Azdel is a composite panel used by top travel trailer manufacturers as an alternative to Luan or other plywood. Azdel composite panels are resistant to rot, lighter than wood, and provide better insulation. It makes excellent RV replacement walls, both interior, and exterior. So which travel trailers use Azdel? Let’s find out.
Many travel trailers use composite panels, and Azdel is a major supplier to the RV industry. (Back in 2011, Azdell did change its name to Hanwha Azdell better to align itself with its parent company, the Hanwha Group.) It was around 2006 that they began supplying panels to RV manufacturers as a replacement for Luan plywood panels.
Over 60 million square feet of Azdel composite panels, specifically Superlite RVx, have been used to build recreational vehicles.
Which Travel Trailers Use Azdel?
- Forest River in the following lines (Flagstaff, Solera, Forester, Sunseeker, Rockwood, R-Pod)
- Coachmen in the following lines ( Chaparral, Brookstone)
- Jayco – Jay Feather Micro series and behind the front diamond plate on the Hummingbird, Jay Feather, and White Hawk travel trailers.
- Lance Campers
- Nexus RV
- Prime Time
- Adrenaline
- Koala
- Winnebago
- Apex RV
- Gulfstream
- Heartland RV
- No Bo (No Boundaries)
- Renegade RV
- Work and Play RV
- nuCamp
- Surveyor
- East to West RV
Please Note: Not all models of particular manufacturers above will use Azdel in their construction. In some cases, they use Azdel in just some parts of their models and not necessarily the walls. Check with the manufacturer or dealer for confirmation of Azdel use.
Azdel is a composite panel used by top travel trailer manufacturers as an alternative to Luan or other plywood. Azdel composite panels are resistant to rot, lighter than wood, and provide better insulation. It makes excellent RV replacement walls, both interior, and exterior.
Many travel trailers use composite panels, and Azdel is a major supplier to the RV industry. (Back in 2011, Azdell did change its name to Hanwha Azdell better to align itself with its parent company, the Hanwha Group.) It was around 2006 that they began supplying panels to RV manufacturers as a replacement for Luan plywood panels. Over 60 million square feet of Azdel composite panels, specifically Superlite RVx, have been used to build recreational vehicles.
10 Advantages of Azdel composite panels?
A spokesman for Azdel notes the following advantages of their Superlite RVX composite panels:
- Lighter than wood by up to 50%, yet it is 2x stronger than wood
- Provide better insulation, 3X the insulation value of wood
- Do not contain formaldehyde
- They are impact and puncture-resistant
- Sound and energy-absorbing create a quieter ride with diminished road noise
- Rot-resistant
- Mold resistant
- Water-resistant
- No delamination
- Temperature and humidity change tolerant – Azdel panels are not damaged from freezing and thawing. Change in humidity does not affect the panels either.
These attributes make them perfect for use in travel trailer interior and exterior walls, ceiling and roofs, partitions, floors, and cabinets and doors. Over 20 manufacturers are using Azdel panels in some or all of their RV models. Coachmen RV, a division of Forest River, is one of the leading users of Azdel.
What makes a composite Panel?
Azdel composite panels consist of several layers. The top layer is fiberglass, which is what you see on the exterior of the travel trailer. You then have the Azdel panel followed by a layer of insulation and a decorative interior panel.
Azdel panels are made in the USA by Hanwha in their 213,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Lynchburg, Virginia. The original name of the product is “Superlite”; however that word has become so over-used in the RV industry that the name of the company Azdel has taken hold as the product’s name.
Azdel versus Luan
If a camper manufacturer isn’t using Azdel, they are using Luan plywood. So how do Azdel panels compare against Luan? Let’s see how these RV replacement walls fair against Luan.
