Has anyone built their own interior? A mate has asked if i can help him convert his non vw van (a transit) into a camper over the winter months. He's after a unit down the full length of the van with hob/sink and a fridge plus a bit across the bulkhead with some more storage and a pop up 18" TV. Not sure whether it'd be best to make it from something like 1/2" ply faced with veneer or make a carcass from 2x1 and face with 4 or 6mm ply. Not sure about counter tops either.
Can't B&Q or IKEA kitchen units be adapted? Wall units if space is limited. Worktops are quite heavy, but you shouldn't need that much and it is a commercial vehicle after all. Again the Cheapest IKEA ones are decent quality and inexpensive.
Hi Martin - I put our basic one together out of 1/2" ply after ripping out the one it came with that was awful - it's held together with stainless screws and brackets - no frame.
It depends on the budget - cheap and heavy or light and expensive. Half inch ply is ideal, but heavy. Not all panels need to be thick . MDF is used even on super yachts - the outdoor grades can cope with a bit of damp. Worktop - could use a plastic like Formica (expensive) to cover a basic MDF/ply structure.
Poplar ply is pricier than standard 1/2 inch but super light with a finish that rivals Birch ply. Can I suggest whatever you go with get a covering of Ozmo, varnish or whatever paint you're going to use (after a light sanding) to seal it whilst you work. This stops any warp in moisture rich autumn. I'm putting the last coat on our new interior before reassembling and having used Birch ply I wish I'd gone for Poplar. LOTS of extra weight. The lighter stuff will pay for itself in saved petrol before long! Find a chippy who can source some for you. Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
Howdens... Not everyones cup of tea but after 12+ months doing a mini resto i just wanted to get an interior in and go camping !! Sizes were tight as I had a Dometic CRX 50 AND wanted a grill in there Great thing is it actually works very well and ticks all the storage needs , even with a wider bed ... Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
I made mine out of a couple os sheets of ply and some appliances fom a scrap T25, its stood the test of time 13 yrs and still going strong. https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/family-friendly-bus.2587/
I never thought of repurposing ready made units. IKEA do some pretty decent looking stuff for very little cash. That looks like it could work nicely in his (whispers quietly...Ford).
That looks great. Definately looks neater that some of the brazilian devons. Neat. I like the finger holes to open the cabinets.
Yes - sort of mimics the original Westfalia one - and provides a housing for the microwave cooker. Here is a photo of the completed unit @Zebedee
Its much easier building an interior for a Transit or Sprinter than a Bay, just go for it. Best to measure up and build it outside the van and then secure it in place, rather than knife and fork-ing it in situ.
Nothing to fancy and very basic, but I used leftover kitchen panels. Like I said nothing fancy but it's enough storage space for me
Hardest thing I found with redoing my interior was finding levels and angles to work off. Might be easier in a Transit but the Bay is full of sexy subtle curves. Didn’t help that the guy had installed the floor so it sloped in to the centre - once I discovered that things started to make sense. So get the base spot on. I’d make sure: -Any metal that will be hidden is in good condition -Do soundproofing & insulation first -Plan out all your gas, plumbing and wiring routes and make them easy to get to for maintenance & additions I made mine like flat-pack furniture...all bolts and threaded inserts that can easily be gotten to. You never know when (or why even) you might want to take bits or all of it apart. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
