Travelling can be amazing but also expensive. With the cost of living increasing and flights getting delayed and cancelled left, right, and centre, finding new ways to travel is becoming increasingly more important. This is where the lure of van travel comes in. Not only does it give you the chance to travel, whenever and wherever you want to, but it also acts as a cheaper option without the need for buying flights or expensive hotels.
In addition, for more eco-conscious travellers, van travel can give them a lower carbon option, which they can measure and offset more easily.
Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? But where do you start when it comes to starting travel in a van? For many, this can seem like an impossible task, especially when you do not yet have a van or have no experience with van transformation. This is where this guide comes in to act as a guide to those who want to travel by van this summer but have no idea what they need to transform a van for comfortable living and travel around the world.
Planning and preparation
When you first get your van, there are some steps that you first as well as transport training, need to take to prep it for the interior. Firstly, you need to define your layout, deciding where you would like to put the bed, storage and any other element that you would like to add to create a space that is useful yet makes you feel at home. Here you can decide whether you would like a fixed or a convertible bed, and what materials you would like to use throughout. Where a coverable bed will increase the floor space that you can use to eat or use for social gatherings, a fixed bed can allow for under-bed storage, which is a luxury in such a small space. In addition, the materials that you choose can dictate the weight of the van, which can affect the fuel usage, thus affecting the carbon footprint.
Once you have decided the layout of your van, the bed you want and the materials, it’s time to strip the van and thoroughly clean it to ensure it’s clean and that any paint or adhesive will stick.
Insulation, flooring and walls
The importance of installation can not be underestimated when it comes to transforming your van. Even though you may be travelling to hot countries, temperatures still drop at night, meaning that it’s important to ensure that the van stays warm. You can do this by installing spray foam or even recycled bottles to insulate the walls. For flooring and walls, it’s recommended to install waterproof or vinyl flooring as well as cladding for the walls.
Finishing touches
The finishing touches really make the van yours. Adding paint, comfy cushions, and some ambient lighting can transform the space from a van into a living space, as well as injecting some colour so it truly feels like a hotel room. So grab your van licence form from companies such as Lifft Group and start your van journey now!