- Compared to Luan, Azdel is up to 50% lighter: Advantage Azdel
- Azdel panels are resistant to rot, mild, and water as opposed to Luan or any other wood: Advantage Azdel
- The insulation factor of the Azdel composite panel is three times the insulation of wood so again: Advantage Azdel
- Sound absorption, impact, and puncture-resistant give Azdel the edge over Luan: Advantage Azdel
- Cost is a major factor, and this is where Azdel loses its advantage to Luan. Luan is relatively cheaper than Azdel, and the cost of the travel trailer reflects that.
Delamination Problems
One of the most common problems with travel trailers is delamination. What is delamination? This is when the outer fiberglass or gel-coat outer layer begins to separate from the substrate, which is usually Luan or lightweight plywood. It typically begins as a small crack that grows larger over time. Once the water gets in the crack, the repairs become much more expensive.
The water seeping into the wall and freezing, thawing, and hot temperatures will cause the panel to decompose and separate. In addition, mold and mildew will develop.
Azdel does not suffer from delamination since water does not affect the material. A soak test was performed using Luan and Azdel in which a piece of a panel of each type was placed in water for 51 days. The Azdel panel was 100% unaffected, whereas the Luan panel had visible mold and decay.
Even though Azdel is your best protection against delamination, you will need to perform regular maintenance on your travel trailer. That means you need to check and maintain roof seals, around windows, and slide-outs to help keep water out.
Azdel Panels Video
Below is a video that goes over the production of Azdel panels.
Which Travel Trailers use Azdel Conclusion
Don’t get me wrong, Luan plywood is a good material and is still used in many travel trailers. But moisture issues with Luan are typically very high. Azdel composite panels eliminate those issues as well as provide many other benefits as well. Yes, you will pay a premium but in the end, I think it is worth it, and it does make a difference in the quality and maintenance of your travel trailer.
Check out who we think makes the highly-rated travel trailers.
Azdel Composite Panel Q&A
Q. Does Forest River use Azdel?
A. Forest River uses Azdel in many of its Flagstaff, Solera, Sunseeker, and Forester models.
Q. Does Jayco use Azdel?
A. Yes, Jayco uses Azdel on several of their models.
Q. Where can I buy Azdel?
A. There are several places online where you can buy Azdel panels. Their true name is Superlite; try Rober Weed Corp, Mirage Inc.
Q. When did Coachmen start using Azdel?
A. Though there is no definitive answer, we can speculate it was around 2011-2012. That is the time Azdel started shipping its composite panel to the RV industry. Coachmen have always been on the cutting edge of technology so it’s safe to assume they probably received one of the first shipments of Azdel.
Q. When did Forest River Sunseeker start using Azdel?
A.From what I can tell, Sunseekers were being constructed with Azdel exterior walls going back to 2013. It’s possible Forest River was using Azdel sooner than that, but I have no sources to support that.
Q. Who is Hanwha Azdel?
A. Hanwha Azdel is located in Lynchburg, VA, where Azdel is produced in a 212,000-square-foot facility. Close to 200 employees work on five production lines 24/7. They only stop for occasional maintenance routines.
Hi Tammy, I am a 5th wheel guy. I have a older 5th wheel trailer that I maintain and use a lot. Its a 27 ft. and by the way you need to measure the length. My model is called a 26rk. I have seen models listed at 27ft which are actually over 30ft. People need to check the specs on that. I know that Coachmen uses azdel in there 5th wheel trailers, but for me I want to stay in that 26-27 ft. actual range. I hope in time this product makes it’s way into more of the smaller 5th wheels. I also need to say that being able to access the bathroom and the fridge with the slide in is a must for me. Pulling over for a lunch/rest stop is so nice when you can conveniently get to the fridge or bathroom. Also the sink toilet and shower all need to be in the bathroom, no split bath. ok, so while I’m touching on my biggie points I have to mention tank size. To many trailers , in my opinion, have small tanks. I have two gray tanks, one for the galley and one for the bath with a combined total of 70 gallons. This is a big plus for dry or partial hookups. My fresh is 46 and black is 40 gallons. For years I have been checking the manufactures, and I cant find another 5th wheel I like better than my old one. It’s a keeper for now.
