How We Framed the Walls in Our Ram ProMaster Van Build
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This weekend we tackled our latest adventure in van building—framing the walls of our 2019 Ram ProMaster 3500. It was a big weekend, filled with challenges, learning moments, and a lot of sawdust.
We originally thought we’d be able to tackle both the walls and the ceiling, but if we’ve learned anything it’s that however long you think it will take you to finish a project, multiply it by three.
I’m glad we were able to make some serious progress and picked up a few tips along the way. If you’re following along for some inspiration or guidance on your own van build, keep reading!
Finalizing the Van Layout
Before framing the walls of our Ram ProMaster van, we finalized the van layout. A solid layout plan ensures that we install support structures where they’re most needed. Here’s our van build layout:
Bed Area: Located at the back of the van, with a “garage” space underneath for extra storage.
Kitchen Counter: Housing a sink, refrigerator, storage and stove, running along one side of the van.
Closet Space: Positioned next to the kitchen for convenient access and which will be half a closet for bulky clothes and the lower half will also act as an electrical closet.
Bench/Dinette Area: A dual-purpose seating and storage solution (and will probably host our compost toilet).
Choosing Materials for Van Wall Framing
When it comes to van builds, materials matter. Here is a list of all the materials we used for the framing of the walls for our van:
Rivnuts (various sizes based on the size of the holes in the ribs of the van)
Machine Screws and Flat Washers (various sizes based on the size of rivnuts used)
We didn’t want to screw directly into the van to avoid any future rust issues we could potential run into. Instead,We decided to use Rivnuts to secure the furring strips to the van because it was a great alternative
Although it’s a more expensive choice, we decided to go with 3/4-inch birch plywood for our furring strips because:
Durability: Birch plywood is strong and durable, making it ideal for the structural aspects of the van.
Moisture Resistance: It’s better at resisting moisture compared to other options, which is crucial for the varying climates we’ll encounter.
Installing the Furring Strips
Once we had our plywood, it was time to get down to business:
Measurements: We started by measuring the sections of the van where the furring strips would go and marked these down on the plywood.
Cutting the Plywood: Jason took charge of cutting the plywood into 2.5-inch strips which ultimately used 85% of the entire sheet of plywood with a few scraps leftover (save those because you’ll be using them later when you frame parts of the ceiling).
Play-Doh Trick: We learned a genius hack from a girl on YouTube using Play-Doh to mark where the rivnuts should go. It saved us a ton of time and was a cheap solution to a tricky problem.
Kreg Pocket Hole Jig: To ensure a flush finish on the vertical strips, we used a Kreg pocket hole jig. It’s a nifty tool that makes the connections between the horizontal and vertical strips of wood strong and seamless.
Conclusion: What We Learned and What’s Next in Our Van Conversion
This project took about two days and a couple of hours—longer than expected, but so worth it and man, did I learn a lot. Here are some takeaways:
Time Management: Van projects always take longer than you think. Moving forward, we’ll start prepping during the week to avoid losing valuable weekend time since we both work full-time jobs.
Label Everything: When working with so many pieces and measurements, labeling each piece is crucial. It keeps you organized and prevents mistakes.
Next up we’ll be working on framing the ceiling which will be the last step before we start implementing the real aesthetic pieces of our van.
Want to know how much it costs to build out a van?
We’ve put together a handy list of all the materials we used, along with a link to our van build budget spreadsheet. This spreadsheet is updated in real-time, offering a transparent look at the costs involved in converting a van.
Thanks for following our van life journey—and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more van build updates!
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