DIY mobile home, camping options. DIY mobile home: how to turn a minibus into a cozy home Do-it-yourself interior decoration

A motorhome is a special type of vehicle that is becoming increasingly popular. The reason for this demand is based on the fact that a car of this type is both a means of transportation and a place of residence. If you know how to make a mobile home with your own hands, you can get a home that can easily accommodate up to eight people at a time. Each person will have their own sleeping place, as well as a bathroom and a small kitchen.

Most models are distinguished by general design features and design rules. For example, the driver's seat and passenger seats are fully movable. Due to this, the free space significantly increases during the parking period. In the back of the car there is usually a separate room with real U-shaped furniture. In this article you can find out what types of modern motorhomes there are, as well as how to make a similar design yourself.

At the moment, there are several classifications of mobile homes. Based on the main design features, the following categories can be distinguished:

• trailed;
• camper van;
• a caravan house connected to transport.

Mobile modern houses can be divided into types not only according to certain design features, but also according to their purpose. This category includes mobile homes that are used as permanent or long-term housing, as well as those that are intended exclusively for travel.

There is another form of classification of modern motorhomes. They can be divided into three main categories:

• C – small-sized, used for short trips;
• C B – semi-integrated car houses;
• B A – fully integrated.

The first ones are made on the basis of a regular SUV; the sleeping places here need to be transformed in a special way. Class B motorhomes are distinguished by a permanently located sleeping area, which is located in the rear of the vehicle. Class A motorhomes are similar in appearance to regular buses. They are quite comfortable and, therefore, very expensive in cost if purchased ready-made.

To save money, you can build a mobile home with your own hands, using photos and special instructions as a guide. If you correctly carry out the main stages of manufacturing a motor home, you can get a vehicle that will have a large windshield, a fixed driver's seat, as well as special retractable partitions that form zones of different functionality and separately located sleeping places.

Below you will find information on how to make a mobile home with your own hands, which can be considered autonomous. The structures can be equipped with generators, have gas supplied and a sufficiently large supply of water.

Stages of building a motorhome with your own hands

If you want to build a motorhome with your own hands, you should carefully follow the instructions provided. Below we describe how to build a motorhome body depending on the base, how to properly equip it and equip it with all the necessary components for living and traveling.

Creating a plan

Homemade mobile homes are quite serious structures. The process of their construction, here, as in any important event, must begin with a detailed plan. It is at this stage of work that the master must think through the most basic aspects of the matter, all possible little details and draw up the most accurate drawing.

When making a motorhome from a trailer with your own hands, you need to strictly adhere to all the points and rules indicated in the plan and drawings.

The total internal space of a building on wheels should be divided into three main zones:

1. A dining room where you can eat, work on a laptop or read a newspaper at the table. Here you can place a small sofa, chairs and a table. These items should fold easily enough to take up a minimum amount of free space.
2. Sleeping area. This is one of the important areas, since adequate sleep ensures activity and good mood. For a driver, night rest is very important, since his concentration and attentiveness depend on it, which directly affects the safety of movement during the daytime. It is advisable to equip this area with a comfortable bed, which should easily rise and free up space.
3. Bathroom with toilet. To equip such an area, you need to install a sink, a shower stall and a modern dry closet.
4. Kitchen. This zone takes up a minimum amount of space, since most of its elements are built-in. To ensure maximum comfort, you need to install two burners, a small sink, a countertop, a small refrigerator and an extractor hood.

Due to the fact that the standard room of a motorhome is quite limited, its zones need to be integrated into one another. It is for this reason that a preliminary plan is so important and must be followed carefully.

In the process of drawing up a plan, you need to carefully consider what interior items are really required and what you can refuse.

After this, everything desired, indicating the exact dimensions, is transferred to a sheet of paper. Next, the plan is drawn up according to the following principle:

• The estimated area of ​​the motorhome is divided into pre-divided zones. For example, a bedroom needs more space than a kitchen;
• the location of the bathroom and options for separating it from other rooms are noted;
• All furniture elements are drawn, as well as methods of their fastening and folding options.

In the process of drawing and designating these areas of the room, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of each element.

