Meet Bumblebee: Our Sprinter Van in progress

Meet Bumblebee - the newest adventure.

Year: 2015

Bumblebee with the newly installed window

Make: Mercedes

Model: Sprinter Van

Features: high roof, backup camera, that's about it.

The latest addition to our small family is a van - not one of those soccer mom and baby seat vans, but an epic adventure van. Dubbed Bumblebee for it's brilliant yellow hue, we (aka mostly Perry) are completing a DIY conversion to a homey, yet practical live-in van. First step - everything. Our plans include insulation and sound barriers, electricity via alternator and solar power, climate controlled heater, queen size bed with cabinetry, a portable toilet (per my request) and a kitchenette with a hand-pump sink, set in Coleman stove and cabinets hiding the Yeti cooler and supplies. 

Hole for vent

Installed and sealed vent

First cut - literally cut - was to professionally install a tinted window on the sliding door. Thanks #VanSpecialities for their excellent work and advice on home builds. 
Later that week, Perry took out the jigsaw and made the second cut for our Fantastic roof vent (both fantastic and by Fantastic). The vent will allow us to circulate air and keep the pup happy when chillin'. Putty tape and Dicor RV rubber roof was added for a good seal.

The second endeavor was create the epic sandwich of insulation and sound barriers. Reduction of road and rain noise was accomplished by coating the ceiling, floor and parts of the walls with FatMat sound deadener. Because we will be using the van in all locations and all weather, we decided to go big or go home with the insulation. Second layer in the sandwich is Reflectix - a  shiny, industrial bubblewrap that acts like the Omni-Heat reflective thermals by Columbia. Reflectix went along every inch of the floor, ceiling and walls. The third layer I think is especially for Ike and I - a R30 EcoBatt wool glass insulation. The company provides insulation guaranteed with nature in mind, creating it from the renewable resource wool and promising no harsh chemicals or dyes. Bye bye formaldehyde. Perry lined the majority of the walls with this batting, holding it together with duct tape until the vapor barrier can be added. However, the insulation was too lofty for the ceiling and floor so we went with 1" rigid polyeurethane foam board instead. Over everything front floor to ceiling went a 6ml clear plastic vapor barrier, which gives that extra protection from the insulation and makes sure humidity doesn't mold anything. As of today, the insulation is in place and we are ready to add electricity and the final layer of the sandwich - fabric covered plywood.

Vent and FatMat

Reflectix

Foam board and EcoBatt

Vapor barrier