Real wood, not particle board...

[Steve N Sal]

Curly1, quite a debate going on here with plenty of info. Anyway, welcome to the forum and glad you joined us. Good luck in your search and hope you find the coach that works best for you. Hope to see you down the road.

[John S.]

I have seen how Foretravel builds cabinets. It is solid wood and they will remove material fo, sections to lighten the coach. Think a few small holes where it does not affect the strength or use ability but does help lower the weight. They make great motorhomes by the way.

[tropical36]

Originally Posted by Curly1

New to the forum, greetings all.

I'm in the market for a class A Motor Home. Being a bit of a builder, I really like quility wood cabinets and walls that feel like they are not made of cardboard, not the partical board stuff that has become so prevalent in RV kitchens.
I was in a used Airstream Motor Home yesterday and it was of pretty nice quality. Many of the others on the lot were just cheap feeling.

My question is, what are some of the Motor Home brands that are considered "upper end".

My intention is not to start a "Ford V. Chevy" debate, just trying to educate myself.

Thank you.
Curly

Firstly, real particle board is extremely heavy and don't know why any coach builder would use it over other cheap materials. Our old coach has solid wood for the cabinet doors, but think some other material for some of the framework and it very well could be particle board, covered over. Still for it's age, it's held up well and probably one of the top gas coaches in the industry at the time.
I've been a National fan for buying older and used, even though they've been out of business for some time now.
As for chevy, workhorse or ford and taking that literally, that's for a chassis discussion. As for any gas puller, nowadays, it would really have to be high end to compete with the quality of high end DP's and it always boils down to money, with not many saying that it's not an object to consider.
For a used DP and quality on a budget, I'd probably drop back to a 2006 Fleetwood Revolution which is actually an American with same like quality and built on a Spartan chassis.

[divad]

X3- also a builder & woodworker.

[Pablo77]

Originally Posted by F117plt

If you want real wood, stay away from Damon or Thor.

Wrong! Many Thor products are solid wood. On a par with Holiday Rambler and others. Many motorhomes use vinyl coverings over less expensive woods, including Holiday Rambler and others. These are still solid wood, not particle board or composites. For example, on my coach there is a combination of solid cherry, cherry veneer over plywood and vinyl over pine. No, it's not all solid cherry but it is solid wood....no particle board, etc.

[F117plt]

Originally Posted by Pablo77

Wrong! Many Thor products are solid wood. On a par with Holiday Rambler and others. Many motorhomes use vinyl coverings over less expensive woods, including Holiday Rambler and others. These are still solid wood, not particle board or composites. For example, on my coach there is a combination of solid cherry, cherry veneer over plywood and vinyl over pine. No, it's not all solid cherry but it is solid wood....no particle board, etc.

Solid wood covered by vinyl, lol. Now that really is funny.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by F117plt

Solid wood covered by vinyl, lol. Now that really is funny.

100% Genuine faux finish

[Pablo77]

Originally Posted by F117plt

Solid wood covered by vinyl, lol. Now that really is funny.

I am simply distinguishing between solid (real) wood and composite/particleboard. Real wood covered with vinyl is still real wood, despite what you think. And, what is your REAL wood covered with? A lacquer or varnish over a stain.
Please explain why my comments are so funny. I'm looking forward to being educated. I thought I was fairly knowledgable on this subject. Apparently I have something I can learn from you.

[F117plt]

Originally Posted by Pablo77

I am simply distinguishing between solid (real) wood and composite/particleboard. Real wood covered with vinyl is still real wood, despite what you think. And, what is your REAL wood covered with? A lacquer or varnish over a stain.
Please explain why my comments are so funny. I'm looking forward to being educated. I thought I was fairly knowledgable on this subject. Apparently I have something I can learn from you.

Most buyers of motorhomes would not consider anything covered in vinyl "real wood.". If it meets your needs fine, but don't kid yourself about the quality of that product. Oh, and don't get it wet, you wont like what happens. BTW, my "real wood" is as good as any you will find in high quality furniture. You may think you are knowledgeable about what "real wood" is, but you don't seem very aware of what quality Is in motorhomes. The OP asked what to avoid, surely vinyl covered anything should be avoided.

[JohnRR]

I guess it's time to mention that many people have different points of view, let's leave it at that.

[Scarab0088]

to the OP - still only 1 post!

Originally Posted by F117plt

If you want real wood, stay away from Damon or Thor.

It is erroneous to make a generalization like the one above.
So, like John points out above - lets talk facts vs. point of view.

My Damon is free of particle board (or any MDF products). It has solid wood cabinets, drawers and frames in the kitchen, bath and dinette. Even the large expanse walls are high quality ply and matching veneer (wood - not vinyl)...IN A CLASS A TOY HAULER!
-AND-
Thor RV is 21 brands of towable RV's including Airstream - PLUS - Thor Motor Coach (TMC) with RV's from very nice entry level coach's, and revolutionary RV's, to the serious luxury rigs.
Recreational Vehicles - Thor Industries, Inc.

Those that slam Thor in broad-based critiques could have a sad experience with an entry level Damon from the past or are rehashing the Palazzo Slide fiasco...and that is too bad. Thor RV makes many very good products...I have owned 2 of them...

I searched high and low for a high quality TT - Found my Dutchmen Denali - Loved it!
Then I searched high and low for a high quality Class A - Found my Damon - LOVE IT!

Don't "drink the Kool-Aid" and assume any brand is automatically the best...or in this case...made of all real wood

Safe travels

[ChileRick]

To the OP,

After suffering through 2 years of the vinyl cover poplar cabinet fascias de-laminating in our Winnebago and 200 days in the shop, mostly to have these parts replaced, we asked Winnebago which of their coaches had solid wood, not covered wood fascias on their cabinets. The answer at that time was "only the Tours". And things always change. What was used in one model last year, may not be what is used currently or in the year/model you decide you like.

We would recommend that you find the coach you like and then ask the question, about that particular coach, of the manufacturer.

[John S.]

Why I love my Foretravel and Born Free. Nothing but real wood. THey oil the wood and I just had a new doors made up for the DVRs with lovers for the FT. They came as raw wood. It was cherry so I put it on the screen porch in the sun for a day and it matched like it was put on in the beginning. It is real oak and screws in the Born Free. We tried to avoid the wrap as they do not age like wood and you can tell what is wrap then and what is wood.

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by F117plt

Most buyers of motorhomes would not consider anything covered in vinyl "real wood.". If it meets your needs fine, but don't kid yourself about the quality of that product. Oh, and don't get it wet, you wont like what happens. BTW, my "real wood" is as good as any you will find in high quality furniture. You may think you are knowledgeable about what "real wood" is, but you don't seem very aware of what quality Is in motorhomes. The OP asked what to avoid, surely vinyl covered anything should be avoided.

I hope F R gets your slide outs pulled out and put back in without issue and the chipped tiles replaced quickly. As John said - there are varying degrees of acceptable quality and plenty of choices to go around. It has been my experience that no wood likes to be wet. Water belongs outside the Motorhome - not inside soaking into the wrapped, laminated, particle board, plywood or hardwood. My Bounder has a mixture of wood and wood products - as have all Bounders from their humble beginnings. Plenty of the early Bounders still on the road and in excellent condition inside and out. Are they mansions on wheels - nope - but they have a longevity about them that bespeaks a certain kind of quality. Good luck and Safe Travels.