Floor Plan Ideas Anyone!!!

[robatthelake]

Here is what We have to start with!
The Truck is a fairly low mileage Freightliner Tandem Axle High Cube Transport unit powered by a Detroit Diesel.
The Box is fully insulated and in clean ready to go condition complete with A High output Carrier Heat / Cooling Unit which will be incorporated in the plans.
The Box measures 20 Feet x8 foot 6 Inches wide by 8 foot 6 High!,which will easily accommodate chases for Tanks,Plumbing and Electrical?
An opening will connect the Truck Cab to the Camper Area and a Single Man Door will replace the existing Rear Cargo Doors. This will open onto a small exterior rear Deck with Stairs leading to the ground possibly on both sides?Think Train Car!
We would like to be able to sleep 8 or 9 People in relative comfort!
Have a Full Bathroom with Shower.
A Large Kitchen space with more than normal RV Counter space.
One Master Bedroom , a Dining Nook that converts to a bed, several Bunk Beds and whatever else that can be incorporated into the space!

This is not a contest per se but the winning design will get Their Name mentioned in gratitude on this Forum and the finished product may be featured in future RV Publications.

[DrewE]

What is the roof construction like? How high is it off the ground?

If it's sturdy enough and low enough and you don't plan on using this contraption in cold weather with lots of people, maybe you could construct some sort of a screen room bunkhouse on the roof, kind of along the lines of a pop-up trailer. There would have to be a ladder or something for access, and sleeping up there in breezy conditions could lead some to motion sickness; but it seems like one of the more practical ways of fitting what you want into the vehicle space you have.

By way of comparison, my class C (32' long overall) has a "box" section that measrues, ignoring the cab area and associated over-cab bed, 8' wide and about 24-25' long internally. There's a (short) queen bed in the back, a small but usable bathroom and shower, a pretty large by RV standards kitchen area, and a dinette (seating four reasonably) and an RV jackknife couch (seating three reasonably) in front. It has no slides. The whole thing can sleep up to seven or eight, depending on their stature and personal space requirements.

I'd think it would be more sensible for you to put your living areas more towards the back porch and perhaps having bunks on either side of the door from the cab.

[ependydad]

Not sure how it works, but here's what I designed from a travel trailer perspective:
http://www.learntorv.com/2014/05/camper-design-sleep-6-under-20.html

[robatthelake]

That's why I posed the question here. I know from Experience that what We are asking is pushing the limits to the extreme and probably won't work however I was asked by the Owner of the Truck if I could come up with a plan that might work.

In My opinion He needs another 8 Feet of length to accomplish the mission,or eliminate some of the People from the equation.

Thanks for Everyone's input!

[JaxDad]

robatthelake wrote:
The Box measures 20 Feet x8 foot 6 Inches wide by 8 foot 6 High!,


We would like to be able to sleep 8 or 9 People in relative comfort!

Have a Full Bathroom with Shower.
A Large Kitchen space with more than normal RV Counter space.
One Master Bedroom , a Dining Nook that converts to a bed, several Bunk Beds and whatever else that can be incorporated into the space!

20 feet? Sleep 8 or 9 people? Master bedroom?


Are you familiar with the old expression "like trying to put 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5 pound bag"?


IMHO you need to look at the floor plans of some 20' TT's and then start shaving items off the wish list that won't fit.

BTW, without a cabover bunk, a man door in the rear and an opening to the cab means you lose a relatively large amount of space in the overall scheme of things.

[navegator]

Just remember that rail road cars did not have to contend with gas station entrances that have steep ramps, the rear stairs need to be able to move up so that there is clearance, take a line from the rear tire to the rear of where you want the "steps" to be and that will be your minimum height over the road bed, any lower step will have to be a retracting unit.

Try to obtain from the manufacturer the measurement that they have for the rear escape angle and use that for the height of the rear steps.

navegator

[westend]

Don't forget the OP mentioned he has 8'6" interior height, taller than a typical RV. He can easily go 3 high on the bunks, so sleeping 6 only takes the footprint of 2 bunks.

"Easily" is relative to what you want to end up with. If you stack the bunks three high with the bottom bunk at floor level, each bunk will have about 2' of vertical space. I once owned step vans with bunks on each side and a filler piece in the middle to accommodate another sleeper. We could cram 7 people in there. The OP's cube is longer at 20' but you still need walking space and the usual kitchen items.

[BurbMan]

westend wrote:
if you stack 6 bunks, 2 high, you will take up 1/3 of the floor space. The remaining space will be 5'6" wide.

Don't forget the OP mentioned he has 8'6" interior height, taller than a typical RV. He can easily go 3 high on the bunks, so sleeping 6 only takes the footprint of 2 bunks.

Based on the sleeping requirements for that length, I would forego a separate master bedroom. Have 2 sets of bunks, the bottom is a full size and two above are each singles. So you can sleep 2 couples and 4 singles, there's your 8 right there.

Picture this with an additional single bunk up above, then two like this:



On the Lav, leave the sink outside of the toilet/shower room so somebody can wash while someone else is bathing.

I would also think U-shaped dinette that can set the most number of people.

robatthelake wrote:
We would like to be able to sleep 8 or 9 People in relative comfort!

You need to define that better...are you talking Mom/Dad and 6 kids? Or 8 adults? 8 single adults or 4 couples? Or a mix?

[colliehauler]

I would stack the bunks 3 high and that would sleep 9 people and take one wall. A separate toilette room. Small kitchen with under counter frig, 2 burner stove and sink a cabinet above with small microwave along another wall. 2' for WC, 6' for kitchenette, 3' for closet/pantry and the rest of that wall I would build seating next to the wall with storage underneath. I would use a folding table next to the built in seat. Other then a narrow isle that would be it for room. I left out a shower and WC sink just not enough room. You could set up a outside shower like some rv's use or forgo the 3' for closet/pantry and use the space for a small shower room next to the WC.

If you want all the stuff in your post you better start with a semi trailer instead of a box van just not realistic.

[robatthelake]

Thanks for the advice! So far Things are not looking good!

[westend]

You have roughly 170 sq. ft. Bunk size for an adult is 3' x 6'6", around 20 sq. ft.. If none of the bumks are stacked and all are on the floor, you can sleep about 7 people. if you stack 6 bunks, 2 high, you will take up 1/3 of the floor space. The remaining space will be 5'6" wide.

I'd suggest to create the space on paper, make cutouts for everything you want to put inside and start positioning the cutouts on the paper.

I think you''l find that dining nooks, master bedrooms, and full baths are difficult to shoehorn into that space.

My trailer is 19'6" x 7'6". It has a bath with shower stall, toilet, and vanity. There are two bunks stacked and the dinette converts to a double bed. I have two countertops, one with sink is 6' and a separate top of 4'. it sleeps four adults.

[Grandpere]

Only suggestion I will make is no matter what size you design the bathroom, make it bigger, all RVs have tiny bathrooms, except those that are placed in the back end and go all the way across. Make it big enough so you don't have to open the door to have enough room to change your mind.

[BurbMan]

Pictures of the project starting point?