Changing a twin bed to a double bed

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Changing a twin bed to a double bed

Radar · Guru

If you are in Soutg East Queensland could pass onto you a caravan repairer who would help in this conversion.

We like his work and ability. Radar.

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Hi Radar

No we are in NSW but thanks for replying

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Jewels Sparkle - took my eye immediately - then on your profile I saw your name - great imagination! Welcome to the forum - hope you enjoy your time on here, it can be fun, join in, on any of the sub forums - Solos, Tips and Hints, Free/Budget campspots, etc.

Used to have a 14.6 van, took us ages to find one that we wanted - we, unlike you, wanted single beds, but ours were in an "L" shaped configuration, gave so much more room in the van. Good luck, hope you find someone to help you.

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Hi Jules

Fab name smile

I've been looking at some reno sites and think I've found a solution - a futon ! we can leave it as a sofa during the day and then convert to a bed at night - enough room for a folding table and chair - what do you think?

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

I bought one for old motorhome .. On eBay for under $300 delivered.. A better mattress over the top would make it comfortable ..
You want the type that folds down . Not pull out ..

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Thanks Aus-Kiwi

How did you anchor the futon to the floor?

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Fantastic idea - looks like you came to the right place - keep posting, and reading - joining in!

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

One of my fav things I do is fabricating steel.. I used 25 X 25 square pipe and made a frame .. Using same bolts through the floor and wall to hold .. Screwed a steel plate sliders to sit between bed and frame and L Brackets each side to move a few mm out from wall to lower .. Drilled L bracket through frame to hold in place when folded up.. But doesn't really need it..
Worked out much more secure as frame is bolted to side wall as well.. Being bus I had to contend with front wheel arches..

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

This is half way through .. I moved fridge on top of freezer to make better use of space .. If your floor is flat ? It makes things way easier..

Hopeing pic explains better..

Young Simmo · Guru

Hi Jewels Sparkle, this may not be helpful but I'll say it anyway. We are in the mid 70 age group, and although not travelling much these days have a 16 ft van for the odd week away etc. It has singles beds and we have been in the same cot for 55 years. This may not suit everybody, but I bought 2 good quality sleeping bags. It works a dream, I pick the sleeping bag up and chuck it in a draw, Yippeee beds made in a second. No more making 2 sheets, blanket, cover and pillow etc everyday in case some body looks inside. The choice is yours, 10 seconds to make the bed, or 300 seconds. It is also good for the BACK.

Simmo.

the rocket · Guru

Hi jewels sparkle. Welcome. Good luck with your van. Regards. Rocket n strop

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Thank you Aus-Kiwi and young simo for the tips :)

Thank you Rocket n Strop for your welcome

PeterD · Guru

Friends of ours had a Viscount Nipper (similar layout to yours.) They carried boards under the mattresses that were placed across the van at night and the mattresses were also turned around to make a double bed. This worked well for them.

One of the problems you will have with altering the layout of the van is the way they are built. The floor is laid first. The furniture is then placed on the floor and secured. The side walls are then lifted into place and secured to the furniture from the outside. After the furniture is attached to the walls the aluminium siding is then applied to the walls thus covering all access to the fasteners. The front and rear walls are then attached in like manner and the whole lot topped off with the roof.

What this means is that removing any of the furniture that is attached to the walls is likely to leave large scars on the walls. This may be OK if you are covering those scars with the new furniture. The other thing is that the walls are part of the strength of the furniture (and vice versa.) Any furniture you build to go in the van is likely to be heavier than the lot you pull out, this will reduce your carrying capacity of the van. You have to plan things carefully, its not like rearranging the furniture in your house.

Hylda&Jon · Guru

We have a 17 foot 1996 caravan which we bought 2nd hand about 6 years ago and it came with 2 double beds separated by a bedside table.

We were going to travel Australia for 2 years (which we did) while our house was rented out

We didn't want separate beds for that long so a friend and I ripped out the single beds then joined them together, turned them around 90 degrees then mounted it on beams spanning from what was left of the left hand single bed frame to the right hand bed frame making a king size bed. It fits king size fitted sheets perfectly.

It did leave a gap of about a foot either side but as water tanks on one side and the water pump was on the other side we couldn't have a skinny walk way so we just made long shelves running along either side at an equal height to the bed base which have bolster cushions running along them for aesthetics and comfort.

The photo's show before and after shots.

I haven't got around to it yet but I will be putting a pair of hydraulic lifts to make raising the bed easier.

We love the double bed as we can be together if we want to or well apart during the heat of summer and we rarely disturb each other.

The only drawback is it's a bit of a pain making the bed.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

Jon

IMG_9162 (1).jpg

-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Sunday 15th of November 2015 11:58:47 PM

the rocket · Guru

Hylda&Jon wrote:
We have a 17 foot 1996 caravan which we bought 2nd hand about 6 years ago and it came with 2 double beds separated by a bedside table.
We were going to travel Australia for 2 years (which we did) while our house was rented out
We didn't want separate beds for that long so a friend and I ripped out the single beds then joined them together, turned them around 90 degrees then mounted it on beams spanning from what was left of the left hand single bed frame to the right hand bed frame making a king size bed. It fits king size fitted sheets perfectly.
It did leave a gap of about a foot either side but as water tanks on one side and the water pump was on the other side we couldn't have a skinny walk way so we just made long shelves running along either side at an equal height to the bed base which have bolster cushions running along them for aesthetics and comfort.
The photo's show before and after shots.
I haven't got around to it yet but I will be putting a pair of hydraulic lifts to make raising the bed easier.
We love the double bed as we can be together if we want to or well apart during the heat of summer and we rarely disturb each other.
The only drawback is it's a bit of a pain making the bed.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Jon

-- Edited by Hylda&Jon on Sunday 15th of November 2015 11:58:47 PM

Love the conversion

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Hi Peter

My DH likes this plan smile thank you

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Hi Jon

Thank you for the info.

I love your crochet blanket smile

grahamg · Senior Member

To get ideas, if possible look at the same van as yours with the double bed configuration. Ours is a Coromal compac 402. ( 2 single beds with a full height cabinet in the middle)
If you look at the 401 with the double bed the cabinet has been split on two with smaller cabinets on each side. With the single beds there is shelf around the whole of the van at eye level. With the double bed there is no shelf.

we have found single beds in a small van gives a lot more space. There is somewhere to stand when someone else is moving around the kitchen.

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Hi graham

I don't know anyone with the same van as ours - I've tried searching online for interior/layout photos of our van but no luck so far.

Any suggestions as to where I might find layout of 1983 Windsor Windcheater poptop?

cheers
Julieanne

Cruising Cruze · Guru

Hi Julieanne

I found one here:

www.aurvsales.com/detail/Used-1983-Windsor--/TTGFBLeGFPBaCBTGSLGF.html

Cheers John

Oops sorry full size

-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Tuesday 17th of November 2015 01:22:21 PM

PeterD · Guru

Cruising Cruze wrote:
Oops sorry full size

Plus 7' too long and it already has the double bed.

Jewels Sparkle · Member

Thanks John and Peter

Just a bit bigger then mine !

I'm sure we will work out something - I've tried turning the mattress side ways and side by side with a board underneath - no extra room but we have a double bed :)