8020 Van Build: Viewer Questions Answered by Pro Builder

[@rickbartley9255]

Very generous of you to share freely what amounts to hours of valuable consultation. Thank you.

[@OurThrivingLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@LukaJane]

Your videos are super helpful. You stick to the topic and explain everything so clearly. I appreciate the fact that you don't include a lot of useless or extraneous information (I'm not a patient person lol). Thanks!

[@gordeng4001]

Very useful knowledge! I hope to be using your know-how very soon. Thank you for sharing!

[@jeanmarcchauveau-u4q]

Have you evaluated the difference in weight gained between a thicker and therefore heavier wooden frame with your assemblies...? Is the game worth the effort, as we say here in France? I would like to know this difference, if it exists of course and I think it is significant..!

[@itzanopinion]

Glad to know that there's another van builder other than Humble Road that use 8020 in their van builds!

[@OurThrivingLife]

George was my inspiration!

[@Luciusf11]

Thank you for the great and informative videos. One question: Why do you build the 8020 skeleton on top of the floor, as opposed to directly on the van's floor and add flooring only in the walking and living area? Sound and heat insulation can still be fitted in between. It would save weight, lowers center of gravity a tiny bit and no holes need to be drilled through the floor to mount the 8020 skeleton to the van's floor.

[@westonwright5665]

Fantastic video, answers a lot of the questions I've been trying to find but no one seemed to mention it! Just on the thermal bridging and screwing into the floor. What type of screw is best to use to limit thermal bridging (like zinc, stainless steel?) And do you still put a rubber/plastic washer in-between the floor wood batten and the aluminum, or does the wood stop the thermal bridging itself? Thankyou !

[@wanderingzythophile9083]

I've a question for you: Do you ever do any floor-to-ceiling structures out of extruded aluminium? And if so, how do you deal with securing those to the van itself? The lower portions, obviously you'd do the same as your cabinets; but then the wall curvature and then whatever ceiling curvature come into play. I'd love to hear how you tackle those sorts of features. Thank you!

[@bgzwlz5119]

I’m addicted to watching your amazing videos. Thanks again😊

[@OurThrivingLife]

Glad you like them!

[@ginawhite3728]

8020 it's so ridiculously expensive, unless you're the type of person that's going to be putting a $100000 build into your van it's not practical for the majority of people, anyway good luck to those who can afford it

[@FBall-im8ui]

if you stop using the name 802 and only keep with extruded aluminum then people will shop for that product rather than 8020 which are so overpriced only an opinion and thank for all you videos my preferred videos for my build, subscribed and client buying your offers.

[@journeyonthefly1246]

Do you have any plans for sale as far as cuttings for maybe a shower install or cabinets?

[@iliketofly904]

This couldn't be more timely. Just got my delivery from T-Nutz. This will help immensly figuring out the fastening of the aluminum profiles. Big relief! Your last few 8020 videos are most valuable. Thank you so much!!

[@OurThrivingLife]

Glad I could help!

[@garrettleecross]

Your videos take me from overwhelmed to feeling completely in control, thanks for these awesome training opportunities. I was wondering how you decide when to use 4 side T-slot extrude aluminum, or 3, or 2, etc. In your videos, typically you have flat on all outer sides, but occasionally not the case. I imagine it doesn't make a big difference, but when you drill directly into the aluminum, does it add an extra bit of material for the screw to bite? Would the only time it would matter be if you were inlaying the panel, keeping the aluminum visible (just for looks)? Thanks again!

[@OurThrivingLife]

It all depends on what you will see. We don't even use 4-slot. We use mostly tri-slot (1 smooth side). We face the smooth side out if it will be seen on the face or ends of cabinetry. We use bi-slot (2 smooth sides) when two sides will be seen. For example, we use bi-slot for the bottom bar on our upper cabinets since you will see the bottom and the face. We also try to face the smooth side out if we will be screwing into the bar.

[@shaggy745]

Plywood is not a great insulator for a thermal break

[@TRabocse]

Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience 👏

[@OurThrivingLife]

My pleasure!

[@cre8tively1]

What grade of Baltic Birch do you use for unseen areas of roof and floor? B/BB, BB/BB, BB/CP, CP/CP, c/c or shop grades?

[@OurThrivingLife]

I'm pretty sure it's BB/BB. That's just what my supplier carries.

