MudFlap-TNT
Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2018
- Posts
- 19
Hello all.
I've been camping in a Ford E150 cargo van for years.
Problems:
1. Too small. After cramming in a queen sized bed, there is precious little room for much else. I am tall, and can't possibly stand up in this van. I'm tired of getting dressed while laying on the bed!
2. No insulation. Of course a van is an oven during the summer. So we are cold weather campers and camp right through winter where overnight temps in the teens are common. We frequently wake up to ice on the inside of the van windows!
Solution: build a well insulated truck camper!
Camper is framed with 2x2s, 2x3s, and (in the roof) 2x4s. Skinned with 3/8" AC exterior ply.
That's heavier than normal framing, but the 1.5" members allow for 1.5" Rmax r-matte foam insulation (R10) in the walls and traditional 3.5" FG insulation (R13) in the ceiling.
I have a spreadsheet where I've tracked all of the material that's gone into the camper and so far, I'm at about 900lbs. I guess that's more than most on this forum would want, but I really wanted to allow for decent insulation, and with my plans for the interior being very basic, I don't anticipate weight being a problem given the payload of my truck.
I guess this will count as my "build". Off to the "skinning secrets" thread for questions about my next step!
I've been camping in a Ford E150 cargo van for years.
Problems:
1. Too small. After cramming in a queen sized bed, there is precious little room for much else. I am tall, and can't possibly stand up in this van. I'm tired of getting dressed while laying on the bed!
2. No insulation. Of course a van is an oven during the summer. So we are cold weather campers and camp right through winter where overnight temps in the teens are common. We frequently wake up to ice on the inside of the van windows!
Solution: build a well insulated truck camper!
Camper is framed with 2x2s, 2x3s, and (in the roof) 2x4s. Skinned with 3/8" AC exterior ply.
That's heavier than normal framing, but the 1.5" members allow for 1.5" Rmax r-matte foam insulation (R10) in the walls and traditional 3.5" FG insulation (R13) in the ceiling.
I have a spreadsheet where I've tracked all of the material that's gone into the camper and so far, I'm at about 900lbs. I guess that's more than most on this forum would want, but I really wanted to allow for decent insulation, and with my plans for the interior being very basic, I don't anticipate weight being a problem given the payload of my truck.
I guess this will count as my "build". Off to the "skinning secrets" thread for questions about my next step!
