[urbsk8er]

I've got my walls just about done inside. Im just using plywood and wrapping with auto carpet I'm a contractor), but I'd like to put thin plywood covered in the same carpet on the ceiling. I was wondering what others have done for the transition between the cab ceiling and the new cargo area ceiling.

 

[nebulight]

curious about this also.

 

[Charger7022]

i just used composite base i got off a job. i think its 4 1/2" i ran my walls up as high as i could and the ceiling over as far as i could than i added the composite base on an angle to cover the void. ill try to get a picture tomorrow if i think of it.

 

[GaryBIS]

hi,
I found this to be the toughest part of the wall/ceiling job, because to the increase in curvature of the ceiling in the area near the wall.

This page shows what I did: http://www.buildagreenrv.com/our-conversion/our-conversion-paneling/
Its in the section called "side nailing strips"
Not saying this is the best, but its one way.

I thought that GuyT found a good solution for this corner where the ceiling meets the wall on his wind surfer van conversion -- you might see if you can find that on search.

Gary

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Two words: Overhead cabinets.

 

[keeponvaning]

That was my solution also

 

[PopeAng]

....cut... I was wondering what others have done for the transition between the cab ceiling and the new cargo area ceiling.

Two words: Overhead cabinets.

RD, that does not explain the area that urbsk8er is talking about. I plan to do cabinets too, but like urbsk8r I am also not sure about the transition from the cab to cargo area.

Can you take a picture of the very front of your ceiling and how you finished it as it transitions to the cab ceiling? From here it looks pretty clean, but the are in question is at the very "back" of your picture.

 

[MsNomer]

See my build thread for details. This is the only place in the build where I glued anything to the van--effectively a wooden rib to mimic the ones farther back.



Looks like I don't have a close-up of the finished product, but it neatly nestles up to the ridge in the liner.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I did exactly what MsNomer did to add a wood piece to have backing to attach my finish strip later but I put in some screws too.
Here are the ends.
Left front with curtain to close off the cab. The panel just ends at the cab and is fitted around the ceiling. See next picture for more.

Now this is the one you are asking about. The front of the panel just runs forward and is shaped around the ceiling divider. It is not closed off at the front as it cannot be seen. I didn’t worry much about the fit a I knew the curtain would cover it.

Here is the front of the right hand cabinet. just an end piece scribed to the wall contour, easy.

Here is the left rear. The right rear is the same.

 

[MsNomer]

I did exactly what MsNomer did to add a wood piece to have backing to attach my finish strip later but I put in some screws too.

Not quite. Any screws to attach my backing board would go through the roof.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I see that, so I must have placed the backing strip forward on the rib that runs across there? I don't have a picture and I did not put screws through the roof either but did screw the cross pieces as I used two in order to make forming them easier!

 

[proeddie]

My ceiling is not done yet!

But, I plan to continue the design I used to mount my TV (which was one of the first projects I did)

I loosened the cab headliner and put in rivnuts where the push in fasteners were.

Then I bolted strips of wood that were cut the width of the headliner recesses and extended toward the back of the van.

For the TV I made a crosspiece and extended a board from that, also bolted at the bottom.

The the TV, bolted on from the back

The boards no longer extend back.. I cut them just about 4 or 5" long now. I can't have them there when I install the sunroof. (soon, very soon!)

When I get to the ceiling (soon, very soon), I will make short extenders and do the same thing all the way across. This will create 6 attachment points that I can screw a wood strip into. From there, a front fascia board should be easy! (famous last words...)

 

[Charger7022]

I misunderstood the area you were talking about. My plan is to put a door over that space and make it lockable.

 

[Nexus6]

So if I understand the question it's how to attach the front of the ceiling panels near the cab headliner? I glued 4" long pieces of 1" square aluminum tubing to the roof sheet metal near the headliner using Locktite PL Fastgrab adhesive. Then I screwed my plywood roof panel to the glued on tubing. Sort of created another roof rib to mount the plywood to.

 

[canuck4everr]

My ceiling is not done yet!

But, I plan to continue the design I used to mount my TV (which was one of the first projects I did)

I loosened the cab headliner and put in rivnuts where the push in fasteners were.

Then I bolted strips of wood that were cut the width of the headliner recesses and extended toward the back of the van.

what size rivnut did you use? Im trying to avoid using self tapping screws in the roof cross members .

 

[proeddie]

I used 1/4-20 rivnuts in almost all of my rivnut locations. In some spots if there was a hole there, I enlarged it just a bit, in other spots with no hole, I drilled one (with a drill stop to keep the drill from hitting the roof above)

On a few spots where there was an existing slot (instead of just a hole) that was too big for a 1/4" rivnut, I attached a rivnut to the center hole of a large fender washer and slid the washer into position in the roof cross member. That worked well!

 

[canuck4everr]

I used 1/4-20 rivnuts in almost all of my rivnut locations. In some spots if there was a hole there, I enlarged it just a bit, in other spots with no hole, I drilled one (with a drill stop to keep the drill from hitting the roof above)

On a few spots where there was an existing slot (instead of just a hole) that was too big for a 1/4" rivnut, I attached a rivnut to the center hole of a large fender washer and slid the washer into position in the roof cross member. That worked well!

Thanks for that , found this on Amazon.ca , https://www.amazon.ca/Muzata-Rivete...98-9457431?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1500243401&sr=1-1 would this works?

Good tip on the drill stop

 

[canuck4everr]

Found a local store that has rivet nuts and tool , KMS tools . ty

 

[tighe]

I like the idea of rivnuts but I'm confused on how you locate them on the panel that may be attached. I'd really prefer to put less holes in the van than I need to.

any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

I’d recommend you get past your preference about holes in the ribs as they have plenty already and a few more won’t change anything. Put the rivnuts where you NEED them to secure the cabinets and be safe. Safe is better than any preference. Sometimes we get hung up on something that interferes with good reason and practice. I had a hard time cutting the holes for my windows in my 1 week old $34000 van. I got over it.