Covering conversion van windows

[Rechinca]

I have a 97 Express conversion that was a Glaval Gladiator worth the high top. It has been gutted and a bed platform built North/South for a double bed. I want to cover the left rear most large window and the same in the right with interior walls. Any suggestions on how to cover the windows behind the walls?

The van is 99% streetdocking on my workdays. It will se little regular camper use so I am not concerned about losing the tiny bottom ailing portion for ventilation. Blacked out privacy is my main focus. I have debated just covering or painting the reflectix black, attaching to the van walls and then putting up my cedar planks.

Definitely open to ideas and pics of what you may have done are a bonus.

 

[CosmickGold]

Heh. I'm a year younger than you, a 98 Express. I'd hoped to use magnets around the edge, but the window frames are non-magnetic. I tried several solutions that didn't work. But finally settled on half-inch blue foam insulation cut to fit each window. And I hold them in place with a Bungie cord running top to bottom over each. A small block of wood in the center allows the bungie to hold the insulation tight against the glass

Light shines through the foam so I painted the inside of each black and then a coat of white over the black

 

[Rechinca]

Yeah unfortunately the frames themselves are aluminum, but if you can make it past them to the wall metal the magnets would work.

 

[user 423]

I have a Ford conversion and painted the insides of unused windows with hi-temp silver paint then put in I/2" foam board insulation.

 

[afblangley]

The first decision is whether or not you want the functionality of the windows: do you ever want to be able to see out of them? The second decision is aesthetics: do you want the interior walls to look like a tiny house/cottage or do you like the look of your OEM window moulding?

My van has windows all around. I like having full visibility when driving, minimizing the blind spots, using the rearview mirror, etc. Furthermore, I like the look of my OEM wall moulding and window trim. For these reasons, I use insulated covers that I deploy only when I want privacy.

If you like the look of your walls but don't value seeing out, Home Depot, Lowe's and Amazon sell translucent or opaque window films that adhere via static clink, are cheap, easy to install, and can be uninstalled if desired. Plus, since you cut them to fit, your windows remain operable.

 

[Rechinca]

The first decision is whether or not you want the functionality of the windows: do you ever want to be able to see out of them? The second decision is aesthetics: do you want the interior walls to look like a tiny house/cottage or do you like the look of your OEM window moulding?

My van has windows all around. I like having full visibility when driving, minimizing the blind spots, using the rearview mirror, etc. Furthermore, I like the look of my OEM wall moulding and window trim. For these reasons, I use insulated covers that I deploy only when I want privacy.

If you like the look of your walls but don't value seeing out, Home Depot, Lowe's and Amazon sell translucent or opaque window films that adhere via static clink, are cheap, easy to install, and can be uninstalled if desired. Plus, since you cut them to fit, your windows remain operable.

I have zero need for at least two of those large windows. This van was gutted by the previous owner so none of the factory moldings or trim around the walls/windows is present (except the stuff along the high top). Since I am streetdocking in urban areas at work, I NEED blackout type stealth so two of those windows will need to be blacked out, insulated and permanently covered by walls. They little ventilation they allow will also not be necessary.

 

[CosmickGold]

Yeah unfortunately the frames themselves are aluminum, but if you can make it past them to the wall metal the magnets would work.

I thought that would be the case, but the walls seem non-magnetic as well! Paint flaked off a number of places outside years ago, yet there has been no rust at all, the exposed metal staying a dull gray. Well, given a choice between rust and non-magnetic, I'm happy I got non-magnetic.

I'll add that I thought I could cut the insulation foam to fit tightly in each window. That worked until the heat of the sun shrunk the foam. Then I tried small velcro stick-on pads. They worked until, once again, the sun turned their adhesive to white powder! Then came the wood blocks behind bungee chords; a solution that has not failed me. <--- (Note the not-so-subtle reference to the baking-hot sun on my darkly tinted windows. Ha ha!)

 

[Bigbear67]

I have zero need for at least two of those large windows. This van was gutted by the previous owner so none of the factory moldings or trim around the walls/windows is present (except the stuff along the high top). Since I am streetdocking in urban areas at work, I NEED blackout type stealth so two of those windows will need to be blacked out, insulated and permanently covered by walls. They little ventilation they allow will also not be necessary.

When I built my bus conversion, I painted the inside of the in needed windows with gloss black paint. Next, I covered the paint with 50mm rockwool loft insulation, then classed over the entire wall/window area with 8mm tongue&groove timber. As its on glass, no brush strokes can be seen & from the outside they just look like black privacy glass....

 

[Rechinca]

When I built my bus conversion, I painted the inside of the in needed windows with gloss black paint. Next, I covered the paint with 50mm rockwool loft insulation, then classed over the entire wall/window area with 8mm tongue&groove timber. As its on glass, no brush strokes can be seen & from the outside they just look like black privacy glass....View attachment 30834

Excellent info! What kind of paint did you use?

 

[Bigbear67]

Just a tin of multi surface gloss black. First coat goes on a bit runny if you go too heavy, just a thin coat is better. Then as it dries add another coat. Make sure the glass is spotless before you start, then as you build up the coats you will not get any blemishes in the outside finish....