Question: What are some good natural material options for tiny trailer homes?
Owen: Good options include cellulose or wool insulation (especially in the roof), straw/clay wall insulation with wood siding or paneling on both sides. Exterior grade vertical groove plywood siding is a popular choice (T-111). On top of this you could add trim boards to create a more pleasing batt and board appearance. Loose straw insulation without clay slurry is a fire hazard and could attract rodents. Mix the straw with thin clay slurry. Add a layer of plywood all around for shear strength (the T-111 would work fine). In addition, you could add 1/4″ plywood on the interior and shoot thin paneling on top with a brad gun. I’ve done this with excellent results. Check out thin aspen paneling. Aspen wood is light colored and will help make a small space look larger and more pleasant. Recycled wood works great too, and an obvious choice for floors. The brads leave tiny holes that are easy to fill with wood putty (use the soft, creamy kind that you can wipe off with a rag). Pre-finish the interior paneling outside with the boards laid flat to avoid runs and stinking up your home.
Wouldn’t rice hulls make an excellent insulating material. They are rated at R-45 and are light weight.
No fire hazard then.
Maybe with a slurry solution to for consistency.
That’s another good option, thanks.