Van Life Ceiling The RIGHT Way | LED Lights & Cedar | Dodge Ram Adventure Van Build Series

[@nicolegee2645]

It looks amazing!

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Thank you!!

[@crusherjones6809]

I love this painted shroud! Absolutely going to take this idea and move forward with it for my own build. I think you are full-on correct on the color flow. Take this thumbs up. You earned it!

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Definitely paint your fan shroud. It looks perfect with all the other black accents, and held up well. Thank you for watching.

[@carpman_here8133]

Great job! Doing the electric was the most nerve racking part of my build.

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Thanks carpman! I’d agree with you on that one. I have no experience with this sort of thing. I think I’m starting to understand it and it’s coming together nice. Thanks for the comment

[@ImChrisDeDecker]

The build looks awesome dude! The way everything is is coming together really makes sense. The dimmer switch makes a huge difference. (I commented in the premiere chat, but I am unsure how that chat works so I am commenting here too lmao)

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Thanks my friend! Electrical is something that I wanted to take my time and really learn with this build. So far it’s going to be a really cool self sufficient house-like system. Thanks for commenting 🚐💨

[@alwaysgoodinthewoods]

Nice work man! The build is lookin great, very solid foundation with the floor, walls and ceiling! The high roof and the windows are going to be a game changer that's for sure. Subbed to see how it turns out!

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Thank you Northern Astro! Everything is slowly coming together and really looking forward to wrapping it up and hitting the road. The combination of the high roof and massive windows really open the space up. Thanks again, and stay tuned! 🚐💨

[@ryanfortin9166]

Awesome channel. I just stumbled across it the other day. Lots of great tips. I'm hoping to get and do my own my own van build with my 13yo son. Unfortunately I have no knowledge at all when it comes to carpentry and my right arm is paralyzed. Where there's a will there's a way. I literally managed to put up 8 foot sheets of drywall on the basement ceilings at my old house completely by myself 1 handed. Afterwards I realized you can rent drywall lifts lol but I got 2 rooms done 1 handed balancing drywall on my head and I only broke 1 sheet. I'm excited tho to do this with my son. Do you ever stay in it overnight in winter? I'm planning on it in Canada and was wondering if the insulation etc you used would be enough altho I'm also considering a tiny woodstove and backup buddy heater for tikes we can't burn wood. I think we should be alright as our ice hut was insulated the same and the insulation was just exposed so the cedar would add an extra layer and will likely add vapor barrier. Also the van won't be sitting on a frozen lake with a big hole in the floor.

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Ryan, that’s a truly inspiring story. Sounds like you have plenty of determination to work hard, and these are good lessons for your son to grow up around. To answer your heating question and winter camping refer to my latest video where we go camping on the Oregon coast. I’ve installed a diesel heater that I found on Amazon (link will be found below the video) that was super cheap and keeps the van VERY WARM. With a press of a button I can now heat up the small space safely and effectively. The heater vents through the bottom of the van which ensures a safer environment rather then the propane buddy heaters. If you want to learn more about them there’s plenty of videos out there showing how to install them. Hope this helps, and safe travels. Thanks for commenting! 🏔🚐💨

[@ryanfortin9166]

@@SeizeTheAdventureCo awesome ty. I'll check it out. I've been considering a diesel heater also but I kinda wanna try and make it so I have to replenish fuels etc as little as possible hence the wood stove. In our ice hut the woodstove was about the size of a shoe box sideways so I was thinking I could probably get away with just filling it before bed and it'd hopefully keep warm until morning. If we wake up cold I could just turn on the buddy heater to warm it up maybe for a bit. Dependinghow well it holds heat. It worked really well in the ice hut altho it had to be fed multiple times just in a morning but it was just like I said, bare insulated walls, tin roof without insulation at all and big holes in the floor for fishing. Every week or so also we had to jack the hut up an inch or 2 to keep it from freezing into the lake so the floor let in alot of cold drafts. We had a lot of wood storage under a big bench seat but we were mostly using cut and split Birchwood. Do you have any videos in solar panels etc? I'm thinking for this year we might just get a smaller jackery style electric generator so we can maybe do a few nights or maybe a week camping but my goal is to kinda be able to stay in it a month or 2 if I wanted. Probably install a hitch and cargo carrier maybe for more water storage.

[@ryanfortin9166]

@@SeizeTheAdventureCo I really like the bed aswell. I've already got a Milliard 6-Inch Memory Foam Tri Folding Mattress that's (75 inches x 31 inches). I was thinking that maybe I could get another one the same as a backrest for a couch and using the one I've got as a couch cushion but when you pull out the slates like you have the back rest couch mattress would just widen the bed.

[@ryanfortin9166]

@@SeizeTheAdventureCo the good thing about diesel tho is that you can actually make diesel from plastic. Not sure how well it'd work in a diesel heater but maybe something for me to eventually look into. I saw it in a video I watched a year or so ago where a couple lived off grid on an island and they'd make diesel from plastic bottles etc that washed up on shore. Not sure how practical it is but something I may look into. Sorry I keep rambling. I appreciate the response. I actually just started thinking about doing this and am glad to find someone else's journey that isn't years old vids

[@PETE.K.I.R.O.W]

You ever get your paint to match on the exterior of your van...???

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Yes!! Should’ve mentioned that in this video. Durabak-18 provided me with excellent support and sent out a free gallon of the correct paint to replace the faulty quart that I used. The van paint job is finally complete, and was quite easy to correct the issue. It looks like a TANK! I’ll be sure address it in the next video. Thanks for watching Pete.

[@lukebray2192]

How many lights did you install? 6?

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

Yes I installed 6 total lights. I have the lights I used linked down in the description as well as the dimmer that’s compatible. It’s a package of 6 in black with “warm white” light. I wasn’t sure if 1 package would be sufficient, but they are PLENTY bright and very happy with the capability to dim them. Thanks for watching, and commenting!

[@lukebray2192]

Yes that’s what I thought it was 6. What are the the specifics on the cedar planks? How wide and thick etc?

[@SeizeTheAdventureCo]

@@lukebray2192 they are 1/4 in x 3.5in x 8ft from Home Depot. Super flexible for the curvature of the ceiling. Still very rigid when all placed together. Hope this helps.