Skirting your Tiny House RV

Kasl Family Tiny House RV skirt: Concrete Panels & Straw Bales. Photo credit. 

What is “Skirting” and Why is it Recommended? 

Skirting is insulating material tucked around the bottom of your trailer, reducing the amount of cold air flowing under your trailer, therefore protecting exposed utilities and increasing heat efficiency. Even though the Tumbleweed trailer allows for 3 1/2 inches of insulation in the floor, trailer skirting is still recommended in extremely cold climates. It’s a great way to reduce your heat bills!

Five Options for Tiny House RV Skirting:

Engineered Canvas / Fabric / Concrete Panels: There are many companies out there that make custom RV skirts. Advantages: Proven efficiency, snug fit, low maintenance and often covered by warranty. Disadvantages: Can be expensive.

Engineered RV Skirting Photo Credit

Rigid Foam: A DIY option. Purchase rigid foam boards from your local hardware store, cut to size, and secure around your trailer using tape.
The Kasl Family skirted their Minnesota Tiny House RV with rigid foam last winter. Total cost for their 24 foot trailer was $200 and two days of work. Watch full video here.
Plywood sheets: Plywood sheets (cut to size) can be used in areas which do not consistently experience freezing temperatures, but still wish to improve heat efficiency in their Tiny House RV. Recommended in Pacific Northwest or windy locations. 

Straw Bales: A cheap DIY option is to purchase straw bales and tuck them around your trailer. Tip: Wrap your straw bales with a trap or heavy duty trash bags for extra protection.

Jonathan’s Tumbleweed Cypress in the process of skirting with straw bales. Photo credit.

Snow: Free option, if you live in an area with a large amount of snow. Pile snow around your trailer. Dig out your vents / water systems. This option will require consistent observation and maintenance. 

Read other articles about Winterizing Your Tiny House

By |2020-12-04T17:51:48-07:00October 22nd, 2015|Categories: Expert Advice, How To's & Resources|Tags: |4 Comments

About the Author:

Jenna Spesard built a Tumbleweed in 2014 and traveled with it for one year. She clocked over 25,000 miles, and now parks in a Tiny House Village. She writes about the Tiny House Movement on her blog Tiny House Giant Journey.

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4 Comments

  1. Natasha September 2, 2017 at 3:37 pm - Reply

    What would be the advantages of using rigid foam vs plywood in a cold climate as a thow skirt? Is the rigid foam used to prevent cold from getting under the house? I’m on Ontario and wondering if using just plywood would be enough.

  2. Mark Mitchell November 4, 2022 at 11:51 am - Reply

    I keep reading hay or straw bales have the potential to catch fire,moreso in a large stacked pile. Have you ever had an issue with straw bales combusting when placed around an rv?

  3. Judy December 28, 2022 at 7:11 am - Reply

    One should not use anything with wood in the southern states. Termites love wood touching the ground. Being a Realtor, we have learned this is a problem with mobile homes. Just a simple wood rose arbor was touching the mobile home. The termites ran right up the arbor into the walls.

  4. Erin January 4, 2023 at 6:08 am - Reply

    I would be concerned about straw bales attracting critters. I wouldn’t want anything that draws mice close to the tiny house.

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