Interior Contruction, Designs, Ideas, and Examples

[Rhianntp]

I wonder if we could start a thread here for RVs where people could share and ask for information about redesigning or rebuilding the interior?  In my case I have taken out both dinettes of my Coachmen 248DD. Going to be rebuilding the rear bed area and creating a work center for computer and tech related items in place of the other dinette. I'm also dealing with cab over water damage. I'm not terribly great at coming up with a design for how to accomplish this. Just seeing if people would be willing to share pictures and stories of what they managed to create.  Have any of you turned a rear dinette/bed into a permanent bed with storage under it? How about built a desk or workstation out of what was previously a dinette area?
Anyone else in this process?
:shy:

 

[DannyB1954]

Design depends a lot on what people like to do. What suits my hobbies and interests may not be right for you. Some want a full bathroom, others think why use all that space for a place I spend 10 minutes a day in. Most RV's are designed for families on vacation where 6 beds may be needed. Most Class A,B & C's stay the way they were originally built, but a good place for ideas are the school bus builds on Youtube. Most were just full of chairs that people had to dispose of. Then they built from scratch to what suited them.

 

[maki2]

the design has to incorporate attaching it to the structural components. Many people in this forum are building out vans and box trucks. Not that many are revising the interiors of an RV. Some of their visual concepts will be inspirations and some of the details but you need more than that. You need a real plan, as in a dimensioned drawing plan. So the first thing to find out is where the structural framing inside the walls of your own RV are located because you will have to screw into them to secure what you build. Equate that to locating the studs in the walls of your home so you can screw into them to mount heavy objects. Stick some blue masking tape over those locations marking  the centerline of the vertical frame piece onto the tape. Just like you do in a house you can use one of the electronic stud finders from the hardware store to located them, it will help you figure out where both edges of the framing piece are which you mark and divide to find the centerline of that framing piece. Once you have those located then create a measured drawing of each wall. You can do this on graph paper or in a graphics program or if you have the experience a CAD program.  Now you have a way to begin working out your new bed design based on real life dimensions. You will know what you have for the maximum width and length and because of window locations also the maximum height. You will also want to add in the locations of existing cabinets you want to keep. Having knowledge of all those constraints make it faster to design something that is a perfect fit for your space. Measure twice, design once, redesign again or even several more times, no doubt. Measure twice again and hopefully cut only once

 

[highdesertranger]

beside knowing where the studs are you need to know where the electrical and plumbing is. you don't want to put a screw or brad though a wire or pipe. highdesertranger

 

[maki2]

In motorhome RV and stick build RV travel trailers they install the wiring and plumbing after the interior panels that are fastened to the the exterior walls are attached to the framing.
there are 2 reasons for that
1. the framing is not thick enough to drill a hole into it to run wires and pipes through that structural piece.
2. it is the time/cost efficient way to do the steps of production work in a factory

However on a bathroom partition wall, meaning the partial walls that extend into the space there could be some plumbing and wiring inside of that partition wall.  But that plumbing and wiring will be run in the empty space between the vertical structural pieces the panels are attached to. Because once again the vertical structure is too small in dimension to drill a hole through it. Of course those wires can not be attache to on the surface of that structural framing between it and the paneling. So unlike a house there is not a lot of risk of hitting an electrical wire or plumbing in a motorhome.

The paneling itself is not strong enough to attach anything of substance to which is why it is essential to locate the structural framing and only attach to those pieces. If one has to offset from some wiring or plumbing that is in the way then it can be done by placing a piece of blocking that is slightly wider than the pipes and place that between the new structure being installed putting the fastener thru the new structure, the block and then on into the framing.

 

[Rhianntp]

Thanks for all the responses so far

Hoping to get a dialog in general going for this topic. I know a lot is focused on van builds and cargo trailer builds, but There may well be a lot of us out here with Class A and Class C who need to tackle some rebuild issues and remodels for practicality sake. There are some websites and youtube channels dedicated to these kind of things, but I like the idea of direct conversations and images for this kind of thing.

