The Best DIY Van Bed! From One Sheet Of Plywood - Weekender Camper Van Part 2

[@snowandwetleaves1772]

I can't do any of this, but I don't have to be able to paint to appreciate art. You are an artist sir. Continue being creative and sharing with us your talents.

[@MakeEverything]

I appreciate that!

[@jesszaeus7371]

Very true super cool

[@mallermedia]

LOVE this project! I have a few questions: 1) are you using carbon steel? 2) what’s the thickness of the material? 3) did you paint the side rails also? 4) how do you keep the metal-on-metal in the side rail from binding? 5) if I used 1x2 tubes (vertical) do you think it’d be strong enough to eliminate the legs? I don’t need to make the bed removable (this is only an RV!) I really appreciate your expertise and creativity!

[@patmills2089]

This is the same type of build that my husband and I are planning: a part-time use for weekends , and maybe a month long trip in the summer. Thanks!

[@AngelinaR-c4s]

easy to learn from. clear instructions, great clear video. THANK YOU!

[@longhairmullet]

Ha, Thant would take up my entire van! Great design, glad you have enough space to extend that bed out. Happy travels!

[@renaulttraficconversion]

Thanks for the video. This is the best camper van bed base I have ever seen. Brilliant job.

[@_GntlStone_]

Great use of space and materials. One of the quickest set-up / break-down designs out there.

[@21stcenturycaveman33]

Sir, you are a genius. Will probably adopt this design in my new build. Thanks for sharing your skill and knowledge. ATB, Des

[@fairworld2522]

Wow.. brilliant idea. I have seen this design in about couple of hundred videos so far

[@shaunhall1838]

This is simply and effective! I’m definitely going to use this in my nomad van. Thanks a bunch!

[@LuisGarcia-cq9ls]

I've had this idea in head forever!! I'm totally doing this, thanks for the vid!!!

[@Greenwitch_Garden]

Would be fun to build two on each side, pull to the midline for the bed, so when to push them to port and starboard side to couch mode you can enjoy your rear door view.

[@mikederosaj]

Incredibly well done. Thank you. Looking forward to seeing more.

[@BaybeloneMuso]

This is really useful information. Thank you dude. From Korea.

[@marsgaming3386]

My oh my this will be a project! But I know it will all be worth it once I get a the road for the first time!!!

[@furkids4ever]

Oh to have the tools & & & yup that's what I need.... Awesome! Thank you for sharing ...

[@robing6382]

Great Job. a couple ideas: 1- Could use Aluminum 2x2 angle for the sides, turn upside to protect the walls. Lighter. 2- Cut (2) parallel kerfs, 1/8" apart with your circular saw the 1st time, would open up the fingers a bit more, less friction. Nicely done.

[@sixstrings1063]

I like the aluminum idea, it doesn't rust also

[@grazynakaledek6228]

Great Idea and thanks for sharing. Cheers from Toronto, Canada

[@jonask6126]

Thanks for the video. I recommend you to use rivet nuts instead of the self tapping screws. When you go off-road, the self-tapping screws can come loose, the thread is very steep and the tightening force is low. The advantage of steel to me is more of a lower build space to strength ratio. For the support rails you could also use aluminum. Many greetings

[@thinredline2795]

Lol......

[@sannelambert579]

Great video! Thanks very much.

[@charging99]

Awesome design, think I will steal your idea. Thanks for sharing

[@charging99]

Guess its not stealing when you share a downloadable link

[@drew8642]

The modular detaching easily ideas are great 👍 one converter is using those 8020 aluminum locking rails to anchor things in and become removable. Excellent videos subscribed!

[@SethKearneyCaldwell]

Hi Drew, I'd be interested to see that! Could you point me to who is doing that?

[@Raptorau]

You are one of my very favourite makers on KZbin, and this was a joy to watch. Hello from Australia! The *only* nitpick I will make - and it's nothing to do with your content, which is fantastic - is that your audio levels for speech are very low. I'd love to be able to hear what you're telling us about your design process!

[@clearwater9118]

Use headphones and turn up the volume. Problem solved.

