DIY Campervan Sliding Bed (Couch to Bed in Seconds!)

DIY Campervan Sliding Bed (Couch to Bed in Seconds!) | Transit Van Conversion E21

Рет қаралды 149,664

2 жыл бұрын

We're building our DIY sliding bed in our campervan this time! We decided we wanted a pull-out, extending bed instead of a fixed bed to maximise space in our van. But we also wanted to minimise the amount of faff in the morning and evening to set it up, so it took a long time to finalise our van bed design, but we're really happy with how it turned out!
It was a great feeling when our our custom mattress arrived and we were able to try out our bed for the first time. Can't wait to actually be travelling around in the van and putting it through its paces!
Thanks for watching! Any comments or questions? Let us know below!
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Products used in this video (includes affiliate links *):
↠ IKEA Skorva Mid Beam (x4) - www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/skorva-m...
↠ Custom Mattress - customsizebeds.co.uk/
↠ Kreg R3 Pocket Hole Jig - geni.us/mbJk (Amazon)
↠ Zinsser BIN - geni.us/V3muSB2 (Amazon)
↠ Osmo Polyx Oil Amber - geni.us/kv7BTXK (Amazon)
* Disclaimer: Some of the links above may be affiliate links. If you choose to click on them we may earn a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
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↠ See our full van conversion playlist: • Transit Van Conversion
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* Disclaimer: Some of the links above may be affiliate links. If you choose to click on them we may earn a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you.
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All our videos are for entertainment and show our process of converting our campervan. They're not intended to be tutorials and we may make mistakes along the way, so always do your own research and if in doubt about anything then make sure to get advice from a suitable professional
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#vanconversion #campervanconversion #vanlifeuk

Пікірлер: 279

@normm.7265 2 жыл бұрын

Having watched several more videos, I must say what impresses me the most is how much you care for one another. Your interactions are very encouraging, engaging, and peaceful. Thanks so much for exemplifying two hearts as one.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Wow, thank you for the kind words! We've known each other a very long time so we know how each other works pretty well by now 😊Glad you're enjoying all our videos 🙂

@danielkemish5009 5 ай бұрын

Absolutely, 100% changing my bed in my transit and copying this 😂 Thanks, great video!

@SelfBuiltStories 5 ай бұрын

Haha, no problem, hope it works out well for you 😎👍

@georgeshaw6207 2 ай бұрын

Love your videos and interactions with each other. You care about every minor detail which is lovely to see.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! 😊

@sigma6725 9 ай бұрын

DEAR TIM AND ABI 💑 YOU ARE DOING PERFECTLY WELL. .👍❤

@SelfBuiltStories 9 ай бұрын

Thank you 🙏

@rickwilson478 2 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed watching your design process..I have been a contractor /woodworker/ cabinet maker/ designer for 50 years since age 16 and I'm impressed by your use of drilling pattern jigs and slat spacer shims and addition of felt slide blocks and standoff washers etc... many woodworkers don't bother with these types of details but they make the finished product so much better and more satisfying...I have described my own skills to customers as mostly patience and common sense plus enjoying problem solving...the quality of your work is really good especially for novice beginners and you both seem to work well together and enjoy the process 😀... I had to stop watching and comment when I saw you using the drilling pattern jig ! I'm designing a similar bed for my Sprinter and your video helps me visualize the details ..thanks

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! 😊 Yeah we're just figuring it all out as we go along, making a template just seemed to make sense to make it faster and keep it all consistent! Glad you found it helpful too 🙂

@juded6594 5 ай бұрын

We initially built our transit jumbo with a u-shape bed with a telescopic table leg with removable cube at the back which then evolved into a fixed u-shape... After 2 trips to Europe realising we could never be bothered to take the effort to convert from bed to table mode every day we're scrapping that idea and will be building ours the same as yours! Thanks for the detailed video and idea 😊

@SelfBuiltStories 5 ай бұрын

No problem, hope the new bed works out for you! 😊

@apromiseisapromise3024 5 ай бұрын

This idea popped in my head a few days ago as I think this the best way to have a bed/couch in my opinion. I just didn’t know how to make it work. Thank you for posting this!!!! Great job!

@SelfBuiltStories 5 ай бұрын

You're welcome, good luck with it! And thanks! 😃

@thewestpost Жыл бұрын

i'm starting to like you guys videos, one thing I like too is you too are soft, not such an aggressive builder that like a pushy to each other...when i do my build it will be slowly, i don't care if it will takes years.

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad you think so. Yeah that's our style too, we like to take our time so it's comfortable when we're in it 🙂

@scottcates 9 ай бұрын

Nice model for a happy pairing of two neat people

@SelfBuiltStories 8 ай бұрын

Thank you 😊

@clegsta42 2 жыл бұрын

I can't say anything else; other than ABSOLUTELY GENIUS...…!!!!!!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Haha, thank you so much! 😀🙂

@rossdownie4055 2 жыл бұрын

Yor team work is Inspiring for and old coot from down under - had a 2000 transit camper for 20 yrs - 15 yr old Grandaughter Abbey has taken it on as a complete reno job - stripped it out with exception of shower and toilet - empty shell at the moment - we had your bed style in mind so your video is a godsend Love how comfortable you are working together and the mistakes you share - we now have to watch the entire build Thanks for sharing Ross and Abbey

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Ross and Abbey, we're very glad that you've found our corner of KZfaq and are enjoying the videos 🙂We like to show all the mistakes as it keeps it real, as much as we try there's always something we forget. It's a big project but we're enjoying the huge learning experience along the way. Wishing you all the best with your build!

