Renovating the Interior
Clean out your van’s interior to make room for your installations. If you buy your van used, there’s a good chance you will have to remove some items from the interior before you can start the conversion process. Remove any unwanted pre-existing fixtures and clean the floor to your comfort level. Unscrew and remove any passenger seats or other pre-existing fixtures located in the back of the van that you don’t intend to use. Use a broom and vacuum cleaner to clean dirt and debris off the floor of the van. If there is carpeting installed in the back of the van, clean it with a vacuum cleaner and carpet cleaner, or considering removing the carpet entirely.
Insulate the floor, walls, and ceiling for protection in cold weather. If you intend to do any camping in cold environments or during the winter, consider installing insulation to keep the interior of the van comfortable. Use your measurements of the van’s interior to cut pieces of insulating material that will fit over the floor, walls, and ceiling of the van. There are many different types of insulation material you can use, including rigid foam, Styrofoam, rock wool, and natural sheep wool. Although different insulation materials come with different installation instructions, a lot of these instructions call for placing roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) of insulation material on the walls and floors, and roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) to 2 inches (5.1 cm) of material on the ceiling. Use spray foam on any remaining cracks or gaps in the installation.
Install a wooden floor to build the rest of your installations on. You will need to install a wooden subfloor and top floor for the van to enable you to install the bed platform, kitchen, and any other installations you intend to add. The subfloor can be composed of either plywood or batten, though batten is recommended. Cut your pieces of plywood or batten so that they will fit your van’s interior, then securely screw this subfloor into the floor of the van to act as a fixing point for the rest of your flooring. Once the subfloor is installed, repeat this process to cut and install your top floor, making sure it is securely screwed into the subfloor below. Commonly recommended types of wood to use for the top floor include laminate, sheet vinyl, and timber.
Adding the Essential Installations
Build and install a platform for your bed. Use plywood and lumber to construct a platform for your bed to go on. Consider installing a platform that not only supports your mattress, but also includes storage space underneath. Measure and cut a piece of plywood for the base of the platform, taking into account any curves found on the sides of your van’s walls. If you’d like to build extra storage space into your platform, cut a piece of 2x6 lumber into 9 pieces roughly 9 inches (23 cm) high, and screw them into the base plywood in a 3 by 3 formation. These will act as pillars to support your top platform while also providing extra storage. Measure and cut a piece of plywood equal to the size of your bottom platform, and screw it into the pillars to act as your top platform. Consider assembling your bed platform entirely inside the van; if you construct the platform outside the van and it’s too big, it won’t fit and you’ll have to make adjustments.
Build and install your kitchen counter. You probably won’t be able to access an open fire all the time while camping. Having a dedicated kitchen space with room for a sink, a cutting board, and a portable stove will give you much more flexibility when it comes to cooking. Cut a piece of plywood that will serve as your countertop, making sure it is big enough to include your sink, water container, and whatever else you deem necessary, but also small enough to fit in the van. Cut a square hole in the plywood that is just slightly smaller than your portable sink, so that your sink fits snugly inside the hole in your countertop. Use 2x4 lumber to build a frame for your counter, making sure to stick closely to the measurements you took of the interior van at the outset of the project. Cut your 2x4 into 8 shapes: 4 pieces you will screw together into a rectangle to support the countertop, and 4 pieces that will act as legs to support the entire counter. Screw the plywood countertop into the lumber frame, then screw the entire kitchen counter into the wall of your van so that it doesn’t tip over while you’re driving.
Add a portable toilet and shower to the van. If you’re uncomfortable with going to the bathroom in the woods or going days without showering, you’ll definitely need to invest in a portable toilet and portable shower to maintain a comfortable level of hygiene. Store these in the storage space under your bed to keep them out of sight. Portable toilets and showers can be found relatively inexpensively in hardware stores and on the internet. You can also install more permanent toilets and water systems, though they will cost more and require more space. Make sure you line the inside of your toilet with a garbage bag and empty it out regularly. Odors can be controlled with deodorizing chemical cleaning products. Make sure to purchase these when you purchase your portable toilet.
Stocking the Interior
Get a power source for your van. You can use a solar panel on your roof or your van’s engine. If you are using a solar panel, you will need to install a battery to store power from the solar panel to use at night If you want to use a van engine, it is better to have some gallons of fuel in your van. Using the engine makes you have the air conditioner to use in your van too.
Make sure your inverter has enough power for your devices. If you want to use the air conditioner for a house in your van, it is recommended to use another power inverter to power your air conditioner. Make sure you can produce enough power for the air conditioner because it consumes a lot of power. You could pack some high-efficiency solar panels in a plastic box and when you’re at the camping site, you can place the solar panels in am area that gets high solar power.
Pack flashlights or solar lanterns to have light at night. Make sure you bring a source of light for when you’re parked in the wilderness at night. Instead of using your phone or an open-flamed candle, pack battery-powered flashlights or solar lanterns for safe and energy-efficient illumination.
Stock your kitchen with cookware and cutlery. Your kitchen won’t be nearly as useful if you forget to bring tools to cook and eat with! Make sure your kitchen area is stocked with reusable pots, pans, plates, and utensils, and that you bring a sponge and dish soap to wash them with. Consider placing a cooler underneath the kitchen counter to act as a refrigerator. You’ll need this for storing any perishable food items you intend to cook.
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