[@drew8642]

Simple sturdy lightweight and effective nice 👍

[@ifell3]

This actually takes all bed designs and mixes them into one! Apart from a lift bed aha 🤣 You got me subbed.

[@starman9921]

Great idea best I've seen for a bed

[@SigKappel]

I like this man. I used a ikea frame to do the same, but your solution gives more space

[@christinewood8331]

Wow love that bed design

[@vic70ria]

So glad more people are doing this. It’s what I have been planning for my van. But not many to see at the beginning.

[@martynhaswell7104]

Super cleaver idea. Nice one!

[@davidgiesfeldt6650]

Great version. I will mod it for square drop camper. Right now the floor/bed/couch is the tri-fold which creates a issues for 6in memory foam. Thanks

[@Seb.chartrand]

Thanks for your time! Great design

[@s-c..]

Nice detailed and clear instructions, and thanks for giving suggestions for workarounds for those of us who don’t have such a well equipped workshop : )

[@delaneymiklos6817]

This was a very informative video! We’re in the middle of converting our promaster and we’re looking for rock and roll bed options. I came across your video and like this concept so much more! Thanks for taking the time to make a tutorial

[@sdonohue1986]

I made an overly complex bed in my first build. This is perfect and lightweight! I'll try aluminum, but the same design in a smaller van!

[@DeathCapAmplification]

Amazing job. Really nice idea for a small Space.

[@aspynest]

Great Idea and simple application! Bravo

[@torriebrown9607]

This is a brilliant idea. You are Genius ty for sharing.😊

[@polopony1]

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for! Now to find someone to help me make it happen.

[@mundodebandeirante]

very good your videos. I'm building a camper and the information is very important.

[@MichaelSmith-hs5iu]

Very Clever!

[@tonybucca5667]

2020 Transit AWD, mid. I'm planning this for my bed. I'm planning my bed as a diagonal. I'm envisioning being able to open the rear door , and step up into a triagular "mud room." The bed will have triangular spaces at each end to tuck the phone at night. My "fingers" will be at whatever angle it works out to for a full size mattress. The "living room/kitchen on the other side would also have a triagular section in the floorplan, in front of the bed. Underneath, drawer slides will allow the compost toilet to slide into the "Mudroom" side, or forward int0 the "living room. Solo travel can be a narrower bed, and widen for bigger beds.

[@jimmym2719]

Good job bro..thanks for sharing a simple & most important lightweight& dual purpose build👍

[@benjaminrush4443]

Great. I thought of doing a side bench pullout with storage using the slats across from a cabinet/kitchen in a Van. The metal gives strength and less weight verses wood; breakdown in great. The second idea was to buy a AWD Ford Transit ( Looked at Benz - 170 WB ) and build the Garage with the bed on top. I'm Big and Tall so I need to go length either by myself or with another. Your idea with all wood would also work for you to have a couch for day use, and you would have storage underneath. Some cabinets above with a basic kitchen and storage would work. Simple and Modular. Don't need many windows - Ventilation with Top Vent. I would like to keep it on the Stealth Side. I like the suggestion about " .. know the limits .. don't try .. at home ". I live in a Town House and would have to convert my Living Room into a Shop. Thanks, I'm handy, but far from your level. Good Stuff.

[@fmpApps]

Make the end you pull out slightly wider to make it pull apart nicely. Maybe 1 inch or so wilder at that end. Things should slide together nicely.

[@FinancesOver50]

Thanks so much for giving us the template for the design!

[@kateclark8400]

But did you TEST it? It may hold up to two people sleeping, but what about more rigorous activities?

[@Clan501-Scotland]

Thanks for making a video about vans crude and creepy Kate. Maybe get your mind out of the gutter?

[@iwaswrongabouteveryhthing]

I too are also interested in it's structurel integrity

[@G_NE_TICKS]

@@Clan501-Scotland takes one to know one

[@nicktubara]

Lol as long as the other person doesn't weigh more than 300 pounds it should hold.

