Making A Warmer Truck Camper Bed
Today's Project, Making A Warmer Truck Camper Bed. Cedar Lattice For Ventilation. SIKA 1" Insulation Board To Keep Mattress Warmer. Flannel Sheets To Be Warm And Cozy In Bed. I've seen others on the...
Forum Discussion
I have a 3 season Northstar camper which does not do all that well when temps are freezing or below. I have found a few mods that help.
A lot of cold air seems to come in through the back door. I hung a heavy curtain in front of the door that helps a lot.
I have an 8" thick mattress that provides great insulation, but it feels really cold initially. I use an oversized hot water bottle. It will take boiling water and has a knit cover to prevent being burned. I put it in the bed a bit in advance. It warms the bed and the heat lasts for hours. With enough blankets, I am usually comfortable without even running the heat at night. I hate hearing the furnace run all night plus it uses a lot of battery power. Condensation under the bed is a problem but I do not want the claustrophobic feeling of raising the bed so I just prop up the mattress periodically to make sure the area under the mattress does not become damp.
One of the biggest improvements I made was adding carpeting. I bought inexpensive, indoor/outdoor carpeting from the home center and spent a couple of hours getting a perfect fit. I was initially concerned about the carpet getting dirty but that is not an issue. I can easily pull out the carpet and beat off the dirt. If it gets really bad, I wash it. Even in the coldest nights I can get out of bed and walk across the floor to use the restroom without getting icy cold feet.
The next major improvement was to seal off the space between the camper and sides of the truck. I used slabs of rigid foam insulation to get a good sealed off area. That also keeps the wheel well storage areas clean. That is where I put extra boots, dirty laundry and misc items such a big extension cord and paper goods.
A lot of cold air seems to come in through the back door. I hung a heavy curtain in front of the door that helps a lot.
I have an 8" thick mattress that provides great insulation, but it feels really cold initially. I use an oversized hot water bottle. It will take boiling water and has a knit cover to prevent being burned. I put it in the bed a bit in advance. It warms the bed and the heat lasts for hours. With enough blankets, I am usually comfortable without even running the heat at night. I hate hearing the furnace run all night plus it uses a lot of battery power. Condensation under the bed is a problem but I do not want the claustrophobic feeling of raising the bed so I just prop up the mattress periodically to make sure the area under the mattress does not become damp.
One of the biggest improvements I made was adding carpeting. I bought inexpensive, indoor/outdoor carpeting from the home center and spent a couple of hours getting a perfect fit. I was initially concerned about the carpet getting dirty but that is not an issue. I can easily pull out the carpet and beat off the dirt. If it gets really bad, I wash it. Even in the coldest nights I can get out of bed and walk across the floor to use the restroom without getting icy cold feet.
The next major improvement was to seal off the space between the camper and sides of the truck. I used slabs of rigid foam insulation to get a good sealed off area. That also keeps the wheel well storage areas clean. That is where I put extra boots, dirty laundry and misc items such a big extension cord and paper goods.
