.

If you needed to support weight, use the lavatory wall or run braces down to the dinette seat frame.

Sharon_is_SAM

@Mickerly - the outside of the TaB roof is a single sheet of aluminum, but the walls from the outside in are:  Alufiber, Azdel, aluminum framing with foam fill, Azdel, then the inside wall finish of some kind of thin vinyl.  

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/141766#Comment_141766