Part 9: Bed and Benches
In the next two sections I’ll be discussing the main interior of the van in two parts: bed & benches and kitchen & cabinets. I spent a decent amount of time in part 2 detailing why I decided to lay the van out the way I did inside, so during these parts I’ll try to not rehash those decisions as much and more focus on why I used the materials I did and the advantages and disadvantages to each. Let’s start with talking about the bed and the benches.
What I did, what I used, how long it took, and how much it cost?
For the bed, I built out the entire frame with 2x4 and 2x2, covered the front side and top with half inch plywood, and bought a four inch queen sized memory foam mattress to put on top. As for the benches, they were also framed with 2x4 and 2x2, covered on all sides with half inch plywood, and then the lids were made out of half inch plywood with 2x2s on the underside to slot them into place. The bed frame was modified in three ways to 1) hold a table made out of three quarter inch plywood that slides out on three inch industrial drawer slides, 2) house a cavity made for a closet underneath, and 3) contain a secret door to the underside of the bed, which allowed access to the garage. After everything was framed properly, the bed and benches were painted white, the table was finished with a stain and polyurethane, and the bench seats were upholstered using three inch high density foam and fabric.
The bed and benches took 32 hours to install, which for the most part was split evenly between framing everything, and then finishing everything.
All in, the cost for the bed and benches came to $775.
Why I did it (including counterpoints)
Framing the bed with 2x2s and 2x4s: I am by no means a carpenter of any kind, so when it came to framing up the main structures of the interior I went with something that was easy and sturdy as a rock. So when we started building the bed, we probably went a little overkill with how much framing we used, but the thing is built like a brick shit house, and that makes me sleep well at night (pun intended). A few pieces of the bed frame are tied into the ribs on the wall and a few are even tied into the floor, so it’s not going anywhere. The only thing to think about here is whether or not there is an issue with tying everything down in terms of expansion and contraction, but I got more peace of mind out of knowing nothing will move rather than planning for potential expansion and contraction over time. The best part about using lumber is that if we do get issues down the road, it’s super easy to fix.
Building the benches out of 2x2s, 2x4s, and plywood: This again worked out great. Under the hood it might not look as nice as a well constructed box but it allows us to maximize storage space as we utilize the space under the benches and bed for all of our gear. We continued to keep it simple with the removable bench lids by just having them sit on top of the benches instead of being on hinges or anything. Might have been a bit nicer to go for the hinges but I’ll talk more about that in a later section.
Kitchen table made of three quarter inch plywood on industrial drawer slides: To make the table we laminated two pieces of plywood together and I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out give the cost of materials. For almost four times the price we went with a butcher block table for the countertop, and while it does look more impressive than the plywood, I’d argue that for the price, the plywood is a steal after you stain and lacquer it. As for the drawer slides, these were probably some of the most expensive materials in the whole van after the electrical setup. That being said, they are certainly holding up (again, pun intended). I have yet to sit on the table but part of me thinks it would support me if I did - they’re strong as an ox.
White paint, stain, and polyurethane finish: We decided to finish everything that was exposed to the inside of the van so that it could hold up to the elements coming into the van from outside (dirt, water, etc.). The paint has been great and made everything easy to clean, and the polyurethane on the kitchen table does the same while also making it almost like an emergency cutting board if you need it.
Upholstering the bench seats with three inch high density foam and fabric: I highly recommend doing this if you have anywhere you need to sit, as the process is really simple and it makes it so much more professional looking as comfortable. Some thoughts on fabric selection in the section below.
What went well
Pullout table and drawer slides: I saw this design in one of the first builds I came across on the internet and instantly knew it was going in my build. It’s such an effective use of space and a great way to get a full sized table in your van for whatever it is you need to sit down and do. So far it’s probably been the most commented on aspect of the build by friends and for good reason. And as I mentioned before, the drawer slides are built to last, so with that being the only potential drawback, it’s hard not to try to make space for it if you’re going with a perma-bed setup.
Laminating plywood for the table: The table in the van is a perfect use for laminated plywood. With the table all of the sides are either covered by the drawer slides or the front side panel, or you can’t see them, such as on the backside where the side faces the inside under the bed. Because of this, you don’t need to do anything fancy to cover the sides where the lamination would show, and as long as you buy cabinet grade plywood, your top will look great, especially after you finish it. Again, this saved me a ton of money because really the only other option to get a table that’s just as thick would be to get butcher block, but why waste such a nice piece of hardwood when a majority of the side are hidden as I mentioned.
What didn't go well/What I might’ve done differently
Hinges for the bench tops: Our bench tops are simply just pieces of plywood that are upholstered and have 2x2s on the bottom side that allows them to set into the bench and stay in place. While elegant in its simplicity, it also has some drawbacks such as the fact that you have to hold the bench top when you access the storage space below (or even worse, place it off to the side if you need both hands). This can be annoying at times and cab be fixed with some hinges put in place. We originally decided not to use hinges because they require a bit more complexity in terms of how you construct the benches, but I think for a subsequent build I would definitely take the time to put in some hinges and struts so that I could lift the bench top and have it be hands free once open.
Use a sturdy fabric for upholstery: We decided to go with a fabric that looks awesome, but is not super sturdy (as it is just thing cotton). Subsequently, I can tell already just a few months in that it is undergoing a lot of wear just from us sitting on it daily. I wouldn’t be surprised if I have to change it out because it’s too worn in a few months, and when I do, I’ll definitely go with something a bit thicker. Additionally, the fabric is dyed and failed a colorfast test so the color in the pattern is starting to fade a bit. Some additional research in textiles will definitely pay off down the road in terms of longevity.
Build tips
Framing with lumber: My buddy Tim helped out my dad and I with framing up the bed and benches and he taught us some amazing tips while in the process. Here are a couple I’ll always keep with me and figured you may find useful as well:
Don’t get too caught up with your cuts when doing rough framing. Be sure to be consistent and have the same person measure and the same person cut, but you can be off a little bit. Take the extra time you save and spend it getting precise on the cuts that really matter, such as when you put up the finished boards.
When you have rough lumber (such as a 2x4 or 2x2) be sure to find which way the boards are bowing and place the piece so that the bow in the board faces toward the side where you’ll put the finished board. Wood will bend, and this way when you place the finished boards on the frame, they’ll push down the bow in the board and allow for constant contact between the frame and the finished board.
Overstretch upholstery fabric: If you choose to upholster anything yourself, be sure you stretch the fabric nice and tight over the foam. We chose to not pull the fabric too tightly over as we were afraid it may rip more easily over time but the fabric is stretching quite a bit now, and is a bit loosey goosey in places. Again, a little knowledge on your textile and how it will behave over time will go a long way.