Don't forget about free space too. The mobile home should not be littered with things and pieces of furniture.

After drawing up a detailed and well-thought-out plan, after specifying the dimensions of the common room and pieces of furniture, you can begin to build such a structure as a mobile home from a trailer with your own hands.

Selecting a base

Among the most affordable budget options that are optimal for everyone who likes to make something with their own hands, we can highlight three of the most convenient designs. You can make a residential trailer with your own hands on the basis of a gazelle, a trailer with a reinforced chassis and an old minibus. Let's look at two of them in more detail.

Minibus

To make a motorhome with your own hands from a minibus, you should begin by thoroughly cleaning the body and removing the upholstery. After this, you need to make special holes for ventilation, under the windows and for gas supply. After these general preparatory works, you can begin special processes related to the arrangement of the residential area. Work of this kind must be performed in the following sequence:

1. Leveling any dents on the inner surface and priming all metal parts of the base. This will prevent the occurrence of destructive corrosion.
2. The internal surface - walls, ceiling and floor - are covered with heat-insulating material.
3. A moisture-resistant coating is laid on top.
4. Gas and electricity are provided.
5. Bathroom equipment is being manufactured.
6. The kitchen is being equipped and furniture is being installed.

It is equally important to get your travel van's engine and chassis in order. Due to the fact that this is a mobile vehicle, its ability to move should be given no less close attention than its arrangement and comfort.

Trailer

Making a camper from a trailer with your own hands is much more difficult than making a camper from a minibus. The main difficulty is that the walls and ceiling need to be built from scratch. An approximate scheme of action in this case will be as follows:

1. Cleaning the chassis and trailer.
2. Mounting on the base of the frame of the future motorhome.
3. Covering the frame with a layer of plywood.
4. Floor installation with simultaneous use of thermal insulation.
5. The structure is sheathed with external material and coated with special moisture-resistant compounds.
6. Roof arrangement.
7. Construction of a drain, installation of wires to provide the house with electricity.
8. Installation of door and window openings.

All this is a general scheme for making a house on wheels. Below each stage will be discussed in more detail.

Exterior finishing work

Once the main body of the mobile home is ready, the main exterior work can begin. It is very important to ensure that the campsite is kept as clean as possible. There should be no dust, dirt or significant defects. This is what guarantees the successful formation of the structure. The main points of external work include:

1. Removal of corrosion and various types of damage.
2. Making holes.

Speaking about the necessary openings, it can be noted that these are not only window openings, but also those designed for gas outlet, ventilation, and water filler necks.

Openings must be made during the process of arranging the camper. Otherwise, you may encounter certain difficulties.

The external arrangement of such a structure as a do-it-yourself mobile home from a minibus or trailer consists of performing the following work:

1. Creating partitions between the main body and the front seats.
2. Arrangement of internal insulation. Here you need to remember that the overall temperature and sound insulation inside the room will directly depend on the quality and proper installation of this material.
3. Covering the structure from the roof to the floor covering.

There are a huge number of different materials available on the modern market. The choice can be made based on personal preferences, environmental characteristics, general financial situation, and the type of body used.

Home equipment

The equipment of a motorhome lies largely in its internal arrangement. To make the house convenient and comfortable, you will need to install water, electricity, gas into the house, and also install certain furniture.

Water supply and bathroom

A prerequisite for water supply to a structure on wheels is to ensure the supply of running water. To carry out this process, you need to install a couple of canisters and a compact pump under the sink, which will provide the necessary flow of water to the tap.

Thinking through the drainage of wastewater is the basic rule when arranging a full-fledged toilet. They can be removed using a special hose located in the floor surface. With a little engineering knowledge, you won't have to manually drain water into special portable tanks. Although many people do this too.

As for the bathroom, the best option is to purchase and install a dry closet.

Electricity

One or more special batteries may be entirely responsible for the accumulation and storage of electricity in a wheeled house. These devices can be charged while the tractor is operating or when connected to external sources. When equipping a motorhome with electrical networks, modern inverters occupy a special place. These are special devices that are capable of converting direct current with a voltage of 12 V into alternating current equal to 230 V. Due to this, devices operating from a 230-volt standard can be connected to a 12-volt network without any problems.

