custom bed

[rgs80074]

Hello everyone,


a while ago I ran into a thread/site about van dwelling and beds or something like that. I am not a van dweller but there are times I end up sleeping in my van for a few hours or so at a time. I can't lay sideways in the van I am too tall to have to lay length wise in the van.

in another thread people suggested a cot but as i looked into this idea (it sounded really good to be honest) the more i found out from reviews and such in order to make that work I need to lose a lot of weight, I am obese to say the least I need to lose another person to get to a normal weight (but its going to happen over time I don't want to be on this medication for blood pressure and such for long) but I have digressed.

So I am looking to make a custom bed from 2x4's and plywood (basically better than the bed I use at home it uses that stupid compressed glued wood some real wood here and there and plywood for the bed part.

I have a couple of problems first I do not know how to secure it to the floor and drilling holes into the floor with screws and such just don't seem like a good idea. Plus given this is my big vehicle at times I need to pick up things that might require the bed to be movable.

So I was thinking someting that uses a base thats wide enough to make it stable to use as a bed, thinking something like using milk crate sizes legs for stability (afterall its unlikely it would beused when moving although I do have a seat belt on the back corner of the van for some reason). I also should have plenty of room behind the second sets of sets for the bed without having to move or adjust anything.

I woudl like it to be able to be movable and fold up to the van wall. thinking the base would also move with the frame up the wall maybe they would fold down or just be stationary I don't know.

I would like the base to be like boxes where I can store a few things in the van probably in milk crates or something similar. thinking also one of the legs so to speak would be kinda lose not attached to the bed itself and house two batteries but be movable if needed to get out of the way.

ok after seeing the above:

anyone have any ideas on how I would accomplish this? i am not a carpenter and have basic tools I do have a table saw, circular saw and a variety of hand tools and such nothing really professional.

one of the things I'd like to store in my van are the majority of my tools. whenever i need a tool I can never seem to find them so I want my van to house the most of my tools then I'll buy cheap sets of tools for my other vehicles and jacks for emergency usage when needed.

I think if i would get some plans I could build this myself with my family.

not looking for anything large maybe a twin size only needs to sleep one person might not even need it to be that big. the mattress would just be a 3-6 inch foam topping like my bed in the house but needs to be flat on top but still able to hold the pad and at least 6'5" long I am 6'3" but not a huge.

not in a supper hurry to do this, the sooner the better and I think money wise it would not cost me a lot. But it will wait until over van work is done, I am almost done with a good chunk of it.

anyways I'd be really interest if anyone has any ideas, links, plans, etc.

thanks

ryan

 

[rgs80074]

ps forgot to state the van

its a 1997
dodge ram van b2500
v8 5.2l (not that is matters for the bed)

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

How often would you need to remove/fold the bed?  Are you a loner, or is there someone around who could help you occasionally?

I'm working out an idea for a bed for the back of a pickup with cap.  The plan is to put a piece of plywood down between the wheel wells, and to have the bed frame attached to the plywood.  Thus the whole thing could be slid out the back as needed.

Regards
John

 

[SoulRaven]

They have big guy cots, even Walmart has one listed on their website. This might stilll be your best bet, and you could still add extra padding as desired.

 

[rgs80074]

I've checked out the cots. while they have them that support my weight when looking at reviews on them most say they fail for people far under the weight it says.

as for the bed its just me for the most part so its not having to be big. as for how often it would need to move or flip up and store against the all of the van its hard to say it would only be when I need to go and get something that won't fit otherwise, i would image not very often to be honest but I'd have to have one in permanent then need to have to move it.

If i had a cot i knew would work and wouldn't cost a fortune i'd go for it i used to sleep on cots growing up. for two years I slept on an wwII cot my grandfather picked up for 35 bucks

 

[WriterMs]

Since you are not full-timing and needing all the storage you can get, what about a bed frame meant to hold a regular mattress or air mattress? It says the one at this link does have 13" of room to store under it.

Here is one on Amazon like I had in mind to suggest. It is steel, holds up to 1,200 pounds, is twin size (should fit, right??), and it folds twice to come in and out of the van easily. So even if you put a cut piece of plywood on that, it should be light enough for you to lift out fairly easily, shouldn't it?

If you end up ordering something like that from Amazon (and I think they have a few versions to look at), don't forget you can go on Bob's blog home page and use his search box. It doesn't cost you more but he gets a a bit of change that helps support this forum's costs.

Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Pragma-Bed-Simple-Quad-Fold-Frame/dp/B00F2EVSIC

 

[akrvbob]

So I was thinking someting that uses a base thats wide enough to make it stable to use as a bed, thinking something like using milk crate sizes legs for stability (afterall its unlikely it would beused when moving although I do have a seat belt on the back corner of the van for some reason).  I also should have plenty of room behind the second sets of sets for the bed without having to move or adjust anything.