Thank you, Robert, for your comments. I agree with you on measuring length. It seems manufacturers are not that all consistent in how they measure the length of the RV. Azdel is a very good product and should make it into the smaller travel trailers.
This list is not correct on Travel trailers using Azdel! I own an Open Range and know for sure, they DO use Azdel! I have been looking at RockWood and Flagstaff Travel Trailers and know for sure The DO NOT use Azdel, they even tell you in their brochure they use luan! Don’t know who made this list but it is NOT correct!
Hi Phillip. Thanks for your comments. In regards to our list, we get this list directly from the manufacturer of the panels. The Flagstaff E-Pro does use Azdel, but some of their other models might not. As far as the Rockwood, we are reaching out to Forest River for clarification. The Highland Open Range as per their website “Each wall and slide roof is constructed using double-welded aluminum frames and is laminated with rigid foam insulation. I’m reaching out to them to clarify is their laminated walls are indeed Azdel. Your comment does indeed point out a flaw in our article and that is that not all models of a particular manufacturer use Azdel. I will post that disclaimer at the beginning of the article. Thanks again for your input.
Comment Update 3-25-19; Here is the response I received from Anthony Yoder at Rockwood. “We have been using Azdel in certain areas of our construction for many years. What is more important than the substrate we use (whether it be Azdel or Luan) is our superior lamination process from start to finish – i.e. our hot melt spray glue process while laminating skins (fiberglass to substrate) which is done in a temperature and humidity controlled environment and our full vacuum bond lamination process of side-walls and roofs – not a pinch roll lamination like many. Also, there are a few manufacturers promoting the use of Azdel but then build their back walls with wood framing and hung fiberglass.”
Received a reply from Highland Ridge. They do not use Azdel in their wall construction. They do use a laminated foam panel that might resemble Azdel but it is not made by the Azdel company.
I can not seem to find anywhere which Jayco products use Azdel. Can anyone offer any help? Thanks.
Hi Steven, I pulled my data from the manufacturers of the Azdel Superlite. However, I am going to check-in with Jayco to find which models use Azdel since not all of their models do so. I will update this comment as soon as they get back to me. Regards
Update 4-1-2019 I received the following reply from Jayco ” The only places where we currently use Azdel is behind the front diamond plate on the Hummingbird, Jay Feather, and White Hawk travel trailers.”
Based on this information I will update the list with this caveat. Thanks
Hello,
I’ve been looking into a 2016 Rockwood mini-lite 2306 and can’t find any specific documentation on wether or not it is made up of Azdel or Luannor either. Living in the Pacific Northwest we deal with a lot of precipitation and want to make sure we find a travel trailer in our price range that has this Azdel composite! Thanks for any knowledge or info in advance
I don’t think the Rockwood Mini-Lite uses Azdel in their wall. The Geo Pro and E Pro lines are using it as far as I know. I would email Forest River and ask them if they are adding Azdel to some of their newer models. PS don’t talk to a salesman at an RV dealership about this as most times they don’t know for sure. Lance Campers uses Azdel and they make a very nice camper, albeit quite a bit more expensive. Good luck in your search.
Hello again Ray,
In your list the last one you mention is the Surveyor. Do you have any knowledge on how far back Forest River used the Azdel product on these models?
Kyle, let me see if I can get my contact at Forest River to answer that. I will keep you posted.
I have a 2012 27′ model 2285 travel trailer. What are the exterior panels made of? I was told it has oxidation. What can be used to remove the oxidation? A lot of brands are for cars and the exterior is not metal or plastic..I am a senior citizen and have to do what ever it takes so it can be waxed. Please give me some suggestions
Velma, what model travel trailer do you have?
This article on how to remove oxidation from a gel-coated RV might help. Yours may or may not be gel coated. I have never done this so I do not know how well it works. You might want to talk to a local RV dealer to see if they can help.