@DazSheepy 2 ай бұрын

I've got a SWB transit, and was trying to come up with an idea like this for the bed. You guys have nailed it :D Thank you!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 ай бұрын

Haha cheers, it's working out very well for us! 😀

@GrumpyGarry121 2 жыл бұрын

That’s really smart. I like the thinking of halving the bed during the day to create more space. Well thought out and nicely made too.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊 There was definitely a lot of thought that went into it, including multiple changes as it was strangely hard to visualise how all it would come together and work smoothly so we made lots of refinements along the way! Really happy with how it turned out though so it was worth all the mind workouts. It's one of many projects where we find ourselves just sitting in the van, looking at it, and pondering 🤣

@ramblingjen Жыл бұрын

The furniture sliders are *brilliant*! I’m planning on a super similar build for mine so this video was hugely helpful!!!

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cheers! Yeah they work really well, we love how our bed works. Good luck with yours! 🙂

@gonefilming2020 2 жыл бұрын

A bed up from the floor is a milestone. Almost like inventing fire. 😁👍 Very nice! 🚐🍀

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah it felt like a big step forward to have the bed in, can actually take it places now! (If it wasn't so cold 😂- need to hurry up and get the heater in!)

@cherrygaisford9810 2 жыл бұрын

That is one sweet put together bed.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊

@steelosm 2 жыл бұрын

Greetings from Australia. That's a clever adaptation of the IKEA cross member / extending interlaced slat concept. Well done

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! It took a while but it was so satisfying to test it out and have it glide nice and smooth 🙂We'd seen loads of builds using the IKEA Skorva beams but almost always for fixed bed layouts, but we really liked the fact that if we used them in a sliding formation they would be strong enough to not need any extra support legs in the garage. We visited Australia (back in the days when that was possible!) and really enjoyed it there, particularly up near the Daintree area 🙂

@travelgirl747 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories l lived in Cow Bay for a while. Anywhere around the Daintree is a top spot! Except for the spiders. We grow em big.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Haha yeah, that was a bit of a shocker, especially as Abi's not particularly fond of spiders 😂She didn't like the ones that were as big as her head 😅

@adventure_onthedaily9851 2 жыл бұрын

This is brilliant! So many great little ideas like the felt pads to help the slides and the little plastic washers to stop the squeaking. I'm planning an east west bed because i'm short, but I love the idea of having it convertible to couch mode and freeing up extra space for a dinette and a shower area. Thanks for sharing :)

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome! Hope that your build build goes well, it's a great feeling when that project is ticked off!

@cantucodes 2 жыл бұрын

Incredible! Keep up the good work!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! We will try 😃

@davidbailey4533 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome work guys.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers 😃

@seedickbuild 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for posting!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

@amyloughran2480 2 жыл бұрын

Love watching your videos, the standard of finish is amazing, your van is going to be fantastic when it’s done! I came across you when we started out conversation. Your videos can’t come quick enough! 🤪

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! We're hoping so, just need to get it finished so we can start using it 😊What vehicle are you converting? Should have our next video out soon hopefully 🙂

@LivOgGladeDage 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing step by step - i want a bed like that 🦋

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome 😊Glad you like it!

@MLukic-xj1ih 2 жыл бұрын

Very good idea for a bed. I like this the most so far.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cool, glad you like it! 🙂

@amywalker7515 2 жыл бұрын

Can't wait to see the finished van.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, us too! 😁

@olivia_liuuuuu2937 Жыл бұрын

This is super helpful! Great job

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

You're welcome, and thanks!

@mommahil4323 2 жыл бұрын

Very clever design

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers, glad you think so!

@michaeldavies5840 Жыл бұрын

Been binge watching your build, love the jargon free content. Just keeping it simple. Top work on the van!!!

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Glad you're enjoying them 😊

@jamescarro771 2 жыл бұрын

Attention to detail 👌

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers 👍

@rabadabadoo491 Жыл бұрын

Great idea with the Hybrid style bed.

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cheers, we're really happy with it 🙂

@adamtoutdoors6390 2 жыл бұрын

What a great idea. Brilliant both. And done cheaply too 👍🏻👍🏻

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😊Glad you liked it!

@russ_vee_jr4199 11 ай бұрын

I've watched several of your videos of this build and have gleaned many good ideas from them. You two have done a great job and work very well together. Gongratulation.....

@SelfBuiltStories 11 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! 🙂

@charleythefarley 2 жыл бұрын

great job guys.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@lesleybaker2841 2 жыл бұрын

What a lovely cope to watch. You are kind to one another and work well as a team. You're attention to detail is fab and nothing seems like too much effort. We'll done

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, it takes some time thinking about the details but we're going to be in it for a while so feel it's worth it in the long run 🙂

@michaelj2439 2 жыл бұрын

Great design, build & film! I really enjoyed the process and your videos are very addictive. Thanks.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad you think so! 😊

@ukjose1 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent work

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🙂

@timwaters8911 2 жыл бұрын

A good watch guys. Enjoy watching you work through the process. Also a fan of the cat. Happy times in your van.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! And glad you're enjoying them! There's actually two cats but one doesn't venture out as much during the day 🐈😛

@seanmurray4154 4 ай бұрын

Fantastic idea 💡 👏 👌

@SelfBuiltStories 4 ай бұрын

Cheers! 👍

@markwatt9575 Жыл бұрын

great work on your videos, very informative. You are both very thorough. Nice work, looking forward to more building 👍👍 thanks Mark from Oz

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot, glad you're enjoying them! And yep, we need to get more building done!