I woudl like it to be able to be movable and fold up to the van wall.  thinking the base would also move with the frame up the wall maybe they would fold down or just be stationary I don't know.

I would like the base to be like boxes where I can store a few things in the van probably in milk crates or something similar.  thinking also one of the legs so to speak would be kinda lose not attached to the bed itself and house two batteries but be movable if needed to get out of the way.

The bed on my current van is built on milk crates. I have plywood that is hinged to the wall and allows it to be pulled up to get under it. It works okay. With the mattress, plywood and bedding, it's heavy and a pain to get underneath. Here is the post on it ad a picture:
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/my-van-conversion-how-to-live-in-a-van/

 

[highdesertranger]

I wouldn't rule out cots so fast. I have one of these http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabe...searchTypeByFilter=TopRated&x=10&y=6&Ntt=cots . I also know 4 other people with them. they are strong, durable, and can handle 600 lbs. I have had mine for about 20 years and it's still going strong. highdesertranger

 

[ramblingvanman]

I wouldn't rule out cots so fast.  I have one of these http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabe...searchTypeByFilter=TopRated&x=10&y=6&Ntt=cots .  I also know 4 other people with them.  they are strong,  durable,  and can handle 600 lbs.  I have had mine for about 20 years and it's still going strong.  highdesertranger

That's actually pretty cool. I never knew they made cots that wide.

 

[66788]

In my Dodge van I made a plywood and 2x4 bed as pictured below.   Mine is attached with L brackets and screws, but doesn't have to be.

Below was the start of my interior, rough framing of the cabinets and bed:
click thumbnail to enlarge



I made an oak trim around the bed for esthetics and function.   The oak has a lip that retains the mattress on hard braking and rough roads:

click thumbnail to enlarge



It has held up to 450 pounds (multiple persons) and is rock steady.   Additionally, I love my 9" memory foam mattress and sleep better in the van than at home.   There is a lot of room under the bed for storage and I have a 13" vertical clearance for items.

It is easily removed for whatever reason.

 

[DannyB1954]

Have you considered a foam futon type bed? They fold up to the size of a chair, and since they sit on the floor, no frame is necessary.
When you don't need it, just slide it behind the drivers seat to keep it from flying forward on stops.

 

[RVTravel]

In the teahouses of Nepal, their bedding was a simple wood frame, about 78" x 30", with a few inch mat and covers. They air them out about every day. I wanted one just like it.

 

[rgs80074]

The bed on my current van is built on milk crates. I have plywood that is hinged to the wall and allows it to be pulled up to get under it. It works okay. With the mattress, plywood and bedding, it's heavy and a pain to get underneath. Here is the post on it ad a picture:
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/my-van-conversion-how-to-live-in-a-van/

Hello Bob,

I was thinking of something like this but first I wouldn't want to have to have a bunch of milk crates to hold up the bed. Its not that I am against them, i know they probably would support the weight but how do you hold them in place. My other concern with a bed like this is the attaching it to the van. That was the main concern I had with what I was thinking about is I don't want to go drilling holes in the van but I am thinking if you want it to be lachable and such you have to. I just think having bolts or screws showing on the outside would be ugly.

Like I said I was leaning this way but I have only 1 milk crate so i'd have to purchase others which I guess really isn't an issue as much as keeping them stable and making the bed easy to lift up and latch off them so they are easy to access.

Cots I just don't trust to many reviews say where parts fail maybe not the cot itself but pins, hinges etc.

do you have this bed attached to the wall of the van somehow?

 

[rgs80074]

Since you are not full-timing and needing all the storage you can get, what about a bed frame meant to hold a regular mattress or air mattress? It says the one at this link does have 13" of room to store under it.

Here is one on Amazon like I had in mind to suggest. It is steel, holds up to 1,200 pounds, is twin size (should fit, right??), and it folds twice to come in and out of the van easily.  So even if you put a cut piece of plywood on that, it should be light enough for you to lift out fairly easily, shouldn't it?

If you end up ordering something like that from Amazon (and I think they have a few versions to look at), don't forget you can go on Bob's blog home page and use his search box. It doesn't cost you more but he gets a a bit of change that helps support this forum's costs.

Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Pragma-Bed-Simple-Quad-Fold-Frame/dp/B00F2EVSIC

I like this one. I might go with this option. I had a roll away bed similar to this growing up at my grandfathers house for when I was with my dad on the weekends. that thing worked great.

I'll sure use bob's search if i buy one off amazon or somewhere other than craigslist.

Then I just have to find something I can use to keep milk crates, tool boxes, etc from moving all around when driving. Plan on putting all or most of my tools in my van instead of having to search the house and shed every time I need something. everything I have that uses batteries use the lithum so i can charge them while driving if needed, really only have a couple right now and its not something i will use often so.

