Step one. Bought the van.
Hello Everybody, First post. I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change. Here it is. Bought it Wednesday. Dro...
Forum Discussion
Panel Installation
I've got a couple panels covered with cloth so it's time to install in the van. First check the weather.
Yep, still cold.
Take the first panel and screw it into place.
In the photo the fabric might look stained. It's not. This fabric has what I think is called "nap" so depending on which direction you smooth it with you hands it will have a slightly different look.
There is a metal ridge that runs horizontally along the van wall. I'm attaching the panel to that ridge with #8 1-1/2" sheet metal screws. At first I tried to use the same holes I used when I first test fit the panel before covering but it wasn't worth the trouble. With all the insulation on the wall of the van you either can't find the hole or if you do it's too hard to line up again with the fabric covering the old entry point on the panel.
Use a drill to create new small pilot hole through the panel and ridge and screw into that. I'm not using a powered driver to attach the screws. Just do it by hand. Any kind of a powered tool could drive the screw head right through the fiberboard too easily. That's also why I'm not using self-tapping sheet metal screws. Don't want to take a chance of going through the fiberboard.
Since I'm using #8 screws the pilot hole in the metal ridge isn't vary large. With the fabric/fiberboard/extruded_foam covering layer I sometimes had a problem finding the pilot hole I had just drilled. Had to drill through just the metal ridge again but not to worry. A few extra small holes can't be seen and won't cause any structural problems.
I present the Pillar Panel previewed in a previously post. Ready for installation.
Presto!
If you remember all the edging pieces I installed on the Pillar Panel this is the final results. Not bad.
Here's one mistake I didn't make, for a change.
I had cut, insulated and test fit the next panel in line and it was ready to go. The thing is it fit perfect BEFORE I fabric covered and installed the first panel. I was going to go ahead and cover this panel when I thought I should wait. Good thing I did. It was a close fit before but with the fabric and added fiberglass insulation in the back it's TOO tight. In the picture you can see an overhang along the lower left side.
Table saw works real good at slimming it down just a hair. Wouldn't have been so easy if it was fabric covered.
So Lesson Learned is complete and install one panel at a time to be sure of a good fit.
I've got a couple panels covered with cloth so it's time to install in the van. First check the weather.
Yep, still cold.
Take the first panel and screw it into place.
In the photo the fabric might look stained. It's not. This fabric has what I think is called "nap" so depending on which direction you smooth it with you hands it will have a slightly different look.
There is a metal ridge that runs horizontally along the van wall. I'm attaching the panel to that ridge with #8 1-1/2" sheet metal screws. At first I tried to use the same holes I used when I first test fit the panel before covering but it wasn't worth the trouble. With all the insulation on the wall of the van you either can't find the hole or if you do it's too hard to line up again with the fabric covering the old entry point on the panel.
Use a drill to create new small pilot hole through the panel and ridge and screw into that. I'm not using a powered driver to attach the screws. Just do it by hand. Any kind of a powered tool could drive the screw head right through the fiberboard too easily. That's also why I'm not using self-tapping sheet metal screws. Don't want to take a chance of going through the fiberboard.
Since I'm using #8 screws the pilot hole in the metal ridge isn't vary large. With the fabric/fiberboard/extruded_foam covering layer I sometimes had a problem finding the pilot hole I had just drilled. Had to drill through just the metal ridge again but not to worry. A few extra small holes can't be seen and won't cause any structural problems.
I present the Pillar Panel previewed in a previously post. Ready for installation.
Presto!
If you remember all the edging pieces I installed on the Pillar Panel this is the final results. Not bad.
Here's one mistake I didn't make, for a change.
I had cut, insulated and test fit the next panel in line and it was ready to go. The thing is it fit perfect BEFORE I fabric covered and installed the first panel. I was going to go ahead and cover this panel when I thought I should wait. Good thing I did. It was a close fit before but with the fabric and added fiberglass insulation in the back it's TOO tight. In the picture you can see an overhang along the lower left side.
Table saw works real good at slimming it down just a hair. Wouldn't have been so easy if it was fabric covered.
So Lesson Learned is complete and install one panel at a time to be sure of a good fit.
