How We Built Our Kitchen | Vauxhall Vivaro SWB Van Conversion PT5

Join us as we convert a Vauxhall Vivaro SWB into a tiny home on wheels.
In this episode we build our kitchen which will house a clean and waste water tank, cool box, gas cylinder and a battery. We also wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has subscribed, we reached 1000 this week and really can’t believe it! As a thank you we will be organising a giveaway full of tiny and eco living goodies over on our IG @greenearthlingblog and @greenearthlingbuilds. Keep your eyes peeled!
We will be documenting the full build so make sure you subscribe and turn your notifications on!
P.S The build will be for sale at the end so prepare yourselves to become a van lifer!
Thanks a million for watching and see you soon!
If you enjoy what you see, send a ‘thank you’ cider to: paypal.me/nicolakb
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PRODUCTS
Worktop: www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ekbacken...
Tap: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53...
Sink: amzn.to/2QenHWo
Clean Water Tank 25lt: www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15898786...
Waste Water Tank 10lt: www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15898782...
Draw Handles: www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/eneryda-...
Cupboard Door Handle: www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/bagganae...
6mm MDF: tidd.ly/7e1109bc
12mm Ply: tidd.ly/a2abc226
MDF Primer: amzn.to/30qUmMp
Farrow & Ball Paint: www.diy.com/departments/farro...
Runners: amzn.to/380Pa4b
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TOOLS
Sander: amzn.to/2p1exSC
Chop Saw: amzn.to/33sTlUy
Table Saw: amzn.to/2ruNJv7
Combi Drill: amzn.to/34APJRe
Driver Drill: amzn.to/2zZ8hwy
Nail Gun: www.toolstation.com/bauker-st...
Router: amzn.to/2Rf46Vt
Gorilla Wood Glue: amzn.to/2Rae6j6
Small Clamps: amzn.to/2uK52d8
Large Clamps: amzn.to/2sjzhqm
SHOP OUR VAN BUILD:
www.nicroams.co.uk/gj-2/ --------------------------------
MUSIC
All our music is from Epidemic Sound www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
Song 1: Yomoti - Flowers
Song 2: Sarah, The Illstrumentalist - Oak City
Song 3: Ooyy - Melancholy
Song 4: Xavy Rusan - Life Line
Song 5: Lvly - Red Lights
Song 6: Harvio - Leaving
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HELLO!
I’m Nic, a full time UK based van dweller. I self-converted my Vauxhall Vivaro aka LL Cool Van in to a mini off grid beast so I can run off to the wilderness and never return.
I share my tiny living, eco living and travel stories here, with the hope to inspire and encourage you all to grab your dreams and live outside the box!
FOLLOW MY JOURNEY:
Website: www.nicroams.co.uk/
Instagram: / nicroams
Pinterest: www.pinterest.co.uk/NicRoams/
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CAMERA:
amzn.to/2N6vHbQ
DRONE:
amzn.to/3oM97VR
#vanlife #tinyliving #alternativeliving #vanconversion

[@Ms.Frankenbuilder]

You are brave using that for a countertop but at least you sealed it up.

[@djpWilson]

A lovely touch staining the sides of the drawers. Keep up the good work! Stay safe!

[@jolyoncrow5259]

Kitchen unit looks great! Well done 👍🏻

[@neilgrice9251]

Hey Green Earthling, the list of components and tools needed is brilliant. This saves hours/days of looking for lazy people like me. Thank you so much.

[@toppertruthio]

excactly the way im setting my trafic out....what a find.Thank you,subscribed

[@user-zp7sq7br6w]

I am Korean. I think it is great to see your video. It is a wonderful work.

[@Ryan-zv3os]

You guys could make these for others as well, I'm very impressed.

[@deancurtis995]

Bravo guys 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 that is awesome 😎 loving the kitchen I want that exact one in mine now lol

[@ABC1701A]

I have often wondered why more can conversions don't have the kitchen in the same place as your one, it always seems to make perfect sense to me to utilise this space. It is a handy place to put the kitchen area and leaves the centre of the van open to make more use of in living or working. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your build, good luck and enjoy.

