Bed options?

[Ackidge]

I have just bought my Transit Connect & am exploring my bed options. A big part of my design needs to include fitting my bike in the vehicle. So still deciding between side fold out or slat bed or across the back fold out or slat. bed. Is there some formula for slide out part- to stationary part ratio for support. Like if I have a stationary part that is 40″ wide & 3’deep, the slide out part can be that big too? A support the weight of 2 people sleeping on it?

 

[MrNoodly]

Put the bike in and see what room you have left for anything else. And whether an across the back bed will work depends upon your height.

 

[Ackidge]

I have put the bike in & it fits across behind the front seats so I know space-wise it fits. What I am wondering about is doing a slat type pull out bed with those big of dimensions & if the stationary part is across the back & I have a 3' pull out section.

 

[BigT]

Why not put the bike on the roof or use one of those hitch-mounted bike racks? I ordered a hitch from U-Haul last week, and plan to get a bike rack for it.

 

[LeeRevell]

Many are concerned with the threat of theft.  The bike will also get very dirty on an external rack.  But it does take up valuable space in a van.   Especially these tiny vans.

 

[Ackidge]

The bike will go outside at night. On top of the vehicle is not an option as I am too short. I don't want to spend the $$ on installing a hitch & buying a rack. My concern is making that large of a expanding slat bed & if it will hold the weight of 2 people.

 

[akrvbob]

You can make a slat bed that pulls out as strong as you want it--easily able to hold two people.
Bob

 

[masterplumber]

I think I understand what the OP is asking, and I've toyed with the issue myself. I think the part of the bed that slides out is going to have to be shorter than the stationary part. The amount will depend upon what you make it out of. For strength, the easiest will be to make it out of 2x4 material, but if you were willing to spend the money, you could easily make it out of 1x 4 oak. to get the dimensions, get a few scraps and play with them. First figure out what your overall dimension needs to be, then start with a piece for the fixed side a little longer than half, and a piece for the other side about half the width. Remember that they will need to overlap, and you will need a connector for the sliding section that sits under the fixed section, to hold it all together. I'm not sure if my description is making sense, but if you Google images of sliding slat beds you should be able to decipher the details. The dimensions you'll just have to play with until you get it right for the size bed and typ of material you're using, as it will vary for every difference.

 

[Reducto]

The pictures aren't great, but here's the setup I moved from my Toyota to my NV200:

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-1989-Toyota-van-conversion

I used cheap 1x3's for my bed slats, one every 3 inches. The slats hold my 250lb just fine, even with all my weight on the center of the edge ones while getting in and out. The only issue I had was with only the 1x3's going sideways in the center and not supported very well. They sagged after a while and would have broken eventually. I moved the uprights in 6 inches and attached them with metal brackets, which seems to be sufficient.

 

[Ackidge]

Another option I was thinking of was to have a solid plywood top & then under that have a pull out plywood section which could slide on L brackets along the side. Could have fold up legs under that when stored. Has anybody tried something like that?

 

[TequilaSunSet]

You can get this folding out brackets at HD that can support 700 lbs between 2 of them. If your bench/bed is 16" high you can get a 16" bracket... might have to shave off a 1/2" on the tip for clearance.

 

[Ackidge]

You can get this folding out brackets at HD that can support 700 lbs between 2 of them. If your bench/bed is 16" high you can get a 16" bracket... might have to shave off a 1/2" on the tip for clearance.

I cant see the images attached  :s

 

[billybob200138]

Funny. When talking about building a bed nobody ask how many people will be sleeping g in it? Seems like an important thing to consider to me? HoboJoe

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Another option I was thinking of was to have a solid plywood top & then under that have a pull out plywood section which could slide on L brackets along the side. Could have fold up legs under that when stored.  Has anybody tried something like that?

I have something similar I used a sheet of plywood cut it in three one four inch strip against the wall screwed down to bed base box, one piece roughly 24inches one 20 inches all are hinged, The twenty inch folds over the top of the 24 then both can fold up to get access to the storage under the bed. I have four legs in sections of two with a dowel that slips into a couple of round holes at the top of the box, the legs slide in an out, two at a time. I lift the  front edge of the bed pull the legs out one at a time, fold up the mattresses up against the wall take the 20 inch piece unfold it onto the legs flip over one of the matresses. double bed!  I keep my sheets on at all times folded inside the two mattresses. AT first I made the legs out steel 1 inch pipes stuck into a 2x2one piece all four legs but have since changed that to cedar and made it in two pieces as I am thinking of cutting a section of the 20 inche piece to use as an extra chair, so pull out one set of legs,  lift matress, unfold a section of the 20 inch piece, chair by table!  

since these pictures where taken I have tapered the legs
here is another option where the plywood serves as the floor then lifts into position
as bed

 

[Ackidge]

Funny. When talking about building a bed nobody ask how many people will be sleeping g in it?  Seems like an important thing to consider to me?      HoboJoe

I did say in my original post.  I am looking to build something for 2 people. So not 24" wide....I like my own space....as much as one can get in such a small vehicle.

 

[SoulRaven]

In the past, I have built a number of rigs for full timers, who work online from their rigs.

Vans, and really any mobile residence, are great places for convertible furniture.  Especially vans with 2 people living and working in one.  One popular design that I got a lot of requests for was a convertible bed/desk design.  These give you both a bed that doesn't need to be continually made up, and a whopping 6 foot long desk, all with no larger of a footprint than the bed when it is folded down.  They are easy to make in either a single or double/queen bed widths, and will still fit in even a low top van.

Here's an example:

 

[RVTravel]

Easy to make?..lol. That hinge system seems pretty complex to get it right. Maybe buying plans is easy, not engineering one to specs. In the top pic I don't think the mattress is present. There is not enough room for the bulk of it. A little deceiving to me. These are just my observations. I am sure it is amazing ; ).

 

[Ackidge]

I am pretty sure I have decided on a layout. (on paper at least) Looking from the back, narrow cabinet/shelves on left. On the right a bench about 4' long, just a open sided box with extra piece of plywood hinged on top to flip open to make bed about 40" wide. Will support ....somehow. Behind front passenger seat a box that will hold a fridge & maybe the house battery. Flip up lid on that too. It will be same level as bench so will become part of the bed at night. That should give me enough room to slide my bike in from the back when traveling.

 

[PapaMuns]

I've been doing some layout designs on paper.  I suppose it is the closest to actually putting it together to try to figure out what works.
I know that sleeping comfortably is very high on mine and my wife's list.  I think we are just going to try building a platform for a full queen bed with storage underneath for most of our stuff.  One of my layouts that I have been considering has about 2 feet at the back to put bikes in there, seems like it would work well.

 

[TequilaSunSet]

Do a mock up with coroplast first, paper can be deceiving and you get a real feel for how stuff comes together. I had a design and immediately I came across something that would not work once I mocked it up