[@noahvillalpando]

This is the only one thing that matters. These are the real questions

[@RobertAgarHutton]

Great video and great idea - I'm still at the research phase for a van conversion and I am thinking that a modified version of your idea with three sections instead of two might well let me have a bed/couch that I could install across the van instead of lengthwise.

[@michaelwriting]

Very nice. Thank you for sharing.

[@markduggan3451]

I really like your builds I've just bought a Renault master minibus with wheelchair access (I'm a wheelchair user) I need to work out how and where to put the bed.

[@livingwithrob]

Great vid and very thorough. Thanks for the help!

[@johnbilsky9381]

THAT is freakin' genius. I'll be using aircraft aluminum tubing repurposed from old hang gliders in some areas. Thanks so much.

[@jackpijjin4088]

I'd like to try this design in my school bus. :)

[@T8RTU]

Super simple and really cool solution for the flexibility you are looking for. 😎👍

[@laffilmfest3759]

Brilliant designs...

[@billys1974fotd]

looks great. I'm building a tiny trailer to be towed by my jeep. I'll let you know when it's done.

[@1945guerre]

Excellent !!!

[@name.terrie]

Great video. Great instructions and great tips. Thanks so much! All the best!!!

[@Downeastwaves]

Neat setup! Thanks

[@officialWWM]

Clever dude!

[@zerotwoone-sportsphotograp2948]

Awesome! Thanks for posting this dude!

[@asopol3673]

Beautiful idea 👍 thank you for sharing

[@MC-dd8ls]

Niiiice Job! Great idea!

[@franciscocendejas1046]

Great video. Thanks!

[@MrTubeman123456]

Great idea

[@clearwater9118]

You should cut these for people to order them from you and you ship. You can help people and make money in the process. Many people can't do it themselves or don't want to. 😻

[@build-things]

Nice job. Only thing I might change is using aluminum for the beams to save a bit of weight

[@theeaskey]

Very nice...I am at that stage with a sprinter, not sure if I should follow your design or take a 3/4 plywood and put a heavy piano hinge joining two 27 inch pieces .this way you can turn it into a couch during the day ..

[@jrregaladovision]

Awesome vid man, going to copy you on a tundra truck bed build I’m designing. But facing the opposite way

[@zerobambiro]

Thats a nice idea. Want to try to make it a treefold wood or metal piece, which will slide up with the mattress so i have a solid backrest.

[@protect.your.digits.creations]

Great Video Chris, When are you getting the sign for the side of the Sprinter . It will say "If the van is a Rockin , Don't come a knockin".. All kidding aside very instructive video and if I had a Sprinter I would definitely build it .... Proud of you man .

[@kenamay]

Awesomeness

[@jeffn1384]

Aren't the fingers and gaps too wide? I'm thinking that a laying on a mattress of 100mm thick wouldn't you feel the mattress sinking into the gaps?

[@MakeEverything]

you don't notice the gaps at all the with the mattress im using. Its been great

[@genuismensa]

Hopefully your pull out game isn't as weak as that bed... J/K LOL! I really love that idea. How much weight do you think that would hold? I was thinking if you did a mirror image of the design and did another layer so that the gap was basically always filled but alternating top and bottom. I like that you can take it out and still use the van.

[@bodohunger9538]

Wow😳😊👍👍👍 well done...... Super idea!!!! I hope my english is corect 😂......very dear greetings from Bavaria Germany Bodo

[@averysmallcampervan]

Very nice! I like that you can take the whole thing out so easily. It is great how you can attach the side runners directly to the van walls. Did you have any trouble with the screws being stressed if you lift the front section up? Not sure if I am explaining that right. If you don't know what I mean then I guess you did not have the same problem :-)

[@ГлебР-ф5д]

Really nice idea! It's shocking by its simplicity! But what's about the ply wood basis, is it flexible while you lay on it?

[@anon0105]

Great design and video - many thanks. Do the vertical supports ever get in the way? Do you think the vertical supports could be omitted if the horizontal steel supports were bigger: perhaps 1x2 instead of 1x1?