Heating and gas

Gasification of the described design consists of simply installing a gas cylinder in the room. To do this, you need to select a separate closed area. In its lower part you need to arrange special holes that go out.

This rule cannot be neglected! The holes will allow gas to escape from the motorhome if it leaks and not cause a fire or poisoning.

To provide heat inside the structure, simply purchase a small heating device. This should be a compact device, powered by a regular electrical network and, if necessary, easily retractable into a secluded place.

Furniture and interior

Furniture for a motorhome must be made by hand. Standard items will not fit in size. Everything should be as compact as possible and at the same time comfortable.

Making furniture yourself will not only allow you to get those items that will optimally fit the area of ​​the structure, but will also save money.

Price issue

The cost of a motor home directly depends on the price at which spare parts for it were purchased, how many people such a car is designed for, and what size you prefer. The general price range here is quite large and ranges from 600 thousand to 1.3 million rubles.

Conclusion

If you build a mobile home correctly, using the diagram presented to your attention, the residential vehicle can be used in the country. If a house has not been built on the territory, if work related to the arrangement is still underway, such a car will be a real salvation. In addition, having a motorhome on wheels is the optimal solution for long and short trips.

Some travelers and outdoor enthusiasts prefer DIY RVs to pre-built RVs. The choice is explained not only by the lower cost of home-made structures - you can think through the layout and arrange the interior according to your own wishes. Before you build a motorhome with your own hands, you should learn more about the process of making motorhomes and decide which option is better: a caravan or a camper.

Original motorhome

Construction of a motorhome and caravan

Regardless of the type, the motorhome must have minimal amenities: sleeping places for each traveler and an area for preparing and eating food.

In addition, inside the minibus or trailer there may be:

• wash basin;
• gas stove connected to a cylinder;
• shelves, cabinets and other storage systems.

Motorhomes intended for long trips usually have a bathroom combined with a small shower.

When making a motorhome for yourself, with your own hands, you can provide for the presence of a bathroom and everything else that may be needed on the trip.

Making a motorhome with your own hands

A do-it-yourself mobile home is made on the basis of a van or trailer. Buses are suitable for this purpose - the spacious interior and high roof make them a good candidate for conversion.

Before converting a trailer or van, find out the conditions for registering motorhomes with the traffic inspectorate.

Motorhome-bus

The construction of a mobile home consists of several stages:

• drafting;
• carrying out external and internal works;
• communications device;
• placement of furniture.

First of all, you need to decide what to use as a basis: a trailer or a van. The first option is more labor-intensive - the van already has walls and a roof, but in a trailer you will need to build them yourself.

DIY motorhome based on a car

To create mobile housing, they use a car or, for example, an old bus. A vehicle for conversion into a house is selected based on financial capabilities and the number of people who will live inside the building.

Depending on the number of residents, they think about the design of the mobile home, as well as its contents. To make work easier, make a plan.

Motorhome based on a cargo van

Before you make a motorhome, you need to stock up on the materials and tools necessary for the work:

• grinder;
• car paint;
• screwdriver;
• welding machine;
• thermal insulation;
• finishing materials (plastic panels, lining or other);
• moisture-resistant plywood;
• carpet;
• fasteners (screws, nails, dowels);
• polyurethane foam;
• primer;
• paint brushes;
• sealant;
• wire brush.

Exterior works

When the drawing is ready, the design has been thought out, they move on to external work. Required:

1. Clean the car body from rust and other damage. If the paint on the surfaces has peeled off, clean it off.
2. Make several holes in the van for windows, if there were none initially. At the same time, cut holes for ventilation.
3. Determine the location and cut holes for exhaust gases, drain holes and other communications.
4. Cover cut areas and areas where paint has been removed with primer to prevent rust from forming. Wait until it dries completely.
5. Paint the outside surfaces of the van.

Van-based motorhome

Interior work

If you plan to separate the cabin from the living compartment. Then the partition is mounted either using fasteners, or the metal frame is welded to the body with a welding machine.