 

[rgs80074]

In my Dodge van I made a plywood and 2x4 bed as pictured below.   Mine is attached with L brackets and screws, but doesn't have to be.

I made an oak trim around the bed for esthetics and function.   The oak has a lip that retains the mattress on hard braking and rough roads:

It has held up to 450 pounds (multiple persons) and is rock steady.   Additionally, I love my 9" memory foam mattress and sleep better in the van than at home.   There is a lot of room under the bed for storage and I have a 13" vertical clearance for items.

It is easily removed for whatever reason.

this is what I was originally thinking, can't be too expensive to make and would require little skill to do(i think i have enough) but I am not sure I like screwing stuff or bolting stuff into the floor (too scared I'd hit something beneth it and cost me a good size repair bill). plus with them screwed to the floor it makes it harder to move.

But as I was saying I was thinking something like that except when needed to be move out of the way it would fold up or lift up from the side and latch to the van wall (but then again we are looking at my issue about screwing stuff into the van, and its not a bare wall so I can't see whats running behind the paneling in it). Mine is a dodge ram van b2500 but its a conversion I guess you'd call it. its got padded walls and ceiling and such.

I was going to if I had built one make the legs more like a few (well lets say milk crates on there sides) so there would be cubby holes to store my tools and such in but yet have empty space behind them for larger tools such as floor jack, empty gas can, etc and such bunge cords or something to keep the stuff in the cubby holes secure.

If I get a bed frame from one of hte prior posts I could still use milk crates or something for the storage.

maybe design some kind of pull out drawer system that would fit under the bed and attach to its legs but allow me to pull them all the way out or out a ways to make getting to stuff easier.

ideas are so easy its implementing them that I have a hard time with. just cause I can think of it don't mean I have the skills to build it and can get around to it.

although I do hope to have my van big repairs done in the next day or two and then hire someone to do the transmission gasket and filter and cooler lines, and possibly an oil change and tuneup (if they don't charge to much for that).

after that my repairs on my van are at a minimum a couple of vacumm hoses I need to figure out how to fix and where they go and the ac system to figure out whats wrong with it and how much that would cost to get fixed. I am sure there is a leak somewhere and depending where would depend on if its something I can do myself or need help with.

 

[WriterMs]

Then I just have to find something I can use to keep milk crates, tool boxes, etc from moving all around when driving.  Plan on putting all or most of my tools in my van instead of having to search the house and shed every time I need something.  everything I have that uses batteries use the lithum so i can charge them while driving if needed, really only have a couple right now and its not something i will use often so.

I didn't look at the bed frame again, but a height of 13 inches sticks in my mind... but even if that is right, there may be an inch or so less of "slide in" room for milk crates. I don't know how high the average milk crate is. But there are so many storage totes of all sizes and kinds, I'm sure you'd find something functional. You may want to not buy the storage bins until you have whatever bed you choose in hand to measure.

If you have just a few attachment points, consider simply using bungee cords or rope or a combination if the crates or totes are on the floor. YOu might even corral totes under the steel bed frame by using heavy duty bungees or rope.

 

[surfer]

Here's a couple of ideas to complicate your decision.   they are probably too much build for your needs.

Both builds require attaching the bed to the wall, but not literally. You attach it to the ribs (like the studs of a house) so that the screws / bolts don't come through the outside wall. not knowing where the ribs are complicates it.

Another point is that you build the bed the same distance away from the wall as the thickness of your mattress. that way when you go to fold the bed up the mattress isn't pushing up against the wall, therefore against you, preventing it from folding up.

the first and second photo are of the same van. one is with the bed down the other is with it up. the third photo is of a different van. note, it is not built away from the wall.

 

[akrvbob]

I have a cargo van so I used hinges bolted to the ribs of the van. Because it's a cargo van, I can see and access the ribs easily. Nothing breaks the sheet metal of the walls.

Milk crates are very strong, that bed could easily hold a 1000 pounds.

They are held in place by aluminum angle iron screwed into the floor.

By far the simplest and easiest bed to make is one made from 4x4s and plywood. Very simple and strong, make it high enough to get great storage underneath. It's best to use "L" brackets to attach it to the floor but no big deal if you don't.

You may be overthinking this. I had a friend who went to Ikea, found three end-tables and built them and put a piece of plywood across them to make her bed. She's slept on that bed for 5 years.
Bob

 

[Gary68]

anyone use like a 3-4 inch pvc or like as a bed frame? should be light and strong

 

[DannyB1954]

One thing about milk crates is there may be a legal issue involved. They are usually owned by a milk company, (with the name on the side). They do not sell them to the public. At one time someone may have stole them from a milk company. How they came to be in one's possession may be a moot point. You may still be in possession of stolen property. Some jurisdictions take people in for shopping carts for the same reason. Yes it may be one in a thousand who gets charged, but If a Law Officer wanted to give you some grief, they may be able to.
Youtube has many van bed ideas.