Campervan Bed

[Maddog]

Hi all,
I have recently bought a campervan with a double bed at the rear.. However, there are 3 of us. I know before you say it why buy a van that only sleeps 2 when there are 3 of you? Well we probably only have 2 or 3 years left before the daughter hates us (more than she does now and wont come away with us) anymore.

Anyway i need to make some sort of bed that can lie accross the swivelled round front seats and the 2 seats behind the drivers seat. Now this in itself isnt the problem i literally just need to plop a piece of ply down accross the seats and put some sort of removable leg on the unsupported corner.
What is a problem is i would like the board/bed to be a reasonable size for her, say around 4'x6' or thereabouts and as such it wont fit in any storage anywhere - The van is an extra high roof so the builder has made a false floor of around 4" of under floor storage.
My plan is to make the board fold in half so it will fit under the floor when not in use.
Anyone have any ideas how to make a 6' long board fold in half lengthways but still be strong enough when unfolded to span two points without collapsing under the weight of a 12 year old wriggling around in her sleep?

As you can see from the image below there is a double fixed seat behind the driver and the driver & passenger seats spin round

Not a masterpiece but you get the idea.

It doesnt have to be this way and i'm sure all you genii can come up with much more elegant solutions?

Thanks in advance, any help appreciated.

 

[voipio]

For a 12 year old, a width of 2' 6" should be ample, surely, and about 3' for an adult. This isn't the Ritz!!

 

[Erie Fred]

"roof rack" for the spoiled brat....
Meanwhile, you & the missus:

 

[frank horton]

not long to wait now...
our troublesom daughter left to go back to the UK at 16,5......too young u might say....
try living with it for all those years.......
Now she's 32 and a very nice person.......\
dont envy u the next few years......

 

[winchman]

Our van has a table infront of that seat, at night the table drops down to become the bed base and fill the gap between the seat and the seat thats swivelled round

 

[GRW]

Easiest way would I think be to hinge the bed base board so it doesn't separate/ move in use.

A fold-up support frame placed on the floor under the centre is one option.

If the fixed seat has a flat ply base, you could add a slide-out support section with front legs to that seat base, which has a secondary fold-over/slide section to extend towards the centre of the van to extend the support area perhaps?

 

[Maddog]

Thanks guys,

The distance from the the fixed seats to the back of the swivelled front seats is about 5' which wont be enough as she's 5'3. (although she does tend to sleep in a ball)

There is a table already but not string enough to use as a bed base. I could perhaps make something and weld up some foldable legs.

 

[Cobbler]

It might take a bit of searching, but there used to be a bed available for the VW type 2 that fitted across the front seats. I’ve never seen one, but if you could find a picture, it might give you an idea.

 

[RWD3M]

 

[colnerov]

What about just a bedroll on the floor?

 

[Maddog]

Our van has a table infront of that seat, at night the table drops down to become the bed base and fill the gap between the seat and the seat thats swivelled round

View attachment 456743

Easiest way would I think be to hinge the bed base board so it doesn't separate/ move in use.

A fold-up support frame placed on the floor under the centre is one option.

If the fixed seat has a flat ply base, you could add a slide-out support section with front legs to that seat base, which has a secondary fold-over/slide section to extend towards the centre of the van to extend the support area perhaps?

The slide out ply base with front support legs is a good idea providing its long enough for her.

Thanks guys again, and with the bloody price of ply these days its probably the cheaper option too.

 

[Maddog]

View attachment 456747

We do have a drive away awning that we can put a popup tent in, but thats more for when she brings her equally horrible friends!

 

[dutch2u2]

RWD3M

Nice tent

 

[gaz1]

im going this way so it can be pulled out both sides from the middle framed part remember the framed part can be foldable

for light yet strong

 

[OJCar]

Our van has a table infront of that seat, at night the table drops down to become the bed base and fill the gap between the seat and the seat thats swivelled round

View attachment 456743

If only you had said that was what you wanted to do with that table in the back of the van
we could come up with upholstery advice
rather than heavy lifting ...

We do have a drive away awning

Put her in the awning and drive off?

 

[Erie Fred]

Here's her new bedroom, with room for here stinky friends as well:

https://www.caranddriver.com/car-accessories/g45665463/best-hitch-cargo-carriers/

Oh wait a minute.....

 

[Maddog]

It might take a bit of searching, but there used to be a bed available for the VW type 2 that fitted across the front seats. I’ve never seen one, but if you could find a picture, it might give you an idea.

Renault Master Front Cab Bed | Camper Mattress

Looking for an extra bed in your motorhome or campervan? The solution is here. A custom designed camper mattress bed with a hardboard back for the front seats of your vehicle, offering great stability and comfort. Ideal for older children, small adults of average weight and height or even pets...

www.campermattress.co.uk

This looks good idea.. Not cheap though.. And i am!!

 

[Misterg]

there used to be a bed available for the VW type 2 that fitted across the front seats.

The one I'm thinking of was a pipe cot affair with a canvas base that fitted over a couple of poles slotted into the sides of the cab that spanned the van above the front seats.

Might be long enough for a 12 y.o. in a bigger van.

Anyone have any ideas how to make a 6' long board fold in half lengthways but still be strong enough when unfolded to span two points

Hinge it across the width in a couple of places instead?

You've got a false floor, so could fit some flush sockets that would take a couple of support legs for a narrower bed.

 

[sardine]

Don't even think about putting a mattress ontop of plywood, in my experience of living on boats , the amount of water your body gives off during sleep is astonishing, a mattress with no ventilation under it will grow mould very quick and once it gets saturated it's like sleeping in a cold swamp. Slats are the best option .

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Folding sun lounger