@abeandmel 2 жыл бұрын

Now thats cool! Multi use purposes are a must in vanlife!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers! Yeah everything has to be multi-purpose to earn it's place 😀

@vovachkanikolsky3092 Жыл бұрын

Congrats on such a wonderful bed design. I have been watching many Van bed videos to select the one for my upcoming build. This is it! Thank you for providing such detailed instructions!!!!

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

No problem, glad it was helpful! Good luck with the build 🙂

@amywalker7515 2 жыл бұрын

Wonderful alternative to a Murphy bed.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! We think it works well with our layout. We spent a long time thinking about all the different options and weighing up the pros and cons, and we really like how it's turned out!

@jo-annewilkinson5663 8 ай бұрын

Nice design 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤❤❤❤

@SelfBuiltStories 8 ай бұрын

Thanks 😊

@normm.7265 2 жыл бұрын

Bravo. Nicely done. You two are so pleasant to watch. And this Yankee loves your accents!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Haha, thank you! Glad you're enjoying the videos 😊

@errolmagill1611 2 жыл бұрын

Very impressive. I find that wood primer does a good job with covering knots. You live in a nice environment; cat, chickens and sheep, plenty of room - little wonder you seem so chilled.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Errol! Yeah we're very lucky to have the space to work on the van down here, and two cats actually! 😊 It was quite frustrating with that knotting solution, even after 4 coats you could still see what looked like grubby finger prints showing through... Thankfully one coat of the BIN was enough to cover and seal them finally. We didn't really think about it at the time but it seems like the water based paints we're using are not strong enough to cover the shellac based knotting. We could have used white or clear knotting but didn't know it existed until we had this problem, or yeah some decent wood primer as you say. The BIN works great though so we'll use that for all the rest of the cladding, should save a lot of time (dries in half an hour! 😀)

@dickiemallorca 2 жыл бұрын

duch hard work guys. well done👍👍

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers 🙂

@Jimmy-lb1yc 2 жыл бұрын

Great to see Abi really get stuck in to this build. Another great video :-)

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers, and yeah we have a rule that we both have to have some hand in everything 🙂

@hermen194 9 ай бұрын

Wow it's so sympathetic watching you guys work together on the van project. And I can absolutely relate with your thoughts like when you think of something for such a long time, how great it is to actually have the result in front of you. Finished my transit van conversion about a year ago. Thumbs up and enjoy the van :)

@SelfBuiltStories 8 ай бұрын

Thank you :) Yeah guess with any big project it's easy to get lost in it sometimes. Lots of groundwork too where it doesn't feel like much is changing and then suddenly towards the end it all starts coming together. We've been really enjoying living and travelling in it, love the freedom. Hope you're enjoying yours too! 🙂👍

@ianlaccohee7180 2 жыл бұрын

What great idea.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you think so! 😊

@evoke2104 8 ай бұрын

Great videos guys, im contemplating a Transit build, im handy but have no idea about Van builds, ive been going through your videos and they are really well done, showing how you go about tackling problems and showing in depth how you do things, it's videos like these that people want when they are building, the bed idea was great to extend it that way. Really awesome job, and it looked like you made sure everything was finished as good as it could be, and no cutting corners etc.. Welll done 👏

@SelfBuiltStories 8 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot, and glad you think so! 🙂 We had no idea about van builds either but just pieced everything together slowly from reading and watching other people, good luck for your build if you decide to do it 😊👍

@hollystjohn-hilton1985 2 жыл бұрын

Very well thought through bed design, loving watching the videos, your both doing a fab job.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! 😊

@allanb52 2 жыл бұрын

You have to be joking it is terrible.

@louisminford9696 2 жыл бұрын

Nice vid ! Keep the videos coming

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers! We will 🙂

@OzdenGuney 6 ай бұрын

This is the best bed!

@SelfBuiltStories 6 ай бұрын

Haha, thank you, we do like it! 😄

@fionaridley5011 2 жыл бұрын

OMG, if only we were a few months behind rather than ahead. We talked about similar but wanting a garage for 4 bikes we had to go fully fixed. Bed is identical height so S can just sit up (he’s 6ft4 so same problem with widthways sleeping) We abandoned the idea of separate bathroom but do have compost loo and will have shower on back door. You’re both geniuses. Also once the bed is in progress slows down, we’re both inclined to lie down and “think” about the next solution 😂 We’re always catching each other out! IKEA slats are brilliant

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Fiona! Yeah being able to sit up was a pretty big requirement so glad that worked out 🙂 How is your bike storage working out, have you been able to get much use out of them?

@vancraft_chronicles Жыл бұрын

what you have done with the bed is genius. I am looking to start my 1st van build later this year but most likely will be going for a MWB van so space will be tight.

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot, yeah we really like our bed. Super comfy! Good luck with your build 🙂

@travelgirl747 2 жыл бұрын

Such a terrific idea. If yr short enough you could do it either way and still have the slide. Great space saver!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, very true! Not something we considered as Tim is 6ft1 😃

@tibbsfamilyvan186 2 жыл бұрын

Think we might be stealing this idea! Great job guys, love your videos

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

No problem! Let us know how it goes! 😃

@Scrambler85 2 жыл бұрын

Great job on your construction and thought process. I just subscribed 👍

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! 😃

@donnyo65 Жыл бұрын

Interesting idea - I figured something similar for my conversion. Mine will go across and expand sideways into a small double as my van is shorter than yours and I will mostly be using it on my own. This gives me much more room in the living area and my partner prefers to sleep on a raised camp bed in the awning most of the time. Great videos - glad I discovered your channel.

