Remove Bunks and Build Office/Closet

[TomG2]

I do not need the large bunk beds in my new trailer and I am thinking of removing them to make room for a hanging rod and a small desk. Anyone tried this?

[_1nobby]

TomG2 wrote:

Arnie.G wrote:
Please let us know how it goes. I'm planning to do the same thing with my Jayflight 29BHS. I'll be starting it in a couple weeks. Taking out the bunk beds for a desk and storage.

It went well. The screws for the bottom bunk were pointed out, so no problem. The screws for the top bunk were pointed in, but no problem as I used the wall pieces to hold up a shelf. Gained a ton of storage space. I did not do the office thing, but I might someday.

Ah....where are the pics???

[TomG2]

Arnie.G wrote:
Please let us know how it goes. I'm planning to do the same thing with my Jayflight 29BHS. I'll be starting it in a couple weeks. Taking out the bunk beds for a desk and storage.

It went well. The screws for the bottom bunk were pointed out, so no problem. The screws for the top bunk were pointed in, but no problem as I used the wall pieces to hold up a shelf. Gained a ton of storage space. I did not do the office thing, but I might someday.

[Arnie_G]

So I removed the bottom bunk on my Jay Flight 29 BHS. It was as easy as pulling out screws and staples. But after it was out I realized the floor in the back left corner was spungy. I was able to pull out the rotted floor by hand. About a 3ft. X 3ft. section. The 2x4s under it are rotted too. After much screwing around I found the leak and sealled it. Now I have the carpentry work to fix the floor, which I suck at.

Why do little jobs always turn into something much more difficult?

[TomG2]

The tech that gave me the delivery walk through assured me that the screws holding the bunks were on the inside pointing out. I am really looking forward to the improvement but will have to hold off for a month or so.

[SoundGuy]

GWolfe wrote:
I did a small remodeling job in my trailer, one thing to be aware of is sometimes screws will be ran from the outside in. They put some of the trailer together before the outer skin goes on ...

This is exactly the same issue I ran into a few years ago when I removed the middle bunk in our triple bunk bed K-Z Spree. Unfortunately I didn't realize until I was well into it that the screw heads were outside the trailer, behind the outer skin, and I ended up pulling them through the interior paneling. It made a hell of a mess, with gaping holes I had to cover over. Fortunately some were covered by the cabinet top I constructed where the mattress used to lay and along the back wall I was able to mask the damage with wall border paper that closely matched the trailer's interior decor. In the end it worked out well but it certainly was a lot more difficult than it should have been, just because of how those screws were run in from the outside rather than the inside. :M

[Arnie_G]

Please let us know how it goes. I'm planning to do the same thing with my Jayflight 29BHS. I'll be starting it in a couple weeks. Taking out the bunk beds for a desk and storage.

[TomG2]

Thanks routeforty, that is a similar floor-plan to what I will have in my new Jayco 264bh. Thanks GWolfe for the tip about the trim. I was thinking wainscoting but your way is simpler, and simpler is good. I am looking forward to the conversion.

[routeforty]

I did this in my Coachmen TT. Bunks were in the back corner beside the bathroom. Took the bunks out and made a walk in closet, then took the wall out that separated the bath and bunks. Replaced the 2x2 wall studs with 2x4 turned sideways. DW wanted a 3 door medicine cabinet on that wall, then put new paneling on the walls. The bunks, if I remember had about 8 screws in them(all screwed from the inside toward outside), and I had to take the light and wiring out of one. Also had to build a box over the water heater. Couple years later took a grandchild with us and had to put the bottom bunk back in. Also I lost the outside storage compartment which was under the bottom bunk. There was a heat vent under the bunk which I just cut a hole in the water heater box and mounted it there. Relatively simple job if you have some basic carpentry skills. Gary

[GWolfe]

I did a small remodeling job in my trailer, one thing to be aware of is sometimes screws will be ran from the outside in. They put some of the trailer together before the outer skin goes on, I had to carefully cut the screws off as close to the wall as I could. Fortunately for me Coachmen has been great to work with, I sent them an email first asking if it was OK to do what I wanted to do and second for some of the seam tape that matches the wall paper in my trailer. They responded the same day saying it was OK to go forward with my plans and that a roll of the seam tape would be in the mail shortly at no charge, needless to say I was very pleased with their customer service.

This reply was mainly about the screws though, sorry I got a little off topic.

[D_E_Bishop]

rbpru wrote:
My wife would convert it to a sewing room in a heartbeat beat. 🙂 🙂

We have a motorize rig and not a trailer but if she could, the DW would have me building an expandable sewing room in the cockpit. One where she could continue to supvise the pilot while moving and convert to a sewing room while parked. She is into big windows for viewing when we're traveling.

[ependydad]

TomG2 wrote:
I do not need the large bunk beds in my new trailer and I am thinking of removing them to make room for a hanging rod and a small desk. Anyone tried this?

Typically it's just a handful of screws, wood, and staples. Shouldn't be hard to modify it at all.

[TurnThePage]

I always thought of expanding the bathroom... Honestly I've considered a bunk house before just for all those options. Maybe a washer and dryer...

[rbpru]

My wife would convert it to a sewing room in a heartbeat beat. 🙂 🙂

[evanrem]

I have not. But i just modified my bunk room today to increase vertical storage under one of the bunks and it was pretty easy. After removing the lower bunk I thought if i was a full timer and needed a office it would be fairly easy job and kinda cool. My biggest concern on the project was screwing all the way through the wall. I didn't.