[@margiesvanmori]

This is helpful! I’m building out my van now and it’s so nice to have videos of what other people did so I’m not just blindly chopping wood😂

[@nicroams]

So glad these videos are coming in handy, I wish you all the best with your conversion 🥰

[@r0btaylor]

Van looks wicked. The finish is more 'home' than 'van'. Love it. Video production is ace too. Lovely stuff all round :-)

[@Njangchl1366]

Great job and simple design

[@grahamlewisdiy3897]

Love the attention to detail 👍🏻

[@nicroams]

Thank you! 👍

[@XMotionVideos]

Awesome. Our van is very similar. You're both gorgeous people too 😍

[@chrispayne1029]

Great Video guys 👏👏👌🏻👍

[@benkohli3951]

Hi guys, just recently came across your videos. Really good btw. My and my partner are converting a Vivaro LWB atm. Will definitely use your advices to help use. Stay safe at home😉

[@vanman7519]

Just started on my vivaro swb got a fixed bed and I was wondering which way to do my kitchen area, I like what you have done so might pinch a few ideas 😊, good work guys 👍

[@kentishlee2014]

Good work guys 👌

[@sheyedlington9046]

Amazing. 🤗

[@kashyazapala2613]

Yo guys your videos are great. We have the same van but no project for how to furnish it yet so I will potentially just copy what you did :-) blessed be! 💕

[@seanthomas2906]

Some very useful tips thank you

[@NZKaupoi]

As a vanlifer handyman/builder l must say l am impressed by your conversion and more so how you present your video with the various elements. So well explained and demonstrated ... l take my hat of to you both, great job team. If you come to New Zealand then look me up l'd love to meet you and show you around.

[@Phil-dg1yg]

well done!

[@deancurtis995]

Having even watched the video yet but had to comment as been waiting with anticipation for this ...lol

[@MelHyde]

Plz do a full tour or explanation of the big van, love your channel

[@swobt]

The sealing part of the gas pipe is not the thread but the cone part just above the thread, this is where the light cover of sealant should go. Cracking video series

[@rbo350]

Billie your Carpentry skill are good

[@nicroams]

I will pass the message on! Thank you for watching 🤗

[@Radio4ManLeics]

Nice job on the kitchen. (I keep counting the new paint stains on yer jacket - you're clearly working, not shirking! 😁)

[@HereWeGoAgainPL]

Hi guys. Love the kitchen, did you cover the back of the kitchen (from the side of the driver) with plywood or mdf too? Thanks for the reply

[@monkeysausage2404]

Seriously good looking fit out there. Given me some ideas for sure. Not sure I've seen someone put the kitchen there in a small van, neat.

[@nicroams]

Thank you so much 😁

[@neilgrice9251]

Great video guys. Looking at gas hobs now - which model did you use and does the hob "retract" into the drawer?

[@srslam1347]

Looking good, also converting a vivaro atm, have done heater windows solar and electric. Started oak ceiling paneling and ply lines and insulated. What ply thickness you using for the kitchen cabinets?

[@liamransford7381]

hi, love your build. Could you tell me roughly how many sheets of ply and mdf went into the kitchen, bed and drawers please, going into full lockdown at 6pm so I'm on a mission from God today haha

[@ourvanviv8858]

Really cheeky but have you the dimensions of sofa bed and kitchen, i have the same van and having looked all over yours is the best use of the small space, take care

[@michaelhill6265]

hi ,love your vidz. im thinking of a conversion and like the look at the vivaro , do you think a vivaro minibus (6 or 9 seats) will be any good or will this mean less insulation as there are windows.What your thoughts on a transit ? im a bit indicisive :-) thanks micky

[@my_van_plan]

You've done a great job on your van, well done! I have a question - why did you go for mdf on the doors? Was it just for a nicer finish than the ply? Thanks :)

[@toppertruthio]

will you be doing a video of a cabinet over the passenger side rear wheel arch?

[@allanb52]

What exactly are you going to use that sink for, washing spoons and egg cups. We have a Vivaro and there is room for a decent sink. Just planning another build and like your bed design..maybe.

[@bloodredsky182]

Cheers, did you use 12mm or 15mm for the kitchen walls? And with these narrow plywoods, how did you attach the runners of the drawers? They usually come with pretty long screws, right?

[@carlpinchen5058]

Hi guys, hope your all well. When’s the next video due out? We are all eagerly waiting

[@tictachikes6156]

Great kitchen/bed design. I'm using this as inspiration for our Mazda Bongo. Just one thing: Is there a way you can edit it so that your voice sound is louder compared to your music? I always have to turn up the vol to hear you and then down before I'm deafened by the music xD

[@nicroams]

Thank you so much and for your feedback. Someone else had mentioned that too and I believe since then I have amended the audio, if you watch any of my latest vlogs I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether it has been sorted 🤗

[@michaelfrymus]

Since this is a low roof van, how high should the countertop be?