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cheers, yeah it's worked out really well for us so far. Having a full sized bed but not taking up all the space permanently was key for us. Would work equally well sliding sideways too, good luck! Just remember to orient the slats round the other way too 😛 Glad you're enjoying the channel!

@LastNameTom 2 жыл бұрын

We did the same thing in our van except we screwed a large flat piece of finished and sealed wood to the part of the bed that slides forward so you can expand it and use it as a large table if need be. We also made seats in front of the bed that we cut up into 4ths that are the exact same size as the bottom half of the bed. So during the day, we use those 4 pieces as the seat bottoms and back, and then at night, they are the bottom half of the bed.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cool, sounds like you've got a good setup 👍 Yeah we were originally going to do it the same way with the backs of the cushions forming the other half, in the end we went with it this way just because we figured it might be a bit quicker for the setup/put-away routine. Was a close call though! We're interested to see how we find the routine when it's in a daily use 😛

@jorgvonderheyde1567 5 ай бұрын

fantastic idea to create the table

@davidwilliamson5899 8 ай бұрын

I have been thinking about how to make a sliding bed and had so many ideas… then found you two and your solution!! Love it and will try to do as well as you did!! Hope it’s not a patented design 😮

@SelfBuiltStories 7 ай бұрын

Haha cheers! We love our bed 😀 Good luck with yours!

@KikisVideoService 2 жыл бұрын

Genius! 🤯

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Happy with how it turned out 🙂

@Welshcampercreations 2 жыл бұрын

Looking fantastic. Just a tip when using timber for strength purposes always put it on edge and not laying flat. Much stronger.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers, and thanks for the tip 👍

@danimcmahon5503 2 жыл бұрын

Very cool! I do think I would put one mattress on the back wall during "couch" mode, but it's a great design!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! 🙂 We did consider that but it doesn't actually fit that way, the bed frame would have to be a fair bit lower for that to work unfortunately, or smaller mattress pieces

@markymarks3805 2 жыл бұрын

Well done both, nice job. Where you put the pillows when in day mode will mean they fall when opening the back doors, I saw someone add a (head) board across the back, with a shelf on the top for book, phone, coffee etc. just a thought.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks :) And yeah good idea, we're planning to put a thin frame all around the mattress so it can't move, and put a nice handle or something on the pull out part. We'll need to put something at the back for the pillows too as you say 👍

@ladytrader688 Жыл бұрын

This is brilliant and almost completely solves a design I have in my head. I love the sturdy Ikea supports and worth the extra weight. I also love the way you devised the slide with the simple wood blocks rather than the 500 lb+ sliders which gets expensive and complicated. My idea is for a 136 Ram Promaster high roof with the bed sideways. Would like to slide it up in a seating position with the back half of the bed cushion folding up for a backrest. Not quite sure how to add that to this design...but I feel I am getting closer. Thank you for sharing your wonderful idea. I subscribed! Cheers! Robi

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

You're welcome, thanks for watching! We've road tested the bed quite a lot now as we travelled for a month or so in the van and are really happy with it, using the SKORVA beams is great as it means we have no supports needed underneath so loads of space in the garage which has been really handy. You can get mattresses with folds in them which might help do what you want, and then you'd just need something to keep the bed slid out the right distance needed to put it into the sofa mode, maybe with a locking pin in the sides or something? And some kind of lip at the front to stop the mattress from wandering. Good luck with your project! 🙂

@mandrews1245 9 ай бұрын

Some of the new camper vans have a mechanical design where the sofa back lowers and snuggles behind the sofa seat. Thereby making a big bed putting the sofa seat and sofa back to form one mattress.

@SelfBuiltStories 8 ай бұрын

@@mandrews1245 Cool, yeah lots of interesting designs out there 👍

@unyalliman Жыл бұрын

That BIN sealer primer is Kilz on this side of the pond. You guys are fun.

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cool, and thanks 🙂

@christianwinkelmann8477 2 жыл бұрын

Hi that’s working perfect, you guys doing a very clean job , I would just lock it in a way when driving.

@Twink_Twins 2 жыл бұрын

This sounds like an easily omissible point but is actually worth it's weight in gold, as we are now out on the road whatever isn't locked down will move can be a real issue and easy to not think about as typically designing and engineering things then also not to move in transit is a new mindset! Great video as always ❤️

@ianstjohn4506 2 жыл бұрын

Another great video. Great work with the bed and great to see them start on the real build. I've had similar problems with knotting solution and wish I'd been able to see your video before I did my work. Keep up the good work Can't wait for the next installment

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks to all of you :) Yeah that's an important bit! We have a few last bits to do to put a small frame around the mattress to lock it in place and yeah to secure the sliding part together. It'll be a little while before we're driving it around and using it so for now if we'll probably just tie them together if we need to take the van out somewhere 😆

@tinkereyeskelly9437 Жыл бұрын

I have the same idea for bed i saw on a post from america. but ive ikea slatts pre made and ordered the attachments from ikea for beams to attach to bed frame i may used these just for the fixed beams, hope it will be easy to do.. thanks for the felt tip

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

No problem, good luck with yours!

