Framing a campervan interior is the process of giving your van a wooden structural skeleton for you to build the interior from. It will literally hold everything else in place, from the bed platform to the kitchen cabinets and countertops.
Framing is done by attaching wooden ribs to the metal framework of the van. You can have them running along the horizontal or vertical (or both) ribs of the vans structural body.
Typically, you install the framework after the floor and the insulation has gone in. If you havent already, you may want to check out our guide on flooring and our guide on campervan insulation.
The big decision in framing is how many ribs you need and how far apart they should be. This will depend on how sturdy you want your van to be and what you plan to mount on the walls. More strapping is better than less, as it provides flexibility to change your mind as you build out the interior of the van, but comes at the cost of adding weight.
For that reason when it comes to choosing materials, opt for lightweight and easy-to-work-with options.
Before you start framing, go back to your design and check that the location of your studs marry up with the location of your structures and cabinets. The framing process should begin with figuring out the areas needing wall studs behind the bed platform, cabinetry, and kitchen cabinets and countertops.
If your van already has metal frame members, find ways to use them in your framing layout. This will save you time, effort, and money in the long run.
Keep in mind that the thickness of wood used for framing might determine the thickness of insulation that can be used. If you want more insulation, you’ll have to sacrifice a little space and add a bit of weight to accommodate a deeper wall cavity.
What you’ll need
When it comes to materials, it’s essential to use lightweight and easy-to-work-with options. 1” pine is an excellent choice for framing the walls of your campervan. Straighter and less knotted wood is better for framing, and kiln-dried and heat-treated wood is ideal since it is resistant to moisture.
Another suggested material would be to cut short strips of 18mm plywood.
In addition to the wood you’ll also need self-tapping sheet metal screws.
Self-tapping screws are recommended for attaching the studs to the metal ribs of the van. They are recognisable by their large, blocky, hex-shaped heads. Make sure to choose screws of a particular length that can entirely go through the wood stud and partially into a metal rib without piercing the exterior shell of the van.
As for the tools required, you’ll need a circular saw, power drill, large and small drill bits, including a countersink drill.
How to do it
Here’s the goal, create an internal frame, secured to the strongest points of the van, for everything else to be built upon.
Using 2 x 2, 2 x 1 or 18mm ply, here’s how you do it.
Measure and cut the lengths of wood you will need. A mitre saw will help here, if you have one.If using Plywood, you will need to cut strips of it down. In this case, a table saw is your friend, or a circular saw and an unwavering hand. If you go a bit wrong, don’t worry too much, nobody will see it.
You could even use scrap pieces.
Next, you need to attach the wooden battens to the metal pillars of the van, ensuring regular intervals down the van.
Plan out where your wall panels will start and finish to ensure you have strapping on all seams and that it can be properly fastened.
Recessing holes for screws allows more screw to stick into the metal, providing better support.
At intervals of around 30cm drill pilot holes through the wood. Important step, do not miss this, use a countersink drill bit to allow the screw to sit flush with the wood, and allow for the most amount of screw coverage in the wood and metal, providing better support.
Put the wood up to the metal studs and using a small metal drill bit drill pilot holes into the metal frame. Put some masking tape on the drill bit at an appropriate length to ensure you do not drill straight through the outer wall of the van.
Use self-tapping sheet metal screws to attach the boards to the wall.
When drilling the self tapping screw, you must maintain a lot of pressure on the screw and the wood, when the screw hits the metal it will feel like it’s turning and not doing anything. Keep pushing, and keep the wood flush with the metal work. This might require 2 people to get it right.
Don’t screw all the way in until all the screws are in. Once you’re happy, go back and get them all 100% tight.
Around the windows, you may want to use thicker battens to create the frames.
For the ceiling, follow the same steps, running the frame along the ribs in the ceiling.
Leave the last piece on either side of the ceiling until later in the van build. This will allow you enough room to fish wires for ceiling lights.
After screwing in the studs, test their stability by giving them a good yank.
A couple more tips:
The drilling process might require two people: one to hold the stud in position and the other to operate the drill, applying force as the screw attempts to pierce the metal.
Expect some degree of trial and error with the self tapping screws.
Avoid drilling through: double-walled, layered pieces of metal, welded areas, and conduit with wiring in.
What we did
Our van came with insulation and walls, so we didn’t need to do this.
On a previous build, I have used self tapping screws to screw 12mm ply walls straight into the metal framework after insulating. It was a real pain to get the bend right, but it was super helpful for screwing things into, because the 12mm was strong enough to hold the shelves etc.
On the next one, based on what I’ve read and researched, I would build a frame, just as I’ve researched above. I would probably use strips of 18mm ply and self tap them in. I would do horizontal and vertical, but I wouldn’t do them the whole way, to save on weight.
Knowing where they are is super helpful for all the future fixings.