Here are a bunch of my van conversion’s finishing touches!
Redwood details
The head end of the bed has this redwood piece I cut to make a nice shape.. perfect for lounging over while looking at a nice vew!
The other end has a red-wood plank too – as does the shelf, the window sill and the front of the kitchen unit. It is a nice touch that accentuates key parts of the build away from the standard pine colour.
Aluminum edging
I had a spare bit of this edging, putting it at the back protects the wood from sliding things in and out
Fake plants
I got some fake plants from Ikea.. they look nice (people are often fooled) but at the same time they do not increase the humidity of the van.
Retro style fan switch
I got this chunky toggle switch for the fan – it looks cool and feels nice to use.
I used an off-cut of the Aluminium floor edging for the plate the switch sits on. I had to sand it down to give it the brushed appearance.
Finger training rail
I added this, just srewed it in, it is for climbing training and fits nicely above the door where you can do hang training
Pull handle
I got rid of the ugly plastic handles that came with the doors long ago, however the second door is really hard to close without a handle.
I used some climbing sling folded over and screwed in to make a simple handle to shut the door from the inside with.
Tea towel holder
This cost a few dollars and works really well! It has a self adhesive back so it was just a matter of sticking it on!
Bulkhead table store
I put auto carpet in to this space instead of just covering it up, then I found this table – it is good for doing work while in the van. It also fits perfectly in the hole behind the kitchen unit.
Table stowed away
Hammock
Because, hammocks!
Door panel and extra door handle
When searching for fabrics I found this fabric with nice pictures of birds on.. so I used it on this door panel.
The door with all its insulation and cladding is fairly heavy – so I added this handle to make it easier to open and shut the door while inside the van. I put auto carpet in the area I left behind it so it looks and feels nice to use.
Edging
It is hard to make everything match up precisely on all edges with the shape of the van.. so you can use this edging material to tidy up or cover up screws. Mostly I just tacked it on with panel pins or glued it on.
The aesthetic difference is subtle but it adds up to improve the over all effect.
Nate Murphy knows how to buy vans, convert them quickly and efficiently - use them for years - and then sell them for a profit. This can make vanlife not just free, but profitable!
He has successfully done this for years and he teaches his friends and students to do exactly the same. It is not obvious, but anyone can do it if they have the knowledge!
Join Nate at his free online training (running today) and he will teach you exactly how he does this!
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