@spiroszaharakis2648 2 жыл бұрын

Guys, if you use the IKEA METOD rails together with the SKORVA beams, you have an instant sliding base. Not that it's not good like it is now, just an easier and off-the-shelf solution with the IKEA rails. Also, you can make the bed go from day to night mode truly instant if you store one-half of the mattress vertically, like a couch. You can even add hinged slats on the sliding part (with slopped guides at the ends) to help the mattress slide up to the vertical position when you go from night mode to day mode. All you will have to do is lift the far end of the mattress slightly up and push the sliding part in. That way you will also get a few inches more height for your heads so two birds with one stone.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and for your suggestions 😊We did actually think about having the other half of the mattress upright during 'day mode' right at the beginning, but it wasn't possible as there isn't enough vertical space. Even kept very slanted it doesn't fit, and the door catches protrude into the space as well making the usable bit fairly tight. But actually we like having it flat doubled-up anyway, as we can see out the back when the doors are open and on a nice day it lets in lots more light and makes the van feel nice and open 🙂 Not quite sure how it would work with those METOD rails, they look like they're just for hanging kitchen cabinets? You'd still need to fix the rails onto something so the bed posts and runner beams we have, and you'd still need to fix the skorvas to those rails. You could maybe use the skorva metal brackets but you'd still need to be able to screw the ones for the fixed beams into something solid. Maybe we're not visualising it as you're thinking, but can't picture how those rails would make anything easier? 😛

@spiroszaharakis2648 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories The SKORVA bed posts sit in the groove of the METOD rails and they don't need to be fixed. They can slide in the groove freely. Here is a video that shows how this works kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ja-Cddx2xNvVpH0.html

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Ah okay, yeah fits quite snugly onto those brackets. For us though we'd still need to have the wooden support beams as at the height we decided to build our bed there is no wall to screw anything into, it's just an open cavity. We like having the wood too as we can build off it and screw into it which we've done for mounting our electronics board, and the bed runner will form the back of our seats. Thanks for sharing, always interesting to see how others tackle similar problems 🙂

@angelp9658 Жыл бұрын

Y'all come on down to Sarasota, Florida it's beautiful it's south of Tampa Florida y'all will love it !

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Haha cheers, bit far to take the van at the moment but we're always on the lookout for new adventures 😛

@davep6977 2 жыл бұрын

nice job and engineering FYI- I subscribed because you said "subtract if you feel like it"

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😊

@paulwoodward1127 3 ай бұрын

Thank you guys for your amazing idea. I'm on my second van build and hopefully you don't mind me borrowing your idea

@SelfBuiltStories 3 ай бұрын

No problem, everyone takes bits of inspiration from everywhere, go for it. Hope it works out well! 😎

@jonwallace7015 2 жыл бұрын

Yes fantastic I'm the Germany

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

@spencermatti 2 жыл бұрын

Love the bed. This is exactly how I had planned to do mine except long ways. 1. Have you tried putting the second mattress up against the rear of the van to make a sofa? 2. How tall was the bed you ended up with to give you enough room to sit on it comfortably? Thanks!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, we like it too! :) It doesn't actually fit up against the rear like that, even if slanted. What we could have done though would have been order the two mattress halves slightly different sizes so not quite 50/50 in length, with one half being a bit bigger. Then we think we'd have been able to store the smaller one vertically under the bed. But as we have it as the moment works pretty well for us. Our bed height is 90cm from the floor to the top of the skorva beams, and ~91.5cm to the top of the slats. Then the mattress is 12cm thick. Hope that helps 🙂

@maverickvans7033 2 жыл бұрын

Did you seal the side strip clips from the inside? If not there are vids on how to remove and put sealant on clips and put back on, as they will leak otherwise over time..And plugs on the roof for accessories, sand them lightly and put a sealant over them, they will crack and leak as well, also the sliding door rail.....Look up "Waterproofing the Van (Van Build: Ep. #4) " Tess goes all out, impressive effort.....Lovely couple you are, doing great...

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Yep! It's one of the first things we did when we got the van (back in Episode 3). As well as fixing a few things (our van was second hand and had a few minor things that needed a bit of work) we took all the side panels off, cleaned up all of the outside and resealed all the clips. Haven't had any water leak through the panels so far and it's been out in some pretty horrendous weather so fingers crossed it stays that way for a while 🙂We did have a small leak in one of the roof holes already and have resealed all of those, water is a tricky beast to tame in the van for sure. We're planning to add a little more sealant around some of those roof plugs too for more peace of mind. And thank you! Glad you're enjoying the videos 😊

@maverickvans7033 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories That it is, the roof ones are usually the worst culprits..Watched a few of your vids but I overlooked the episode 3v vid so thought I would bring it up just incase as you're doing a fine job and water is the last thing you want....Some go all out and seal the top of the side panels as well, but sealing the clips should suffice, but a liquid type sealant like Sikaflex 221 on the actual clip and pushed in is a lot better than butyl tape ....Tess in her vid I mentioned uses Flex seal tape and applied Flex seal liquid over the top which is bullet proof or should I say long game water proof on the roof, which I highly recommend....Stay cosy and dry, you're a great team....

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah all good points, at the time we decided to use the butyl tape with the thinking that it would be easier to get the panels off again if we needed to for any reason. So far so good, but like everything on the van time will tell how well it all lasts. If we have any problems down the road we'll take them off again and reseal with something more heavy duty as you say 🙂And thank you, looking forward to having the heater in and being able to stay properly cosy and dry 😊

@sprinterzebra3027 3 ай бұрын

Hi - great series of videos, thank you! Having lived with your bed design for quite a while now - how's it holding up? Any problems, weak spots or things you'd change if you made it again?

