Van Build
Everything you need to know about my DIY vanbuild
BEFORE
AFTER
The Van Build
On March 27th I bought a van. An empty slate that would thrust my life into several months of chaos where I would do everything I could just to keep up. The build itself was completed in 6 weeks - which was incredibly fast and only made possible by the fact I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted in this new build and I had professional help (thank you Adam!!)
Van Build & Design
Learn about the van design process, what I learned from van #1 and what considerations went into building van #2.
Built in partnership with my friends Adam & Vanessa at Heartwood Custom Vans
Heartwood Custom Vans offers custom van builds in Canada, a build ebook and remote van build consulting services.
Give them a call!
DIY Van Build Shop
Below you will find the items I use everyday in my own van and all the things I get asked about the most. You will also find a van build cost summary reference sheet at the bottom.
Dometic Portable Toilet, 2.6 Gallon
Pop-up Counter Hinge
Bosch Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater 2.5 gal
Gold Kitchen Faucet with Pull Down Sprayer
Renogy 2000w Inverter
Drawer Latch - 2"
Stainless Steel
Flush Pull Hatch
Fresh Water RV Fill Hatch Inlet
Outdoor Shower Faucet with Quick Connect
Flame King 2 Burner RV Stove
Cabinet Push Button Latch
Fresh Water Tank, 16gal
Wood Polish & Conditioner
Wood conditioner used on countertops and ceiling
Recessed
Super Slim LED
Ceiling Lights, Warm White (White)
Cabinet Gas Strut for Lift Support
Hose Shut Off Valve
Makes filling up your water tank with a water hose WAY EASIER when you’re by yourself.
Self-leveling Lap Sealant
Great for sealing any seams exposed to outdoor elements (Installing fan, windows, etc)
The Things you Won’t Find on Amazon:
Renogy Solar Kit
300 Watt Solar Kit with 2x GEL Battery 12 Volt 200Ah. Shop via Heartwood Custom Van website to find a 10% discount code for your Renogy purchase.
Isotherm – Cruise 85 Stainless Steel Fridge
Purchased from West Marine. Love this fridge!
Cedar V-Planks (Ceiling) - Home Depot
1/4 in. x 3-1/2 in. x 96 in. Cedar V-Plank (3-Pack Per Box). I used 2 boxes for my ceiling (in a 144WB Sprinter).
Tough Lock Rigid Core Vinyl Flooring
I used 3 boxes of flooring for the 144 Sprinter.
Baltic Butcher Block Birch Kitchen Countertop 8ft
Purchased from Lowes. I purchased the 8ft slab because it was not as wide as the 6ft slab.
Drawer Slides
Blum drawer slides, Blum cabinet hinges + mounting plates from Build.com
Heavy Duty Slide for Pull-out Table
Slider for center pull out table used as a workspace and kitchen table
Accent Wall -
Copper Aluminum Sheet Metal
Easy cleanup around stove and kitchen area
Sherwin Williams Paint
Clear coat used on drawers and natural wood
Sherwin Williams Paint
White paint for walls and upper cabinets
Sherwin Williams Paint
For lower cabinet and accent areas
Van Living + Travel Essentials
JBL Flip 4 - the perfect vanlife bluetooth speaker (I have the larger JBL Charge 4 but think the Flip is the better size)
Silipint unbreakable silicon wine glasses
PRVKE Travel & Photography Backpack, 31 L, Green
Quip electric toothbrush (with no charging!)
Love this pop socket phone mount for the car. Especially great if you already have a pop socket on your phone!
All in one pop socket + wallet
Stasher Bags - silicone food storage bags
Silipint unbreakable silicon bowls (they make dog bowls too!)
Peak Design Camera Clip
Drift Goods Room Spray and Car Vent Clip Fresher - Use coupon code MEGAN20 for 20% off your order!
Hydro Flask 12 oz coffee cup
Nutribullet - perfect for smoothies and making your own sauces
Goodwipes to stay Fresh AF - check out the shower wipes and the “down there” or “below the belt” wipes.
Mini .5L electric water kettle (900 watt)
Peak Design Camera Leash
Sugarsky anything and everything - but I especially love their bandannas!
Hydro Flask insulated 32oz bottle
Cast Iron Skillet
Planetary Designs Airscape Coffee Canister
Clever Coffee Dripper. I like this better than the aeropress and french press.
Sony A7 II Camera
Sony16-35mm FE F4 E-Mount Lens
Hydro Flask 22 oz cup - don’t forget the straw lid!
Cast Iron Griddle - my favorite combo because this works as a griddle AND a lid for my cast iron skillet.
