Already 1 month ago I bought a beautiful DHL Truck. This Box Van has 6.5 m2 floor space, so plenty for a millenial that lives in a capital. I’ve decided to built and design it myself, to fit it to my (surfing) needs, see what I can accomplish by myself and stay within my budget. To be honest I severly underestimated the complexity of every step in the build, it is like I am designing a tiny house without access to running water or electricty.
Vanconversion in Berlin
Looking for more expertise, I found these places in Berlin:
VanWerk Berlin, integrated to CraftWerk Berlin, you can expected a work station and lots of advice for 12€/hour.
Campermanufaktur, DIY space available, starting at 5€/hour, but they also offer custom builds
Sundrive, conversion service and shop, specific to the camper needs.
In the end I’m working with Paem Paem Berlin, a wood workshop, that only uses recyceled materials and almost bit my head of for my choice of insulation, which just gave me an instant good feeling 😉
Insulation
I can’t afford to build twice, I’m reconsidering and re-calculating again and again and again. I feel lik there are only wrong answers here but after going down multiple rabbit holes on youtube and forums this is the information I’ve gathered, the prices are from 2020.
Armaflex
- not- recycle or reusable
- 11 €/m^2
- Go-to option for van life
- Easy to use
- not pressure resistant
- Thouroughly tested for the vibration in cars
- Resistance at 19 mm: 0.052
Steiko Isorel
- Natural material
- 6,5€/m^2
- adds an extra working step of adding in a plastic foil as vapor barrier
- not pressure resitant, could loose shape over time
- Resitance at 12mm : 0.24
Styrodur, XPS
- non-recycable plastic
- 4,4€/m^2
- Easy to use
- pressure resitant
- already built into the walls and ceiling
- Resitance at 19mm: 0.058
In the end I have decided to go for the 3rd option Styrodur. I really wanted to use the natural material, but it would add 3 extra work steps and I have 0 experience working with it. To make it reusable, I’ll try to glue always the same points, in order to take it of more easily, without damaging the material to much.
On the Styrodur I’ll lay down a layer of foam as vapor barrier and protection from pressure points from the edges in the laminate, which I got for free on ebay.
Layout
After deciding the insulation, I had to commit to a final floor layout, which is the hardest thing. I started to use sketch up ( with a 30 day free trial account) , which I can’t recommend enough to visualize the cabin and move things around. It takes some getting used to, but it is really worth it in the end!
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4 thoughts on “Preparing for Vanlife”
Hey Kalina!
Very cool project! I’m planning a project with a DHL truck as well, and plan on buying my truck in the next month. Needless to say, I am very excited but also had a few questions.
1. I read that the truck needs to be fitted with a filter (Gelb zu Grün Plakatte, Umwelt Zone). Did you have that work done and if yes, do you have a recommendation of a shop? How much did it cost exactly? I live in Berlin also, so thats why I ask!
2. I’m trying to find the dimensions of the inner space but I haven’t found any technical specs online. Would you be willing to share what you have? A simple length, width, height of the box 🙂
Anyhow, keep up the good work!
Viele Grüße!
-Zack
Ich war nicht ob du Deustch bist. Die Videos sind auf Englisch. Wenn du es einfacher findest, auf Deustch zu schrieben, kann ich auch 🙂
Hi Zack,
ja, ich habe mir einen Filter einbauen lassen, das war leider teurer als gedacht, rechne am besten mit 1000-1500€. Ich habe es bei Johny’s Car Station in Lichtenberg machen lassen.
Die kleinere Ausführung ist 3,5 m in length, ~1,80 in width and 1,97 in height.
Bei Kauf solltest du unbedingt auf das Dach achten, denn die werden nicht mehr hergestellt und das abstützen oder neu isolieren kann echt Nerven kosten.
Sag Bescheid, wenn du noch mehr Fragen hast!
Liebe Grüße,
Kalina
Today, I went to the beach front with my kids.
I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her
ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know
this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
Hi Krystyna,
no of course, sounds like a beautiful memory! 🙂