@SelfBuiltStories 3 ай бұрын

Hey, cheers 🙂 And we love it, no problems at all and super comfy! The only possible thing we'd maybe change would be getting an ever so slightly thinner mattress as we reckon it would still be more than comfy enough and save a bit more space 👍

@juliesanders5382 Жыл бұрын

Hi Tim and Abi - Congrats on your wedding which I know was a while ago but I have not had to ask a question till now - your videos are so helpful and self explanatory! Bravo. My query is about the bed and the two halves of the mattress. Do the mattresses come apart in the middle as you sleep and if so, have you found a fix for that problem? Lotsa velcro in the middle to stick the two halves together? Thanks heaps if you get a chance to answer and for you your super helpful videos - you two are the best!! Julie in Perth

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Hi Julie! Thanks a lot, we're really glad you're enjoying our videos 🙂 That's a great question, we've been travelling around in the van for a few weeks now and the bed halves as they are free-floating at the moment is definitely funny sometimes in the morning if they've drifted 😃 But that's just because we haven't fixed them in place yet, we ran out of time before the trip. We're going to put a small lip at the end you pull out and a short piece at the sides, which will wedge them all in place. A sort of small frame for them. We're pretty sure there will be no movement once we've done that. You can also buy the two pieces with a zip to join them together, but we decided against that to avoid the faff of having to keep doing that every morning 😃

@nicholasbarrell4885 2 жыл бұрын

A tip from a tradesman .. use Zinsser bin instead of the knotting . Shellac based so saves a process

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Yes! We discovered it later on in the video (4:18) and it made so much difference. Before that even after quite a few layers of paint we weren't able to cover up the knots completely, actually it was the knotting solution itself which was showing through 😛Thought there must be a better way at that point and found the BIN, can't believe how much easier it is with that. We're using it for the rest of the cladding and yeah it saves so much time!

@jjs_adventureswithcharlie Жыл бұрын

I am at the bed stage now and we are doing the same sliding bed idea. Can i ask what length your slats were in the end please. Your vids are great and the attention to detail is fantastic. Cant wait to see more vids. Thanks

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Hi Jason, sure no problem, we made them 112cm long, 7cm wide and 15mm deep, and there's about a 5mm gap between each slat. The slats also overhang slightly at the rear doors to make use of the space better. Has been working really well for us so far. And thanks, glad you're enjoying the videos! 🙂

@ianhoughton3349 2 жыл бұрын

Great design, lots of thinking gone into that important to get sleep system right. Are the slats attached to beams with rivnuts or self tappers. .?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, yeah it took a lot of pondering and lot of back and forth trying to figure out how to maximise the limited space! We used self-tapping metal screws but found that we had to still pre-drill holes through the slats into the skorva beams first before we screwed them down. We made a little template out of a bit of scrap wood so we could make the holes really quickly in each one as we went. If you want a close up it's at around 18:56 in the video

@clintfast 3 ай бұрын

Really nice! Now that you guys are using it, do you notice the seam between the mattresses? Do they separate at all? Thanks!

@SelfBuiltStories 3 ай бұрын

Cheers! And they moved a tiny bit as it was in this video as we hadn't added the lip at the front of the bed. Now that we've done that they don't really move at all and we don't notice the join, the pieces are pretty wedged in between the shower wall and the rear doors. We also now have an extra thick fleecy sheet which is a standard double size, and we put that around both pieces as if it were one mattress. Very comfy!

@v1ncepupp1o7 26 күн бұрын

Great build! Have you had any problems with the overhang of the slats at the rear or center?

@SelfBuiltStories 25 күн бұрын

Cheers! And nope no issues with that at all, we're been using the bed setup full-time for a long while now and it's working out great, super comfy. The only tweaks we've done since this video is put a barrier at the front with pull handles, so it's easy to open and close and also stops the mattress halves moving around 👍

@danielmcmahon912 2 жыл бұрын

Hi guys love the videos just wondering where u got the sticky squares for the bits of wood thank you

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! And they are just furniture felt pads that have a self adhesive packing, they're designed for protecting floors when moving furniture around. You can get them many places, in stores like Screwfix/Toolstation or eBay, or even just Argos/Wilco etc. 👍

@philstockwell1280 2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant job. How did you fit the beams to the side of the van and the uprights?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers! We put rivnuts into the holes already in the van from the factory, and when we were putting up the cladding we left holes through to those rivnuts. Then for the bed legs we marked the exact location of where the holes would line up, drilled through, and then bolted each leg into the van at two points. So the bolt goes through the bed leg, through the cladding, through the wall battens, and into the van. Then the side runners are just screwed down into the legs. HTH!

