how do you build a wood ceiling inside a high top van?

[Giggles]

So, I've got a question. I've been looking for videos on YouTube about how to build a wood celling in a high top, but I just can't find any. I wish I knew more about carpentry.....

I bought a van that has a nice fiberglass high top. On the inside of the high top are carpeted luan panels with fluorescent lights built in. The lights don't work, and fluorescent lights give me migraines, anyway, so I want to take out the carpeted paneling and put in a nice wood beadboad celling

There is also a lot of wasted space behind the paneling. I took one of the panels off, and behind it, there about 6 inches of air, and  just a few, tiny wood blocks here and there that the paneling screws into, but that's it. Therer's some spray foam in the high top, so it's insulated, but it's just so much wasted space between the spray foam and the paneling. I think I could have a much higher ceiling with wood.

I don't know much about carpentry, so my question is...how do I create a wood ceiling under my high top, without all that wasted space? Do they put up more wood blokcs around the edge of the high top, and nail the wood into that? Or do they glue the wood directly onto the spray foam? I don't think you can screw wood screws into spray foam....or can you?



Thanks.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

A picture would help however from how you described it if you can lay some strips of wood say 3/4 inches by 1 across the width screwed into those existing blocks of wood, run you tung and groove 1/4 wood boards on top of those, When I did my ceiling I had maybe four strips of wood over ten feet, I glued each piece to those strips as well as glued them on the tung and groove then brad nailed the tung to the strips. Not sure how the sides of your high top join but you could glue a small moulding around the edges to the side walls and the ceiling,afterwards as a finish you could brad nail them to the ceiling.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Here is a photo

 

[Giggles]

Thank you!

 

[MrNoodly]

I don't know much about carpentry... how do I create a wood ceiling under my high top...?

If you don't know much about carpentry, then you probably don't have the skills and tools it would take. That's harsh, but it's reality.

 

[Uncle Todo]

It's not rocket science, if you can measure and cut, you'll be fine.
The roof isn't going to fall in or blow up if you make a mistake, just no matter what, don't make a hole through it!
The fiberglass will have blocks of wood molded in where the current ceiling is fastened to, when you remove the current ceiling you can either reuse the same points, or run strips of wood to attach to.
Use some tongue and groove paneling, you can screw, nail, staple, or even liquid nail it depending on what you use and thickness.

 

[Malamute]

So, I've got a question. I've been looking for videos on YouTube about how to build a wood celling in a high top, but I just can't find any. I wish I knew more about carpentry.....


There is also a lot of wasted space behind the paneling. I took one of the panels off, and behind it, there about 6 inches of air, and  just a few, tiny wood blocks here and there that the paneling screws into, but that's it. Therer's some spray foam in the high top, so it's insulated, but it's just so much wasted space between the spray foam and the paneling. I think I could have a much higher ceiling with wood.

Thanks.

 
 Did you take pictures with the one piece of ceiling paneling off? Thats what we really need to see to give a good answer. The main wood blocks and try to determine how they fastened the blocks and how they fastened the edges. The existing blocks, if too thick, may need to be thinned down, either removed and thinned or done in place if removing them is problematic.

 They make some very thin bead edge tongue and groove paneling boards, maybe 3/8" thick? Probably cedar. If you can get adequate backing blocks behind it with nailer or screw strips, its not too hard to put up.

You may be able to replace the fluorescent bulbs with LEDs to get rid of the fluorescent buzz effect.

 

[Uncle Todo]

Home Depot has 1/4" tongue & groove cedar.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-...rtby=bestmatch&sortorder=none&storeSelection=

I want to try and use it on my walls.

 

[Malamute]

Thats it.

 

[Giggles]

It's not rocket science, if you can measure and cut, you'll be fine.
The roof isn't going to fall in or blow up if you make a mistake, just no matter what, don't make a hole through it!
The fiberglass will have blocks of wood molded in where the current ceiling is fastened to, when you remove the current ceiling you can either reuse the same points, or run strips of wood to attach to.
Use some tongue and groove paneling, you can screw, nail, staple, or even liquid nail it depending on what you use and thickness.

Thank you!

 

[Giggles]

 
 Did you take pictures with the one piece of ceiling paneling off? Thats what we really need to see to give a good answer. The main wood blocks and try to determine how they fastened the blocks and how they fastened the edges. The existing blocks, if too thick, may need to be thinned down, either removed and thinned or done in place if removing them is problematic.

 They make some very thin bead edge tongue and groove paneling boards, maybe 3/8" thick? Probably cedar. If you can get adequate backing blocks behind it with nailer or screw strips, its not too hard to put up.

You may be able to replace the fluorescent bulbs with LEDs to get rid of the fluorescent buzz effect.

Thank you! I will take some photos this week and post them.

The wood blocks are actually tiny. I was thinking off putting a wooden plank along the top and turning that into a shelf unit along the top.

 

[Giggles]

Home Depot has 1/4" tongue & groove cedar.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-...rtby=bestmatch&sortorder=none&storeSelection=

I want to try and use it on my walls.

Awesome....thanks so much. 

You guys are wonderful resource. I really appreciate all your help.

 

[Treknik]

Home Depot also has thin tongue & groove plastic wainscoting. I'm wondering if this might work better and be easier to install. Perfectly uniform pieces and some horizontal flex for a rounded ceiling. Just glue it on?

 

[Giggles]

Thanks. I'll check that out, too!

 

[BelgianPup]

The thin, flexible stuff appears to be called "simulated beadboard", and can be as thin as 1/8", and flexes quite well. Places like Lowe's and Home Depot probably don't carry it, so try to find a building supply place that caters to people with mobile homes.

If there is a decent curve to the inside of the roof, I am wondering if you could use the panel's flex ability to hold it in place while you secure it?

As to weight, try to keep the weight as low as possible. Weight up high can be a real danger.