My Rigid Foam Tiny House Skirt
I was pleasantly surprised at how cheap and easy it was for me to make a rigid foam skirt for my Tiny House. The cost was $72, and total labor time was 6 hours. Below I’ve listed my materials and step by step process.
Materials List
My Tiny House is on a 20 foot trailer with about 16-22 inches of space between the trailer and the ground. A longer trailer, or one higher off the ground, will require more material.
- 5: Sheets of 1/2″ x 4′ x 8′ Rigid Foam
- 2: Cans of black spray paint
- 1: 60 yard roll of black duct tape
Rigid foam is readily available at hardware stores and online. I was able to save money by purchasing some of my foam sheets at Habitat for Humanity. Sheets at Habitat were $1.50 compared to $12.95 at Home Depot. That’s big savings!
Make sure you purchase the rigid insulation. Floppy insulation cannot withstand a windstorm.
How to create this skirt: Step by Step
Step 1: Spray paint your foam boards. This is a personal preference, but I didn’t like the look of silver foam boards. I painted my boards black to match my trailer. Unfortunately, I didn’t do this before attaching them to my trailer. Do as I say, not as I do!
Step 2: Measure the space between your trailer and the ground. The measurements will vary, so continue to check before every cut. Cutting around the wheels is tricky work, so I decided to skip skirting my wheels because my climate isn’t that cold.
Step 3: Cut the board to size. It was easy to cut my 1/2″ boards using a utility knife and a straight edge. I made sure to cut around vents that need to be exposed.
Step 4: Attach the board to your trailer. Using black duct tape, I attached my boards to my trailer and to each other. I buried the bottom of the boards into the ground, or placed rocks in front of them to secure them in place. Sometimes I put a few nails through the foam into the wood trim around my trailer. Use your best judgement to attach the boards as sturdily as you can. At this point, your Tiny House is skirted! CLICK HERE for advice on winterizing a Tiny House for extremely cold weather
Optional: Add cedar lattice and trim
In order to improve the look, I added cedar lattice and trim in front of my foam skirt. Aside from aesthetics, the lattice does a great job of holding my foam boards in place. Similar to creating the foam skirt, this process entailed measuring and cutting the lattice to size. I used a hand saw and a finish nail gun to attach the lattice and trim around my trailer. As with the foam, I cut around vents and my wheel wells. This additional step cost another $64.
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I guess you don’t have termites or rot in Oregon. You should never let the skirting touch the gound! Leave at space of a minimum of 3/4 inch between the bottom of skirting and the ground surface.
Author
I haven’t had any issue. Thanks for the comment, perhaps others have had this issue.
I hear many tiny housers using rigid foam like you as skirting for their thow. They then put something infront of it as it often comes in pink or blue! I was thinking of just using plywood. Would adding the rigid foam first and the plywood 2nd be a better insulator? I live in Ontario so I assume that just using plywood would not be enough? Why?
Thanks for all your info!
N
https://www.instagram.com/mytinybeachhouse/
He, Jenna. I’m northeast of you, on Whidbey Island, and the winters are usually warmer than yours. I haven’t yet felt the need to skirt the house, but I love the way this looks and will keep that in mind when I find a more permanent place to park. Thanks for the idea and the tips.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNMrlRbAT51/
This will be my first Winter in my tiny home. I was thinking of lattice with black plastic snow tarp stapled behind it. Instead, for now, I opted for straw bales.
I moved in my home early December. Floor is extremely cold. I have since used straw bales too. It does seem to have helped. If in fact I don’t get kicked out of my spot, I will do this rigid foam idea! And the lattice (just because its cute). :0)
Lisa, I’m considering straw bales but hear they can attract vermin and make a great place for mice. Did you have any critters or problems with the straw? Any decay over winter? What kind of climate are you in? I may go with foam boards instead, but prefer the look of straw. Thanks for any tips.