First, the body is covered with heat-insulating material. Any insulation intended for residential premises is suitable. To fix the material on the walls and ceiling, use hardware made of the same metal as the body - this technique will help protect the car from rust.

If the selected insulation does not tolerate contact with water well, additional waterproofing will be required.

Windows are inserted. Moving on to finishing the walls. For cladding we choose moisture-resistant plywood. The sheets must be quite thick to withstand heavy loads - cabinets, shelves, and furniture will subsequently be attached to them.

Work starts from the ceiling. Having fixed the sheets there, they sheathe the walls. Next, wooden beams as thick as the height of the thermal insulation material are attached to the floor, and insulation boards are laid between them. Cover the floor with plywood and attach it to the timber with self-tapping screws.

The living room, in which the kitchen is located, and the shower and toilet should be separated using a frame partition.

Plywood can be painted, varnished, or carpeted. The latter option simultaneously serves as additional thermal insulation. To fix the carpet, special glue is used.

The next step is the installation of communications in accordance with a pre-drawn diagram: electricity, heating and ventilation. Cable, water and gas pipes are laid either on top of the internal cladding, or installed simultaneously with the installation of insulation inside, making holes for the communication outlets.

Furniture

Furniture for a motorhome is selected individually. Necessary furnishings include:

• table with bench for the dining area;
• bed or folding sofa;
• hanging shelves and cabinets for storing supplies, clothes, bedding;
• washing.

Since furniture is subject to increased load while the motorhome is moving, it must be of high quality, strong, have reliable fittings and a minimum of moving elements. You should make sure that during a sharp turn the cabinet door will not open and the contents will not spill throughout the cabin.

All furniture must be firmly secured; it is advisable that it be fixed at two points: on the floor and on the wall.

Interior solutions in a motorhome

DIY motorhome from a trailer

Making a caravan out of a trailer is more difficult than converting a car. In this case, you will need to build the base of the floor, walls, and roof from scratch.

For camper construction, single-axle trailers that can withstand loads of up to 1 ton are most often chosen. Therefore, it is necessary to select materials for the frame, taking into account the weight of the future structure.

A camper trailer is erected using a frame:

• metal;
• tree;
• sandwich panels.

The most affordable and relatively light material for making a house on a trailer is wood. It is easier to work with and does not require special tools to connect elements.

DIY Vintage Motorhome Trailer

Frame

To make the frame you will need:

• timber 50*50 mm;
• moisture-resistant plywood 10 mm for walls;
• plywood 12 mm thick for the floor;
• fasteners (screws);
• screwdriver;
• drying oil, brush;
• galvanized corners;
• jigsaw;
• metal profile for roofing;
• galvanized steel (for external cladding);
• silicone sealant;
• insulation.

They first draw up a drawing of the future trailer cottage, and only after that do they purchase building materials for the manufacture of the facade and roof of the mobile home.

The minimum parameters of the motorhome are 230*160 cm. The height of the building is from two meters. With such dimensions, inside the living compartment you can organize 2 sleeping places, a dining area and a sink. If there is a need to equip full-fledged housing with everything necessary, then the size should be increased by 2–3 times.

The manufacturing process of a motorhome trailer

Work order

1. Remove the sides from the trailer.
2. Clean the chassis and paint it with an anti-corrosion compound.
3. If there is a sufficiently strong base, the logs and the lower trim of the frame are fixed directly on it, but if it is missing, then a frame made of a 50 * 25 mm metal pipe is welded.
4. The bottom trim is made from 50*50 timber. The side elements are connected to each other using logs. The logs are placed at a distance of every 20 cm. Metal corners are used to connect them to the timber.
5. Cover the wooden elements with drying oil in 2 layers.
6. Insulation boards are placed in the space between the joists.
7. Cover the base with 12 mm plywood, fixing it with self-tapping screws.
8. Move on to the frame racks. The beam is connected to the bottom trim using corners and screws. After this, the top trim is performed.
9. Cover the entire structure with drying oil.
10. In places where windows should be located according to the plan, crossbars and racks made of timber are installed.
11. Sheathing begins from the inside. The plywood is attached to galvanized screws every 25 cm around the perimeter of the sheet.
12. Sand the internal surfaces using a grinder. Cover with varnish.
13. The outside of the sheets is treated with drying oil.
14. Insulation is placed in the cavities between the frame posts, the frame is sheathed with sheets of 10 mm plywood, which are pre-coated with drying oil on both sides.
15. The door is made from timber and plywood sheets. The door is installed on galvanized hinges.
16. Windows are inserted. A simple solution is plexiglass sheets.
17. A self-made mobile home is sheathed with sheets of galvanized steel. Self-tapping screws are used as fasteners; they are screwed in around the perimeter at a distance of every 10 cm. The corners of the trailer are sheathed with a corner.
18. Treat the joints of the sheets with each other and the corners with sealant to prevent water from entering the structure.
19. All that remains is to make the roof and roofing. You need to cover it with corrugated sheets, attach the sheets to galvanized screws.

