Welding in utility trailer

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I have an enclosed utility trailer that I am going to set up to weld in. It has wood paneling on the walls and plywood on the floor. I am going to buy sheet metal to cover all the sides and then diamond plate for the floor. Is it safe to install this over what's there? I don't really want to remove the paneling if it won't create a safety issue.
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Originally Posted by mccorb

I have an enclosed utility trailer that I am going to set up to weld in. It has wood paneling on the walls and plywood on the floor. I am going to buy sheet metal to cover all the sides and then diamond plate for the floor. Is it safe to install this over what's there? I don't really want to remove the paneling if it won't create a safety issue.
Reply:You better get some GOOD ventilation in there as well.....
Reply:I sprayed mine with fire retardent when I first got mine. It cost me about $150 for it.  I find I do not weld much in it anyway so I feel it was a wast of time and money to do it.  I painted the inside and floor after using the fire retardent.  It sounded good but it just does not work. Now it is so full of tools there is no where to weld in it if I wanted to.
Reply:You got me thinking. I use a fiberglass welding blanket to protect things sometimes. I can buy roll of fiberglass cloth pretty inexpensively and it would be lighter than metal panels on the wall. What do you think?
Reply:Funny that you should be posting this topic as my wife just suggested to me that I buy something like an 8.5x24 to use as additional shop space. I was thinking of using .030 aluminum on the inside walls affixed with 3m vhb tape (same as on outside) but running the sheets horizontal with  the first sheet on the bottom overlapped by the second on top. You don't need much to fireproof walls.  I was also going to bend the bottom few inches on a brake so that it wrapped onto the floor and then put something a bit heavier/ more slip resistant on the floor. And yes,  rooftop hvac as well as ventilation.
Reply:I've welded and fabricated pipe on top of  gymnasium floors. We would lay down 1/4'' masonite sheets and then another 1/4'' masonite sheet over the first sheet joint. Then place fire blankets on top of masonite. Never had any issues. By using sheet metal on the sides,  you could end up flashing yourself. It will reflect off the sheet behind you and then to the back to your hood. We had this happen welding in mechanical rooms loaded with duct work.
Reply:DO NOT use aluminum or any metal for that matter that will reflect for walls! I got flashburn pretty bad from the reflections inside an aluminum dump body. Same principle but with a roof..lolMillermatic 185Lincoln Ranger 305GVictor O/A
Reply:I set up in a container, but I used a fireproofing additive you can add paint i got from amazon.  I painted the whole floor then put diamond plate over the area I designated for welding.Everlast 255 ExtMiller 211
Reply:I thought about using just fireproof paint coating. The problem is the wood paneling in the trailer is cheap luan paneling and has holes and gaps in it and I'm concerned that hot metal will get behind the panels. Do you think that flame retardant paint could saturate and adhere fiberglass cloth to the panels. That would be pretty cost effective and solve the hole and flash problems.
Reply:I don't know how well it would saturate, but i put 4 coats down on the wood.  It was enough to seal up all the cracks in the wood and the gaps between boards.  Its paint that's a little thinner than regular paint with the additive in it.  Keep adding coats until you are happy.  You could use silicon or a can of spray foam to seal up any holes you are worried about then paint over it.Everlast 255 ExtMiller 211