[@ostwelt]

Invaluable; every section and just about every sentence extreme useful. Worth saying again, even as others have already noted, thank you very much for providing this all gratis. We could have all paid you for a consult, which I bet would be longer than just 30mins, whereas you have kindly given up the answers to very key questions. Also much appreciate your use of adverbs; something that seems to be disappearing in the US! 🤣

[@OurThrivingLife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@guitardoc99]

Thank you once again for a very informative video. Would love to see you explain how you design drawer cabinets. Specifically, the sizing of drawer boxes to drawer fronts, alignment of fronts to boxes and how you attach to the fronts keeping everything lined up perfectly. Thanks!

[@FBall-im8ui]

You instill confidence in your viewers to be bale to move forward in their builds, at least you did for me. It is becoming more and more clear, again Thank you, oh forget my last post I was having a mind fart!

[@scotttannehill3533]

Do you have a video where you show how to install hinged doors on you lower cabinets (10 series). With the doors inset into the aluminum, how would you install the hinges?

[@charlevoix418]

That's funny, that toekick story: 30 years owning sailboats and surviving not having them... You are not in a house, you are in a van.

[@butch8169]

Thanks for sharing. 😀

[@fredzuccarelli]

Jeff ....your vans are looking more and more awesome!!!! Me, and my BMW motorcycle still have you in our sights for my build when I retire.....soon!!!! Freddy

[@OurThrivingLife]

Looking forward to it!

[@frMedic100]

So do you normally use 10 series and not 15?

[@OurThrivingLife]

10 series. Much lighter, less expensive, and plenty strong. The only place we use 15 series is for the bars that span the mechanical boxes for the bed platform.

[@nickh8370]

Thanks for all these detailed videos! Q: What do you use to keep the wheelwell cabinets parallel to the center line of the van (brackets or rubber spacers)? I assume the back end of cabinets would be an inch or two off the wall to keep the centerline even. Or are you building the 80/20 a bit wider towards the back of the van? Looking to build our own van shortly!

[@OurThrivingLife]

We make spacers on a 3D printer to keep everything square.

[@improvagility5516]

Very timely video for me. Thanks very much for sharing. One question: how many screws do you typically use to fasten a component to the van floor and wall (I.e., sink/cabinet component or framework for water tank)?

[@OurThrivingLife]

Usually 3 or 4 in the wall and the same in the floor.

[@tvbnurse64]

We are really enjoying your videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Do you ever use velcro or magnets to attach panels to the 80/20?

[@OurThrivingLife]

Magnets, yes. Velcro, no. Magnets work very well.

[@kakafroon]

Silly question maybe, but you mentioned screwing the frame right into the floor sheet metal. Are you ever concerned about leaks?

[@OurThrivingLife]

No. We spray all of the screws with undercarriage coating.

[@fournier.benoit1993]

Very good tips. I am building my van wit 80/20 and one thing I realized is the the hardware adds a lot to the cost. It costs as much for brackets and bolts / t-nuts as for the bars. Also, building complex structures takes a lot of planning. Me and my son, a mechanical engineer, spent much of the week and all week-end planning the material needed for our kitchen / shower all-in one unit.

[@OurThrivingLife]

Yes. The hardware adds up quickly. Try the supplier we use. They have the best prices we’ve found.

[@charlevoix418]

Yep, that 80/20 saga was started by George from Humble Road a few years ago,, then everything went all directions, for the good, but mostly for the worse. My favorite one is seeing people building an 80/20 structure then covering it with 19mm baltic birch plywood...

[@fournier.benoit1993]

@@OurThrivingLife I am in Montreal Canada. There is a supplier here with very good price and I can pick up orders so I save on shipping.

[@vaskobelovski5772]

@@fournier.benoit1993 I am near Ottawa. What is the suppler in Montreal that you use for the 80/20? Thanks in advance!

[@fournier.benoit1993]

@@vaskobelovski5772 Faztek in Ville St-Laurent

[@DonPal-d5o]

Awesome primer-thank you. What’s a good source for that hex ply?

[@OurThrivingLife]

It can be tricky to find. It’s best if you can find a local supplier so you don’t have to pay shipping. It’s sometimes called Riga Heksa. If you can’t find it locally, try Reparadise in Salt Lake City.

[@stuartclark7538]

What is the thread spec for attaching to different Van locations? Thanks for your videos!

[@OurThrivingLife]

We use 1/4”-20 bolts into Rivnuts or Plusnuts for the walls and #14 sheet metal screws for the floor.

[@ShadiAhmad-fi1ul]

Have you ever designed a space for a semi truck

[@OurThrivingLife]

We have not.