Internal layout

The walls, ceiling and floor are already sheathed, so all that remains is to paint or varnish them. If the size of the building allows, the shower and toilet are equipped with a separate room. They erect a frame partition and hang a door. All remaining space is divided into zones: sleeping area, relaxation and eating area, kitchen. You will need to install sockets for electrical appliances; it is important not to forget about high-quality ventilation for your mobile home.

Furniture

To save space, transformable furniture is installed inside the trailer. For example, they make it themselves or purchase a reclining table or sofa bed. At the top of the walls, shelves are installed in which things, kitchen utensils, and clothes will be stored.

Useful little things

What else is worth knowing before you start making a motor home:

1. For the outer cladding of the frame of a trailer motorhome, you can use not only galvanized steel, but also corrugated sheets.
2. If you cannot organize a ventilation system, you can cut small holes in the door and cover them with a mosquito net. If there are windows that open for ventilation, this is not required.
3. In order for a mobile home to serve for a long time, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the cladding and paint the metal if necessary.

The process of creating a mobile home on your own is quite labor-intensive; it requires financial investments, time and effort. Therefore, proceed to it with full confidence that you will be able to independently develop the project and bring it to life.

Hungarian photographer Norbert Juhasz and his fiancée Dora gave up city life in the center of Budapest, turning a 16-year-old van into a mobile home for traveling and freelancing.

The vehicle itself is quite inconspicuous and looks like many other cargo vans.

Juhasz's architectural education helped him develop and implement the most simplified project for a mobile home for two people.

The interior consists of three main pieces of furniture: - sofa

simultaneously serving as a double bed. Below it is the electrical system and storage space - the kitchen

including a gas stove with a cylinder, a sink and a water tank

— An L-shaped cabinet, the lower part of which is a seating area, with a refrigerator inside and storage space at the top.

For maximum thermal insulation, a 5-centimeter layer of polyurethane foam is applied to the inside of the van body.

The mobile home has a fairly complex 12-volt electrical system that can be charged in three different ways: from a 250-watt solar panel on the roof, from the engine's generator, and from a 220-volt power outlet.

It includes 2 batteries with a total capacity of 200 Ampere-hour and a small 220 Volt inverter.

Water and gas supply systems are extremely easy to use. There is an 11 kg gas cylinder connected to the stove and a 70 liter water tank connected to a water tap with a pressure activated pump.

An additional connection point allows for quick showering in the back of the van.

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This type of vacation and travel option is used by lovers of freedom and independence from tickets and flights. This is a good solution - to have both a car and housing at the same time on a vacation trip. Thanks to the presence of a mobile home, a family can travel in comfortable conditions and stay where they want and when they want without being tied to time. Camping became popular at the beginning of the 20th century.

DIY mobile home

Through such an independent holiday, you can see the places on the way to your destination that not accessible from plane or train. In addition, camping during renovation of an apartment or construction of a house on the site can serve as temporary housing. You can also rent out a campervan when there are no plans to travel.

The cost of such a pleasure is rather high, some options reach the price of an ordinary apartment, but to save money you can create a campsite or motorhome yourself.

Options for large campsites are converted from buses and large vans, but this is too expensive for those who do not mind spending a lot of money on such mega-comfort.

