How to Build a Van Dwelling: Preparing for Construction

Cargo Vans are great for Stealth Van Dweller's. There general lack of windows makes privacy easy and it goes a long way in ensuring the world around you will have no idea your living in your vehicle. Buying a used fleet cargo van usually means it will come equipped with shelves, bulkheads, and other commercial related items as the general lack of windows also means contractors will usually keep equipment and supplies in their van too.

Before you can start building your dream Van Dwelling rig you will need to remove most if not all of the existing commercial sheet metal. In my own van this included 4 shelving units and modifying the existing insulated bulkhead behind the drivers compartment.

The first step in this project is removing the shelving units. They're very sturdy items that are fastened to the van both through the floor and tied to the roof beam with a metal flange. Some parts will have nutzerts installed though you will also find nuts and bolts and heavy duty sheet metal screws.

A ½" air impact gun will greatly speed up the process of removal though ratchet and sockets will get the job done as well.

The units will be bolted to each other so proceeding from the rear door forward is the best approach. The shelves come out in 4' wide, 4' high sections that can be used as stand alone shelving units. I plan on using a couple in our utility room as canned good storage and the remainder will be used in our shed to finally organize my outdoor tools.

The cab was completely sealed off from the rear of the van with a sturdy steel wall that was nicely insulated and finished on the cab side with a vinyl material that while not fancy is a neat and clean arrangement. As this van will see duty in colder climates retaining this insulated wall will help keep the cab area warm while driving in the winter months.

The most important reason that most Van Dwellers choose full sized cargo vans is they can slip behind the wheel and leave in the event something outside their cozy nest should cause them to be concerned for their safety in the middle of the night. To allow this option the center section of the insulated bulkhead wall will also be removed providing an opening large enough to allow a person to easily move between the driving portion of the van and the living portion of the van.

The plan is to make an insulated curtain that will cover the opening. One dense enough to block out any light from the living area when your reading in bed late at night.

Before you go crazy with wrenches and air tools it's a good idea to create a tentative floor plan on paper. Depending on how fancy you plan on making your new home you may want to keep one of the shelving units in place. They're plenty sturdy and with some nice baskets will keep your stuff well organized and readily available.

As I plan on using a fair amount of wood and warm tones, the gray steel shelving units won't add anything to the ambiance. Even the remaining portion of the gray steel bulkhead will be encased in wood hopefully making my traveling hideaway a comfortable and cosmetically appealing abode.