 

[highdesertranger]

"In motorhome RV and stick build RV travel trailers they install the wiring and plumbing after the interior panels.

I don't know where you got this info. that is not how we did it.

"1. the framing is not thick enough to drill a hole into it to run wires and pipes through that structural piece."

again this one is funny. you might not think it's thick enough but they do it that way all the time. i don't understand where you think the electrical and the plumbing goes if not in the walls. remember the outer skin and the inner walls go on before the windows, so all the ruff out plumbing and electrical must be in.

now on my trailer I am not installing it in the walls because I have learned better but every RV I have ever worked on it has been in the walls.

highdesertranger

 

[abnorm]

You told us the cabover roof was shot in your $1000 rig...….

Here's a year old post from friends TONYandKAREN with links to a detailed repair

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=36541&pid=448304#pid448304

 

[maki2]

I won't argue this issue.

Just go to youtube and review l the Travel Trailer and Motorhome websites that show how their units are constructed in the factory. You will see the wiring coming up from beneath the floor into partition walls, you will see wiring running in wiring channels overhead the roof cavities. There is some wiring going into exterior walls near the entry door but not inside or through a framing member.

 

[Rhianntp]

You told us the cabover roof was shot in your $1000 rig...….

Here's a year old post from friends  TONYandKAREN  with links to a detailed repair

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=36541&pid=448304#pid448304

Thanks... great stuff there 

 

[barleyguy]

"In motorhome RV and stick build RV travel trailers they install the wiring and plumbing after the interior panels.

I don't know where you got this info.  that is not how we did it.

"1. the framing is not thick enough to drill a hole into it to run wires and pipes through that structural piece."

again this one is funny.  you might not think it's thick enough but they do it that way all the time.  i don't understand where you think the electrical and the plumbing goes if not in the walls.  remember the outer skin and the inner walls go on before the windows,  so all the ruff out plumbing and electrical must be in.

now on my trailer I am not installing it in the walls because I have learned better but every RV I have ever worked on it has been in the walls.

highdesertranger

In my fifth wheel the plumbing and electrical runs through the basement. The only exception is some short lengths of plumbing that run through the lowest kitchen cabinets, and electrical between specific outlets.

That might be specific to fifth wheels though, since they usually have a lot of basement space. (Or even just my specific fifth wheel.)

 

[highdesertranger]

what about the tail lights and running lights, what about the interior ceiling lights, porch light, what about the range light and fan, AC, heater, what about the water pump switch and the tank level gauges, what about the light switches, what about the vent fans, how about the TV and radio, speakers and antenna, Microwave all the 120 outlets. do you have 12v outlets.

all that can't run through the basement.

highdesertranger

 

[outermostsoul]

I own a 1972 Airstream already altered by previous owners.  When I bought it it had front living, kitchen, twin size bunks with bookshelf on other wall, household shower with 3x3 pan and a large rear bath with household toilet.  The black and grey tanks removed, no fresh water tank. Previous owner had it for a park model type trailer. 

My remodel will turn the bunk area into a fold out couch. The living room will get a small woodstove. The big shower will turn into a wet bath with composting toilet by framing in a waterproof door and adding a tiny sink. The large rear bath will become my computer work desk/library.  The living room will become my art studio.

I will add a 12 volt system for lighting with solar panel charging.  The huge 3 way fridge will be removed and replaced with a 12 volt cooler style fridge/freezer on a slide out plus increased pantry storage.

The only thing staying the same will be the two closets which are both nice sized.

I am hoping to use my virus check for the bigger ticket items.  I have my flooring ready to go, just never had the time till now.

 

[Rhianntp]

Hope we can see your progress

 

[crofter]

....The paneling itself is not strong enough to attach anything of substance to which is why it is essential to locate the structural framing and only attach to those pieces....

My cargo van build is completely supported from the floor.  Floor has a substantial plywood layer that was stubbed out with 2X2s before being anchored in place (3/8 bolts anchoring floor). My rear bed is anchored to those stubs and is lightweight, cheap, and strong.

