Nov 12 2015

Designing Your Van’s Electrical System

Your Van’s Electrical System

Many people fund their VanLife in many different ways. e.g. Seasonal/temporary work, disability, and retirement. But if you’re like me — working full-time, remotely — then the electrical system almost becomes the most important thing.

How will you continue working if you can’t charge your phone, cameras, laptop, and turn on some lights? (Not to mention staving off boredom by watching movies on your computer.) And if you can’t keep working, how will you afford to do this full-time, year round? And have you thought about refrigeration for your food?

Here are several different electrical system configurations based on your needs and budget. [Read more…]

Oct 24 2015

VanLife Insulation

My VanLife Insulation Explained

I think VanLife insulation is one of the most crucial aspects to being able to live in your van year round. In the winter, it helps keep you warm; in the summer, it helps keep you cool. This is not an extensive or authoritative “how-to,” but it is how I insulated mine. If I could do it all over again, I would have saved extra money and paid professionals to just spray foam insulate the whole thing and I have explained my thought process and reasons here:

Insulating My Van the Right Way – If I could do it over again

If you’re looking for a short, abridged, How-to version of insulating a van, this is not it. This is in whimsical story fashion and overly detailed. Plus pictures and videos and stuff so make sure you make it to the end. I feel like insulating for VanLife is more of an art than a science, and in this aspect, by no means should I be considered an expert.

[Read more…]

Oct 24 2015

How To Build a Campervan from Start to Finish

To Build a Campervan for VanLife

Part of the appeal of living in a van is buying a blank slate and making it your own. If that sounds like you and you really want to build a campervan, there is no lack of inspiration and ideas found on social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest. A quick search for “VanLife” will give you an endless supply. Nevertheless, this a very fast summary of how I built mine.

Insulation

Start by filling the walls with spray foam and fiberglass. Be careful you don’t compress the fiberglass. Thin it out before installing if you need to.

Then cover it in Reflectix and add furring strips.

**UPDATE!! I NO LONGER BELIEVE REFLECTIX IS USEFUL AND IS NOW JUST A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY IF YOU APPLY IT LIKE THIS. READ HOW I WOULD INSULATE MY VAN IF I COULD DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.**

Add fiberglass insulation on top of the reflectix, and 1.5″ rigid insulation on the ceiling.

Make sure to keep it dry with a vapor barrier.

And to see it all done in a video:

View the in-depth insulation post here.

Ceiling

There are many different materials you can use on the ceiling. We chose 1/8″ sheeting.

Simply attach the sheets to the furring strips you created on the ceiling with wood screws. Just don’t strip out the wood or screw the screw through the sheeting.

Walls

The same can be said for walls.

Use cardboard templates to ensure precise curves and fit.

Floor

First, insulate with Reflectix.

Then lay down the subfloor. We chose 3/4″ pressure treated. Use templates for curves and corners again.

After the rest of the furniture and storage was installed, I finished it off with adhesive vinyl tiles.

Kitchen, Cabinets

We bought full-sized, second hand cabinets, cut them down, and retrofitted them to the exact contour of the van.

Then built a custom drawer in a bathroom vanity that usually just has wasted, empty space.

Bed

A lot to consider here — storage, height, 1-person, 2-person, dimensions, parallel to van or going across the back….

Ultimately, I chose parallel with the van because I wanted to be able to completely stretch out at night. No way I’m going to sleep every single night of my life with my head smashed against a wall or curled in the fetal position.

We also had to make it 28″ high to go over the existing HVAC.

And lastly, we found pictures of someone else that had made an expandable bed with storage underneath. It’s now 25″ when pushed in and 50″ wide when expanded.

Storage under the bed is accessible when it’s pushed in.

And a 500lb. gear drawer that pulls out the back.

Closet

You’ll need a place to hang some clothes, gear, and store your extra batteries. Might as well build a closet.

3-way Refrigerator

And you’ll need a way to keep your beer cold. It runs off AC and DC electrical power as well as propane.

Fantastic Vent Fan

Because sleeping with windows cracked is unsafe, and you’ll need venting for the refrigerator and while cooking.

Finished DIY Campervan

The only thing that’s left is to paint and add trim. And then you have a completed DIY Campervan.

Now Go Live

For a handpicked collection of VanLife products and tools, check out the VanLife Store!

** This post contains affiliate links. I make a very small percentage of any purchse you make, but the cost is the same to you.

Sep 07 2015

Refurbishing Rusted Cast Iron Cookware

Like any good adventurer, or any good cook for that matter, I love cooking in, on, and around cast iron. Not so much “around” it, because that’s pretty useless. I just wanted to round out my prepositional series. Anyways, refurbishing rusted cast iron isn’t nearly as scary or as impossible as it looks. There are many different methods out there and many of them seem to work. This is just the one that I’ve always used and never had any problems.

Refurbishing Rusted Cast Iron

Until recently, the only cast iron in my possession has been a 10″ chicken fryer. Sure, I can bake casseroles, cakes, and fry….well, chicken, in it, but it’s a somewhat limited piece of cookware. When my grandmother passed away in August, I managed to come home with some righteously old school, high quality cast iron. I got a 3″ egg pan and an 8″ frying pan. The only problems were that they had decades of food build-up and starting rust.

refurbishing rusted cast iron [Read more…]