Campers are designed with a siding material that is used to protect the RV from a variety of elements, including sunlight, humidity, wind, extreme temperatures, and rain.
For proper shelter, you need to choose a suitable material for the camper. The most popular siding material is fiberglass and aluminum, which have replaced the highly inefficient steel siding. But which one of them should you opt for?
In today’s article, we’ll put fiberglass vs aluminum campers in direct comparison to help you pick the one that’s more suitable for you. Let’s jump right in!
How to Tell Fiberglass and Aluminum Campers Apart
After applying primers and finishing materials, it might be hard to distinguish between aluminum and fiberglass campers.
However, the secret to telling them apart comes from the difference in construction. Aluminum siding is made by pressing sheets of aluminum over a frame that is mostly made of plywood. This gives the exterior of aluminum campers some ridges.
On the other hand, fiberglass is made by combining epoxy or vinyl resin with sheets of fabric that are left to solidify in molds.
The end result is a flat and clean finish with no ridges, which is the most characteristic feature of fiberglass campers.
A Direct Comparison Between Fiberglass and Aluminum Campers
Now that you know how the two materials are made, here’s a brief head-to-head comparison between the two materials in terms of the most essential features of a camper siding:
Durability
Let’s start with one of the most essential aspects of siding material in a camper. When it comes to structural durability, both materials do a pretty good job at standing the test of time with proper use and maintenance.
Fiberglass is known to resist scratches and dents better than aluminum. However, aluminum resists being damaged by UV light and being left in the sun better than fiberglass.
Both materials resist mild shocks and knocks, although fiberglass won’t mark a permanent dent like aluminum campers.
Ideally, an aluminum siding may last well over 30 or more years if you give it proper maintenance and care. On the other hand, fiberglass will last anywhere between 10 to 15 years with good maintenance.
Water damage is one of the biggest problems for fiberglass siding because it’ll eventually delaminate upon leaks, causing the panels to peel off.
Roofing
The durability of both materials as siding materials is fairly similar. However, aluminum roofing is much more durable than fiberglass.
This is because fiberglass frames can’t handle concentrated pressure from an adult standing over them like aluminum, so you typically can’t walk on fiberglass roofs.
Performance on the Road (Weight and Aerodynamics)
The camper’s performance on the road will vary dramatically between aluminum and fiberglass. This is because both of them have different weights and construction techniques.
Both fiberglass and aluminum are fairly heavy materials, but since fiberglass usually has an aluminum frame, they’re usually heavier, and therefore, slower on the road.
Yet, fiberglass makes it up by being much more aerodynamic than aluminum. Since they’re molded with a flat exterior and don’t have ridges, the air slides through its smooth texture better than the bumpy construction of aluminum.
When it comes to fuel efficiency, fiberglass campers usually consume less gas per mileage due to being more aerodynamic.
Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance
Both fiberglass and aluminum campers require maintenance to stay in mint condition. Ideally, cleaning an aluminum camper regularly is mostly all the maintenance you’ll need to do.
Fiberglass also requires light maintenance, but it’s more sophisticated than aluminum. Fiberglass is prone to oxidation and requires polishing and application of fiberglass restoration gel regularly.
Despite being easy to maintain, repairing a dented or broken aluminum camper requires an expert welder while fiberglass can be easily patched using specific materials.
Heat and Noise Insulation
Both heat and noise find their way into your camper for the same reasons, so we’re going to address both of them in this section.
As a rule of thumb, if you’re all about insulation from heat and noise, fiberglass is your winner by a mile!
Fiberglass is naturally a bad conductor of heat and easily sealed with resin to prevent leakage of air, noise, or heat.
On the other hand, aluminum gets really hot in summer and cold in winter, which makes them bad insulators. They’re also harder to seal against the noise, so it’s typically noisier inside an aluminum RV.
Price
One of the main advantages of buying an aluminum camper is that it’s significantly more affordable than fiberglass ones.
Both the materials and tools used to make aluminum sidings cost a lot less, which is why an aluminum camper is typically thousands of dollars cheaper than a fiberglass counterpart. This makes them an ideal pick if you have a very strict budget for a camper.
Resale Value
Despite being pricier, fiberglass campers hold their value much better than aluminum ones. So, if you’re planning to upgrade your camper consistently to enjoy needed features and models, a fiberglass one is a better-suited option for you.
Aluminum campers are built to live, so they’re a good option if you’re not planning to sell or upgrade them. Combine that with less frequent maintenance, and you’ll get a “set it and forget it” type of investment.
Design and Aesthetics
Of course, aesthetics is usually relative and down to everyone’s personal taste. However, due to the sleek nature of fiberglass campers, a lot of RV owners believe that they look much more appealing than aluminum ones.
A fiberglass camper is typically shinier and comes in more color options and designs than aluminum ones that look a bit outdated when they’re standing side to side.
Wrap Up: Which One is Better for your Camper?
With that said, you now have a brief guide that puts fiberglass vs aluminum campers in a head-to-head comparison in order to pick the most suitable one for your needs.
As you can see, both materials have their own set of advantages and drawbacks. For example, if your priorities are a sleek siding material with excellent insulation that doesn’t cost a lot and has a decent fuel efficiency, you should go for fiberglass siding.
However, if you’re looking for low-maintenance and durable materials that will stand the test of time without chipping or delaminating, aluminum siding is your way to go.