[@joychanter6498]

Hi guys! Love your build. My partner and I are converting a primaster and have a similar sized daybed although a different design, how are you going about the mattresses? Stacked to sit on or one for the back and one to sit on? We are trying to decide but not sure if having two stacked would be too chunky! Any help would be greatly appreciated 😊

[@joychanter6498]

@@nicroams no worries! Thank you for getting back to me. Going well thank you, almost ar the stage of building furniture 👌

[@steveelkins52]

Just catching up with your vids, so excuse a question on an old one! Did you consider weight when doing your build? MDF seems popular and even granite countertops? Caravans have lightweight construction to a fine art because towing weight is a serious issue. Van builders don't seem to care, but every kilo of weight reduces fuel consumption surely? I have yet to find any information on the actual cost of towing all that lovely fit out around (PS I am a mileage nerd and get to the same places as you guys but at 134mpg)

[@stevebeard9656]

How long is the bed you made and also is your table saw an evolution one and what do you think of it

[@grf1426]

1.36 That red wire running over the body member looks as if it would suffer if trapped between the kitchen unit and the metal cross member. Maybe re-route it?

[@irishrover63]

Kitchen looks great, very Ikea looking. Mine will be on the sliding door side. How are you going to finish the B-Pillar trim? When you take the bulkhead off it leaves those torque bolt holes exposed. A friend of mine gave me a tip to go to the scrapyard and get a Vivaro or Trafic that didn't have a bulkhead and the plastic B-Pillar trim covers those holes and stops at the door seal. I was lucky and found a mini bus Renault Trafic with that very trim. Got the 4 trim parts for £20, it finishes it off nicely. Also sold the bulkhead for £40. :) Look forward to the next episodes.

[@irishrover63]

Only thing was my mini bus trims had a handle for each side sliding door, but it will be handy as a handle for climbing in. If I leave them off it will leave 2 small square cut outs, but it still looks nicer than exposed holes. :)

[@gosiapl5623]

Sorry for my english. I would like to rebuild Vivaro Trafic Primaster L2H2, 1. what is the width, lenght of the bed ? 2. Is three a place for a toalet ? 🙂 Gosia 3.

[@ipodgooroo]

Do you find the swb trafic big enough for 2?

[@birdie2202]

how thickness mdf did you use for the kitchen …….

[@twowheeltales]

hi there m from India and is on a process to build my own van,just wanted to ask u if u guys don't secure the bed or the kitchen cabinet units to the floor of the van?

[@twowheeltales]

@@nicroams how do u secure with the floor and walls as the vehicle sheets has to be screwed or bolted through leaving a chance of leakage at the screw r bolt point of the vehicle body sheet

[@jasmyncrowe2356]

What dimensions was the unit you made? X

[@hashname90]

Does the drawers under the bed and in the kitchen not sliding open while driving? Because i´m gonna buld the same soon i wonder if this is enough or i should go for locks. Terrain where i live is probably more rough than the UK.

[@nicroams]

Hey, you have to put locks on them. I usually go for turn button style locks which you can find on Amazon 😊

[@hashname90]

@@nicroams thank You!

[@montasiromar7182]

👍✋

[@nicroams]

😁

[@meeshlvslobster]

I was looking and can't find it, do you have a full tour of this van?

[@nicroams]

I don’t sorry, project was cut short for personal reasons unfortunately x

[@meeshlvslobster]

@nicroams oh that's okay, I was wondering what the dark storage unit across from the bed looked like:) Thank you, great videos I subscribed 😊

[@leewood5493]

How much would you charge for building me this kitchen unit for my vivaro?

[@nicroams]

Hi Lee, thank you for thinking of us for supporting with van build however right now we are working on another build so not sure we’d be able to work on this right now. If you drop me an email [e-mail], letting me know when you want it done for we can have a look at possibilities. Thanks again and have a good weekend 👍🏼

[@leewood5493]

@@nicroams That's great Thank-you, look forward to seeing you're new van project!

[@soloseadog]

Great vids shame about the awful music. Really like the look of the kitchen unit however I wouldn't put a chipboard worktop in a van. I work in the leisure industry and it is a definite no no to use any chipboard in vans.

[@bethhanson7318]

What would be good to use instead? I’m looking for a worktop right now and need some advice!

[@soloseadog]

@@bethhanson7318 in the leisure industry they use lightweight composite material that isn't readily available to the public but if it were me I would use solid wood. More expensive and heavy but won't be affected by high levels of moisture in the van. And it's looks great. Avoid mdf and chipboard. The chipboard may look pretty with that veneer but it's a crap material. No grain and hates moisture.

[@bethhanson7318]

@@soloseadog how about plywood that is treated to be waterproof? Or would that not work?

[@soloseadog]

@@bethhanson7318 Yes plywood would work no problem but aoeamt look like a worktop. But yes with paint or varnish on it it's a great material. I used to be a boat builder and plywood is the go to material. If not composite

[@Tunneldreamer]

I hope you've stayed safe. Putting electrics and gas in the same space is a big, big no-no!

[@nicroams]

The gas is in an air tight container with a drop vent. There shouldn't be any problems with having them nearby