The 5 plywood ribs are screwed into floor stubs, creating 3 bin storage areas and a garage under the bed. Plywood sheet divides the bin storage from the rear access under bed garage. Sheet of plywood sits on top of this structure, mattress etc on top of the plywood sheet. I also built saddlebag storage over the wheel wells. 

Rear bed measures 48 in wide by 73 in long, 1/2 in plywood sheet.
Bed height is 30 inches from floor.
Ribs measure 29 1/2 by 25 in, 3/8 plywood.
Cross rib is 29 1/2 by 73 in, 3/8 plywood.
2X2 strips are used at contact points to screw it all together. Liquid nails ext glue was used, deck screws for bed assembly.  The 5 plywoods on edge is the weight bearing part of the bed.

I created a cut list before going to Home Depot and having them cut all the wood. Total cost for the floor and bed was a couple hundred dollars. 
-crofter

 

[JeanInaBox]

Crofter? ... How or to to what did you anchor the floor studs too?

 

[crofter]

Crofter? ... How or to to what did you anchor the floor studs too?

It's a cargo van so it has anchor points on the floor and cross members of the van. The floor sheet is bolted down in 8 places. The bolts thread through the floor sheet into threaded holes for the cargo anchor points. Heavy washers were used to spread out the hold on the floor sheet.

Stub ups from the floor sheet were glued and screwed in place from the back side of the sheet before installing the floor sheet. Then the floor sheet was slid in one piece (in thru the back doors) and bolted down. 

It's a pretty solid platform bed, I have been sleeping on it for a couple years now. In the past I have built platform beds with heavier lumber, but this time I am relying on the strength of plywood ribs on end.
-crofter

 

[maki2]

My 1971 travel trailer is a different type of structure   It has a fiberglass shell. The floor in it is 3/8" plywood that was bonded to the fiberglass bottom. The shell was then bolted down from the inside of the floor on through the frame.

There was no insulation inside, non-woven material, looked like that thin indoor outdoor carpet was adhered to the walls using contact cement. The cabinets were a combination of stick framed with 3/4 plywood sides at the end of the cabinet run on each side that went from floor to ceiling. Those provided vertical structural support. They were not attached to the walls or the roof. Metal brackets attached it  with bolts and nuts going through the laminated floor but it was not secured to the metal frame under the trailer.

It was pretty derelict when I bought it and I needed to rip out the cabinets as well as the wall coverings. As I wanted to insulate it I used thickened epoxy to apply furring strips to the interior walls, then 1/8" plywood panels. That furring strips also gave me a place to secure the new aluminum cabinet framing to the wall as well as to the floor. I need to keep the weight down because I have a 4 cylinder vehicle with a 1,500lb tow rating. Living full time in it means taking along more items that one would have on weekend camping trips.

Still a work in progress, the insulation and paneling is done, cabinet framing is finished. The wiring is in progress, it is all routed inside of the cabinets but protected in channels made for routing wires so that the contents of the cabinet don't snag or chafe the wires. Also done that way so that new wires can easily be added or existing wiring can be modified or even removed.

The framing for the bed is very simple to do. I built a front face frame. It is secured to the walls on each side. The mattress platform rest on 1x1, 1/8" aluminum U channels that were notched at the front to rest onto the front frame and a wood cleat that went against the wall along the back edge. The plywood panels that support the mattress are only 1/4 thick, that is of a sufficient thickness for the purpose. Most people way overbuild using large diameter lumber such as 2x4s and thick plywood. That is of course their choice to do so of course but it does not have to be done that way. My background is in building Boeing aircraft so I know how to build lightweight but also very strong cabinet framing.

 

[Rhianntp]

This is great. Exactly the kind of discussions and pictures I was hoping we could all share.  That travel trailer looks amazing  :thumbsup:

 

[crofter]

Detailed build threads are listed under the various dweller vehicles. Your dream dweller rig is surely represented there. There is also a detailed Promaster cargo van  build thread by Frater Sessions. Really complete how to with the sources for components etc.  No need to redo it here.  -crofter