VAN BUILD: Ceiling + upper shelves
Ceiling
The ceiling was a fun challenge. We debated going with three 1/4" ply panels for ease of install and lighter weight, but in the end the pine tongue-and-groove won us over. It also allowed us to follow the curve of the roof and was strong enough to cantilever to the end while not bowing in the middle.
I prepped the boards by sanding and sealing both sides with water-based polycrylic. We opted for water-based on these as well as the countertops because it doesn’t bring out the yellow as much as an oil-based would and leaves the wood as close to its natural color as possible. It was pretty exciting maneuvering these 12' boards around in the shop, but we made it work! Spencer installed some 1/2" plywood furring on the van ribs to provide an attachment surface for the screws and create a tiny gap between the insulation panels and the ceiling boards.
Next, Dave and Spencer began the task of installing the ceiling boards in the van. This required coordination with the electrical wiring as they went. Dave also did some pretty spectacular template work to cut the boards around the van ribs and accommodate the fan and lights. We used 2 small trim screws to attach each board through its tongue to the furring strips in the ceiling and then knocked the next board into place.
The ceiling build in the end makes us a bit nervous — it’s a part of the van that would be truly very difficult to take down if we ever need to repair something. But for now we love the way it looks and feels!
Upper Shelves
While Dave and Spencer were installing the ceiling, I cut and fabricated the upper shelving. We debated going with hinging doors but in the end decided to keep it simple with open shelving — if we want to add doors later, we can! I built the frames and bottoms in the shop, installed them with screws into the furring strips behind the wall and bolts into T-nuts in the ceiling, and then cut and installed the side panels.
At this point we were getting super close!
