When you decide that van dwelling is for you, the first thing that comes to mind is what type of van best suits your needs and wants. Do you want a Sprinter Van that you can stand erect in and has a lot of room in terms of cargo vans. Do you want a regular cargo van that’s not quite as large as the Sprinter, but still has a lot room for a solo traveler or do you want the smaller van like the Ford Transit Connect, that is great on gas and is a good and reliable vehicle.
Regardless of the type van you choose, here are some things you must consider before and during your build-out.
LAYOUT: When planning your build and laying out your floor plan, make sure your van is easy to clean. This sounds rather insignificant, but believe me, it’s not. Unlike your home, you take your van on the highway, dirt roads, the desert, muddy roads, campgrounds with dirt roads, the beach, washboard roads and the like. There’s dust, dirt, mud, sand and don’t forget pollen to deal with. Every little nook and cranny will become a collector of this unwanted debris. Be aware when building out your van of raw wood rubbing against other raw wood and it will if not properly secured and this causes sawdust. Make sure to have a good air flow throughout your van. A good roof fan that is reversible to bring in fresh air or blow out stale air is a necessity. When installing a roof vent/fan, make sure it is not too tall as you want your van to retain a “stealthy” look. If you have a roof rack, as a lot of van dwellers do for the double purpose of carrying bicycles or other extra items and for helping conceal things like a roof vent and or solar panels, again, you want to remain as stealthy as possible. If you don’t have good ventilation, condensation builds rapidly inside a vehicle. You can actually breathe inside your closed vehicle and condensation will occur. You don’t notice this in your home, because your home is so much bigger and ventilation takes place almost automatically. If you’re in colder climates, you will probably have a portable heater. Your heater should never be operated inside your van without proper ventilation. Not only is that very dangerous, but again, condensation becomes a problem. So be aware that condensation, like any other form of water can cause mold and that’s the last thing you want in a small space. One final word on this subject, when readying the inside of your van for the build-out, do not destroy the integrity of your vehicle.
WATER: Some van dwellers opt for additional windows in their vans as some types of cargo vans only have 2 front windows and a windshield. If you decide to install an additional window or windows, make sure the windows are water tight. Even the existing windows and doors should be checked with a pressure hose. You don’t want to spend a lot of time and money installing windows to find out during your first rain that they leak. Water is something you do not want inside your van once it’s built out.
COOKING: A vent fan over your stove, or the area where you will place your portable cooker when cooking inside should be vented. Some van dwellers will have a vent out the side of their van and if that’s the case, the vent on the outside should be protected and have some sort of small overhang over the vent to keep rain out. This vent, coupled with the roof vent not only rids your van of the condensation, but unpleasant odors if cooking certain foods.
TOXICITY: The toxicity of certain materials like some carpet, wood, paint, etc can be toxic and can cause illness. If you’ve ever walked into a new mobile home, you may have smelled such odors associated with the building materials. Be sure to check for toxicity of any materials you buy for your build-out. Do not use non-cabinet grade plywood. I would also be suspicious about using chipboard or particle board. Do not use pallet wood as it’s usually loaded with pesticides and is quite splintery as well. Check that laminate that you’re considering for your floor. I would recommend keeping carpet to a minimum. We have these type materials in our homes to a degree, but keep in mind that a van is a much smaller space and the toxic odors can be highly concentrated. Don’t forget to check the insulation that you’ll be using for your walls and floor as well. You’ll also need to think about the materials you’ll be using to secure everything. Remember this. If you’re gonna be like most van dwellers, you’ll be off-road a lot. This entails driving on rough asphalt roads, dirt roads, desert roads, etc. This causes vibration and rattling in your van. In this regard, you’ll need to brace and secure your build and the materials you use for this should be checked closely as well. I know one van dweller who did his complete build-out and only then discovered that some of the materials he had used for bracing was made from asphalt which is quite toxic. He ended up dismantling his flooring to remove the toxic material. Not only was it a lot of trouble, it was costly.
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION: We all carry some heavy items as we travel and it’s imperative that the weight be distributed for the sake of security and safety. Your “house batteries”, that provide electricity, first of all if inside your van should be sealed AGM type batteries. A regular battery will let off gas which is very dangerous unless vented to the outside. These batteries are very heavy. Some van dwellers have 4 to 6 golf cart batteries that they use for house batteries and if not loaded properly inside your van, you’re asking for trouble. Most van dwellers carry 6 or 7 gallon jugs of water. Water is very heavy as well. When building your van, make sure that you have a dedicated place for batteries, water and other heavy objects so the weight is distributed evenly in your van. Some van dwellers build a rack on the back of their van, off the receiver hitch to carry their batteries. Once you have your weight evenly distributed, make sure that everything is secured. I can’t stress that enough. See safety and security below.
SECURITY AND SAFETY: You must secure everything. I’ve had RV’ers (the ones that drive the big Class A’s) tell me that they don’t secure their coffee makers, blenders or other such items when they hit the road. Granted, they are rarely if ever off the freeway, but can you visualize what would happen at 70 miles per hour and he rear-ended a semi-truck or had to brake excessively? That coffee make and blender are now missiles coming at the back of his head at 70 MPH. Can you imagine just one of those 65 pound batteries coming at you at 65 or 70 MPH? Even if it’s a sealed battery, when it becomes a 70 MPH missile, it is going to burst and battery acid is not something you want all over you. SECURE EVERYTHING!!
CONVENIENCE: A balance of convenience and needs could be important. By this, I’m referring to things like your bed. Do you want your bed to be ready to jump in anytime you feel the need for a nap after a lengthy drive as opposed to putting your bed together each time you want to take a nap or go to sleep for the night. Some van dwellers have their bed set up permanently. Others use their table and some pads or the floor with an air mattress. This takes time to set up and go to bed and then put it all away in the morning. The same applies to cooking utensils. Do you want them handy or do you care that you have to dig into drawers or boxes to find what you need each time you cook? Different people opt for different things. Just something to consider as you build out your van.
YOUTUBE: There is a wealth of information on YouTube in terms of van dwelling, van build-out floor plans even videos to explain and show you the entire process. There are all types of vans mentioned in this post and previous posts and layouts for each. You will never lack for the right information if you consult YouTube.
DON’T WASTE SPACE: You’ll find that a van is small and sometimes, it’s real small, but other days you’re so happy to be a van dweller that your van is more than enough. Most van dwellers that I know started out the same, with a big house and all sorts of things we accumulate over the years. When you become a van dweller, you learn to become a minimalist very fast. You’ll also discover that you didn’t really need all those things anyway. And, you will learn how to make use of all your available space. You will surprise yourself.
CONVERT YOUR VAN TITLE TO AN RV TITLE: This may or may not be possible in your state of residence. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to check with your DMV. An RV title is similar to your home and comes with benefits. Your insurance may be cheaper. If you like an adult beverage now and then, an open bottle of alcohol may be allowed where it’s not in a vehicle. I’m certainly not suggesting you keep a bottle of booze with you as you drive, but if it’s not near you as you drive, it may be allowed is all I’m saying. If you’re a gun owner, you may be able to carry your gun with you.
NOTE: I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY AND I AM IN NO WAY GIVING LEGAL ADVICE HERE. I AM SIMPLY POINTING OUT SOME THINGS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU AS A VAN DWELLER.
Most of the photos in this blog are provided with the courtesy of pixabay.com.
Until next time…
