Van Renovation: Chapter 3...

“We are converting the back of the van into a bedroom, how hard can it be?” - Me.

We recently got the idea to reupholster and redesign the back of our van to turn it into a cozy little bedroom. The back bench already folds down flat into what could be a full bed. If we could figure out a way to make the rest of the area comfy we can have a mobile bedroom on wheels. 

The anatomy and design of the Volkswagen Vanagon are pretty interesting. The engine is in the back, the battery is under the passenger side captain chair, the spare tire is under the back seat and you check the oil dipstick behind the license plate. It’s been fun to figure out how to configure a routine maintenance plan. It is very different from popping the hood on most American cars and having everything in one spot.

After some quick internet searching, planning, and shopping around for the right comfy cushion for us, we found a peice of memory foam that fit our budget. Most upholstery manufactures and local shops charge triple the amount of what a piece of memory foam cost, it is a weird niche market. After we did some research we felt pretty sure we could do this ourselves. We landed on making our own mattress for our van. Armed with our simple memory foam mat, we made some measurement plans, and were on our way. 

Crude, but it worked...

To reinforce our DIY van bedding, we purchased a piece of plywood from our local hardware store. I traced the floor plan on some taped together paper shopping bags (unusual, but worked. Use what you got!). This floor plan template was easy and helped me align both the foam and plywood so they would match perfectly. Work smarter, not harder.

Once we had everything cut to size it was just a matter of making it all look pretty. 

Pretty easy project to make any Vanagon or adventure mobile even more comfortable!

Finished Product...time for the beach...

-YourFriendMatt

Van Renovation: Chapter 2...

"What do you think I should do with these holes in the van floor? We can see the road as we drive." - Me.

After ripping out the seats in our VW Vanagon, it was time to figure out what we were going to do with the empty-space the seat removal had opened up. Put a shag rug in and hang a disco ball? Add captains chairs or turn the seat around so everyone sitting back there can face each other? Leave and never come back to it because renovating anything is a pain in the ass? None of those options seemed right, so we went to Home Depot for some inspiration.

"You always grab a cart! It's a rule!" - Unknown

We finally landed on putting in hardwood flooring, like the kind you would put in your living room. We figured if it was good enough for a living room, it sure-as-shit was good enough for our Vanagon. We did some quick internet searching, and it did not look too hard. We measured and modified our plan, bought some materials and were on our way to put a new floor in our VW.

"Always look for good looking and cost effective solutions." - Unknown

We started by ripping out all the 30+-year-old, stained, shitty existing rug. Ripping up this shit-stained monstrosity felt like ripping up a large piece of beef jerky. The rug had lost all flexibility and covered 30-year-old stain-circles of god-knows-what spilled from years past. Once we had it all out, we had to sanitize the metal flooring, seal the holes where the seat had been bolted down so we could no longer see the road from inside the van, and installed some thick carpet cushion. Once we had that done, it was like playing building blocks. The flooring we got snaps together like Legos, it is a great solution for anyone doing a flooring remodel of any kind. We had to use our handy-dandy Ryobi jigsaw for this and cutting around vents and seats. It is worth it to take your time during this process, measure twice and cut once, patience is a virtue.

"Dangerously under-qualified" - We had to removed the door seam to get the carpet out.

"Where does this piece go?" - We had to remove a panel to ensure we coved the entire floor - super easy to put back on, it just snaps into place.

"Always clean up after you removed 30 year old carpet." - Einstien

Got some good carpet padding and filled in the rest with bubble wrap to create a soft and even base for the floor.

Measure twice - cut once. Had a few handy dandy tools to make light work of this project. Invest in a level, measuring tape, rubber mallet, and a good blade for your cuts. Then just put the panel back and screw down the door seam and you are good to go!

This whole process only took about 2 hours and added a ton of value. Customizing and getting creative with your van renovations is a huge part of what draws us to owning our van. Now we have space for all kinds of activities! 

We have a bunch more plans and ideas lined up so stay tuned!

-YourFriendMatt