@normanpiper4534 2 жыл бұрын

Well that was a very thought-out bed design, looks good Do you plan to do long term living in the van or just holidays?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers, we're pretty happy with how it turned out 🙂We're planning on living in it long term while we travel around for a bit, so trying to spend a bit more time to make it comfortable enough to be in all the time 🚐

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Great video, really good attention to detail - love it! Could one of the mattress pieces not form a back rest (obviously with doors closed or shelf idea as suggested elsewhere in the comments), giving you an additional 12cms of head height when sitting??? I'll be binge watching the rest of your vids :)

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! That's a good question, we had thought about that at the beginning but one piece of the mattress is actually too big to stand upright at the back of the van like that. Even with a slight angle to it it doesn't quite fit, partly because of the door catches that get in the way. To do that we'd need to have made the bed platform lower but then we'd have less garage space, and also we made the height at the point it is so it should be just about right for the bed runners forming the back of the bench seats. It was tricky to find the right compromise for sure! One thing we would probably do though if we were starting it over would be to order the mattress as not quite equal halves. The bed platform ended up being very slightly longer than one half of the mattress (so that it would be able to slide out far enough), so we could have had one piece say 60% length and the other 40%. Then I think we might have been able to put it vertically at the back, or actually behind the bench seats in a little cupboard gulley. One half at the moment is just a tiny bit too big to fit under the platform vertically. If we replace the mattress at some point, we might do that 🙂

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories wow so many tricky things to weigh up and work out, no wonder the maths was mind bending! We’ve built something similar and the maths was definitely the tough part, and we’re both really good at maths!!! Amusingly I started watching and thought oh no knotting solution is useless stuff you’ll need Zinsser BIN (just redone all my internal door frames after the knotting solution proved useless) and ta-dah you switched to BIN, yay! :) Loving the vids :)

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Haha yeah, the knotting solution was a nightmare! We were very happy when we discovered the BIN, dries so quick too! Its going to make cladding the rest of the van so much easier 🙂

@scampbell8268 7 ай бұрын

Enjoyed your bed building video👍 Question....what height did you make it in order to sit on the bed with head height? Thanks 👍

@SelfBuiltStories 7 ай бұрын

Cheers :) And we made it ~91.5cm from the floor to the top of the slats, then the mattresses are 12cm deep. So an extra 24cm + bedding when in half mode 👍

@emerokelly1376 7 ай бұрын

Hi, this van conversion looks great. I don't suppose you have templates that you could share/sell for your kitchen and bed. That's exactly what I want to do. Thank you, great videos.

@SelfBuiltStories 7 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! 🙂 And we have some templates and diagrams here: www.buymeacoffee.com/selfbuiltstories. None for the kitchen or bed at the moment though!

@JonneSchoneveld 2 жыл бұрын

This video is a huge inspiration! The one question I have is: don't you mind having a 'gap' between the two matrasses as you're sleeping on it horizontally instead of vertically? I'd figure that that gap between the two matrasses is exactly on the points where the hips rest. Cheers!

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! And good question - We didn't mention it in the video but we're going to put a thin lip/frame at both ends so that the mattress pieces are held in tight together. We've slept on it a few nights now (as it is in the video) and it was fine, as long as one piece of the mattress doesn't go for a wander during the night 🙂 So we're fairly confident that when it's wedged in so it can't move, it won't really be noticeable, as the cuts are quite square and straight. It's super comfy too, we were a bit worried about having it only 12cm (although we did originally consider 10cm but after chatting with the supplier we increased it a bit!). It's just thin enough that we can stack them, but thick enough that it's got enough support, for us at least anyway 🙂

@dianelessard6077 10 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for this video. We are converting a 144" Sprinter and were looking for a way to have a bench under the bed, for rainy days. Thanks to you, problem solved! We will build our bed essentially as yours, except for the sliding sides where instead of wooden 2 X 3, we will use aluminium L bar. I was wondering if after over a year of using your bed, would you have any changes or add-on? Also, can you specify what you used for the wood slats . We plan on using baltic birch plywood, but wonder how wide the slats should be and what thickness. I did listen to the video a few times, but didn't find the info. Maybe because I'm french...Thanks!

@SelfBuiltStories 10 ай бұрын

No problem, glad to have helped! We love our bed, it's been working out really well for us so far and is really comfy 🙂 Doesn't take us long to make it or put it away now we have a good routine, and when it's in half size mode it's been great for watching a movie or one person just have a liedown. So don't think we'd change anything about the general construction. The only change we'd maybe consider is having an even thinner mattress, we've got 12cm at the moment but would be curious to try 10-11cm. The company recommended not going lower than we did for comfort, but we find it so comfy that we wonder if we could have got away with it and had slightly more headspace in half mode. Not sure though we'd have to try it first! And we made the slats out of pine, 112cm long, 7cm wide and 15mm deep, and there's about a 5mm gap between each slat. HTH 👍

@dianelessard6077 10 ай бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories Thank you so much for your response! We should be doing the bed next week or so. As long as we have the bed and some electricity, we will then be able to go for our first 2-3 days vacation with the van! Looking foreward to do so! Also, we planned on using half inch baltic birch plywood to do the slats. It is a bit thinner than your slats, but birch beeing harder and less flexible then pine, I hope it will compensate for the thinner wood... Thanks again and I wish you all the best in your road trips!

@SelfBuiltStories 10 ай бұрын

@@dianelessard6077 You're welcome, yeah it's a nice feeling being able to take it out every now and then to enjoy it and see all the progress coming along. I think you'll be fine with 1/2 birch ply as once the mattress is on the weight will be distributed across them all. With ours they're a little springy in isolation and we wouldn't want to sit on one on it's own, but all together they work out great. Good luck with it, and more importantly enjoy your first trip! 🙂

@katiec8421 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for posting - looks fabulous. One question - is it comfortable having the slats going vertically under the mattress rather than horizontally? And do you notice the gap between the two mattresses when you are sleeping on it?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! We don't feel the slats, which we think is partly because even though the mattress is thin it has got an extra firm base to it. And the gap is only a little bit noticeable for us at the moment as we haven't got round to putting a small lip around the edges to hold the mattress in place, so the two pieces can wander a bit at the moment. The two halves are cut pretty square so we're pretty confident that as once they can't move during the night we won't be able to notice the join. The company we bought from does actually have an option to add a zip to join the two pieces together, but we figured just a lip of wood to keep the two bits flush together will do it and be simpler to set-up.