[@pamelaables-propertymanage4136]

Was thinking maybe there may be some way to support this more under the center of bed while it is set up as a couch....If someone built a cabinet under it to where it was snug... That wouldnt hender it from pulling out right? Considering using this Method for my Bed in my camper van build..... Im planning on living in it for a several years as I travel. Thank you for such a amazing Couch/bed build. Love the Size of this bed and the trifold Mattress Idea!

[@karlroebling3316]

Nice!

[@BilqisUfaira10]

Verry good

[@SuperQdaddy]

They sell futon couches you can buy..and just throw it in and out..i made a full size bed across my promaster with angle iron on side and plywood and support beam in middle..very simple..and removable

[@StaceyBillsAdventures]

I LOVE what you did, but I can tell you there's no way I could cut those fingers and make it work, that's totally just me not being crafty or handy tho 5 stars from me on this one looks great!

[@tylanway5450]

ha. we love you but certainly you could cut wood. or you could find a high schooler to do it with 2 different $5 hand saws. bonus you can pay them with perscription drugs?

[@Davevit89]

Awesome!

[@philiphurdwell3443]

Great vid!

[@jean6042]

Cool 😎

[@theundeadbeholder284]

Congratulations! fantastic video, very clear description of the process and the bed design is awesome! I been designing a vagabond-styled camper for my pickup truck and looking for ideas about how to build the over-the-cab (full-size mattress) bed and your design fits exactly what I want to do (thanks!) I have a question thought, are the legs in the middle of the support absolutely necessary? Congrats again!

[@sublimeister9630]

Use a candle to make the fingers slide more smoothly… 👍

[@jaydgaf7]

Did you mention how long the bed is fully pulled out?

[@javediqbal1832]

Good

[@celestialove2003]

So did this work out in the long run? What is the weight capacity?

[@MakeEverything]

Yeah I still use it every time we go out on a trip. Working great and with the center leg it supports two people easily

[@MrAdam100576]

I love this! Great design. Question. What size steel tubing could have been used to avoid needing legs? Would that not be weight/cost effective? What's the rationale?

[@lindavoll9555]

Any chance you’ll be doing vanbuilds for clients in the future?

[@MakeEverything]

I’ve considered it, my only concern is the liability of “unfitting” a van in case the driver gets in an accident. But I’d look in to it because I enjoy building out mY own van!

[@patrickmullen5529]

Wow, great job... fabrication ... I think very serious I could do this

[@jimgood4966]

I just purchased a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan. I am hoping to get my hands on some design files (ideally I can open in TinkerCAD format .stl, .obj or .svg, or any drawings/diagrams/measurements of bed/cabinet/kitchen alternate setups etc) that I can take inspiration from modify to my personal liking to get the best result possible. I thought I might ask if you would be so kind as to forward any design files that you have that may help me, also if you are aware currently of any useful/necessary items for vanlife selling at a really good price/value I would very much appreciate any help/advice you can provide. Thanks and safe travels!

[@yami3960]

Is it possible to do it horizontally if theres enough space in the van, like a larger van? And also, is it possible to make it higher if theres enough height in the van?

[@vantagepointchurch2184]

The mattress: Is it bending in couch mode, or is it 2 separate pieces?

[@samuelstoneham1257]

Love the vid man! Thinks of doing a similar method, however have hesitated due to the bed being supported by vertical instead of horizontal members. With your design have you found the voids underneath the mattress uncomfortable and/or you feel yourself falling through? Keep at it! method and ideas are great!

[@missg3188]

Good question. I was wondering the same thing

[@brickwyrm5439]

Have you thought about making it so you can fold it in from the other way and have the couch looking out the expansive back door? A couple bolts swapped from the back to the front should make it convertible.

[@l.l.8022]

He’d just need to turn the mattress around, really.

[@Kithbrooke]

Hi love this idea, exactly what we are looking for! Tried to print out your plan and have lost it! could you please let me know where to find it thanks!

[@horskaskola]

Hello, good idea! What size-thickness (cm) of wood for bed did you use? Thank you!

[@MakeEverything]

3/4”