@katiec8421 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories thank you so much. Looks like that is the solution that we will go for then 😁

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

@@katiec8421 No problem, hope it works out well for you :)

@kevinoak7558 2 жыл бұрын

Great video and bed idea, thanks! Can you please tell me where the small windows are from and are they double glazed?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

No problem, glad you enjoyed it! Sure, we got all our windows from leisurevehiclewindows.co.uk/. They're listed as 'BONDED UNIVERSAL HALF SLIDER PRIVACY WITH FLYSCREEN 580mmx 200mm''. We installed them in our other video (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h9Sprct5zMzLZ40.html). They're not double glazed, but they do open and have a built in fly screen which we thought was a really handy thing for around the bedroom so we can get some air circulating during the nights without letting in all the bugs!

@clarkspiemuncher24 2 жыл бұрын

Knotting is meant to be dark brown

@clarkspiemuncher24 2 жыл бұрын

At the cost of washers these days its cheaper to drill through pennies lol

@hunglikeadonkeybutnotassmelly 2 жыл бұрын

very nice job. and I like the small windows A LOT.. where are they from? £?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Haha thanks, yeah we really like the windows! They're opening ones too with flyscreens, which we figured would be pretty handy! We got them all from leisurevehiclewindows.co.uk/ around £100 when we got them. We installed them in our other video kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h9Sprct5zMzLZ40.html. They were a little stiff to open at first but we sprayed the runners with some silicon grease and they're nice and smooth now!

@hunglikeadonkeybutnotassmelly 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories Only £100...might have to get a set of them. they look the part.

@miltonlore9 Жыл бұрын

Hi I was to Ikea and they have a daybed/queen bed with two pull out drawers. It will have space for your garage underneath. The cost is $ 299.00 US

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cheers, we're pretty happy with our bed setup at the moment though 👍

@andrewmillerphotography Жыл бұрын

Great bed idea! Can I ask what size of timber you used on the sides to hold the Skorva bed slides on please|?

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Cheers, after quite a bit of use we really like it 🙂 And sure, the frame that forms the legs and the runners along the wall are 2x3s PSE so 50x75mm nominal, 44x69mm planed. There is one piece of 2x2 as well that is the one that spans the width of the van, that one is smaller as it's not load bearing, we just wanted something to be able to fix a garage wall too. HTH! 👍

@andrewmillerphotography Жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories Perfect. I'll have two dog crates under the bed, your bed should allow more floor space during the day. Thanks again.

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

@@andrewmillerphotography no problem 👍 yeah one of our requirements building it was to have no vertical supports underneath for more garage space 🙂

@LeeLeesAdventures 2 жыл бұрын

Great bed build very smart all i can say is drop the bed down to give more head room the garage will still be big enough, as relaxing in the van sitting down dos not look that comfortable, sorry to be negative but just saying my thoughts, love seeing your build good filming and looking forward to seeing how you get on , Michel & Kim notts

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Cheers 🙂 No not at all it's a fair point! We made it the height it is as we're having a seating area in front of the bed, where the dining table will be, and the bed slides out over the top of that. So it was a bit tricky but we couldn't really make it any lower as then the seats would have ended up lower down too and not comfortable to sit on. We're imagining the bed area during the day is not so much for sitting for long periods of time, more for a lie down for one person. What would be nice would be to be able to store half the mattress in the space under the bed just before the garage starts, but it's a teeny bit too tall. Maybe if we squish it a bit it might just about work, we'll see!

@martincollins5993 Жыл бұрын

Hi could you tell me the name of your bed supports you got from IKEA as I would like to use them in my transit conversion great videos guys I have learnt a lot 👍😎😎

@SelfBuiltStories Жыл бұрын

Hiya, they're the SKORVA midbeams: www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/skorva-midbeam-galvanised-90124534/. When we went to IKEA they had them all individually in the warehouse section 👍 Glad you like the videos!

2 жыл бұрын

😀👍

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

🙂

@siajnesdunk 2 жыл бұрын

Really nice design. Can I ask you if the bed feels equally soft/firm all the way down, or if the in reality is a more firm spot where tge two beams are? Does it feel like the upper legs have a more firm spot than the rest of the body?

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

Hiya, by beams do you mean the horizontal metal SKORVA beams? The mattress pieces are both identical, and we can't feel any of the bed base through them (slats or beams). We did invest in the mattress option with the extra firm base which the manufacturer recommended given how thin we wanted it to be to fit in the space. So it feels like the support is the same all the way around to us, the only thing is at the moment the two pieces move a little during the night, but that's because we haven't put barriers at either end yet. We're going to put a thin frame around the base so everything is locked in place and at that point we don't think we'll really notice anything different from our house bed, other than it being thinner and a tiny bit shorter. It was surprising to us though how comfy it was given the thinness. Hard to say whether the extra firm option was needed or not but we're glad we didn't risk not having it!

@siajnesdunk 2 жыл бұрын

@@SelfBuiltStories thanks for a very helpful answer, kind people. I'm in a design phase (to be honest, it has lasted more than 10 years), but sometime it will be 🙂.

@SelfBuiltStories 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome! Hope that time is not too far around the corner for you 🙂