Camping options

There are three budget options for self-taught people:

To build a motorhome with your own hands you need:

1. Have wheels.
2. Visually drawing a camping house plan and drawings is one of the main points in creating a mini motorhome.

When drawing up a plan, you need to think through all the comfort details that are found in an ordinary apartment.

Internal communications of the motorhome

Just like in any ordinary camping house too communication is needed- this is electricity, water, gas, toilet and possibly shower. Without these amenities, mobile housing will not be comfortable. In order to have light at the campsite, it is advisable to purchase a battery-powered battery and a charging device. It’s worth thinking carefully about the internal wiring in advance. You also need to take into account the external connectors when charging and the fact that they have different capacities.

To drain waste through a hose hidden in the floor, it is easier to use a regular bucket, placing it under the body of your motorhome. Water for the kitchen can be stored in large containers, immersing pumps in them to supply it to the tap. To drain used water, a tank is also used inside or outside the room. A small shower can be built as a faucet, attached, for example, above the sink.

Unfortunately, it will not be possible to build a conventional toilet in a mobile home, since there is no space and it is difficult to drain the waste constantly. A dry closet is perfect here.

For a camping lighting system you will need :

• battery;
• charger;
• wiring.

What do you need to heat your motorhome?.

In addition to an autonomous heater, you can purchase a battery and a gas cylinder, because it will also be useful in the kitchen and for running the refrigerator. You should not use a lot of electrical appliances and equipment for two reasons - this is additional energy consumption and the load on the wiring, since this is a small room compared to a house. You should use the services of an electrician when working with gas, since doing it yourself is extremely risky if you are not an electrician.

Interior arrangement of the campsite

Ventilation system.

It is also important to sort out the ventilation so as not to pollute the room with odors.

The location of the holes is important, as it is better not to expose them in plain sight for reasons of beauty. It is best to place them at the bottom of the walls above the floor; you can also place a gas cylinder there.

Furniture.

Practicality and compactness when arranging furniture is the key to comfort in a campsite, given the presence of a small space, as well as the layout. Folding or pull-out beds, tables with attached stools and everything like that will create the necessary comfort and desire to relax in a self-made motorhome. There are special compact sets on sale, but if you have the desire and time, then it is quite possible to make furniture yourself using old boards, tabletops, and for a sofa and chairs, take seats from the same car or old wheels can also be converted into chairs or stools.

Carpentry at the campsite.

In such a dwelling, if it is one-story, it is recommended to make two windows so that you do not have to use electricity during the day. It is better to make a double door so that it does not sag and the wind does not blow into the room.

Minibus or trailer, let's look at the principle of converting each.

To begin transforming a Gazelle-type minibus into a camping site, you need to clear the body, remove the seats and upholstery, make holes for windows and gas supply valves:

Body preparation

To process the body you need:

• a primer is applied inside against corrosion, and then you need to insulate the walls, floor and ceiling with thermal insulation;
• cover with plywood or carpet;
• that the glue and plywood need to be of good quality so that the insulation will serve you for a long time;
• after the insulation stage, you can proceed to electricity and gas, then move on to the kitchen, think about a place for the sink and oven, install water tanks, a bathroom, and finally arrange the rest of the furniture for relaxation, beds, chairs or stools, cabinets and shelves, depending on what is available space.

A house made from a trailer is different in that it only has wheels and you need to do everything from scratch, like on a plot, first build a box - the future room.

Housing from a trailer is made as follows:

To make a roof for a motorhome, you will need :

• assemble a frame from load-bearing structures - beams, if you want a triangular roof;
• Next, we cover it with plywood;
• it needs to be covered with a water-repellent material.

After this, you can make and attach a rain gutter to the back wall on the outside and on the inside to drain waste. External walls also need to be lined. Internal electrical wiring and thermal insulation need to be covered with fiberboard and then the stage of manufacturing one or two doors.

To protect the wood from drying out and pests, you need to coat the outside and inside of the wall with a primer and apply a layer of paint on top. For an aesthetic appearance, you need to close the threaded holes and also cover them with paint. All these procedures will reliably protect the house from the influence of external harmful factors. At the end of the work, since this is a trailer, you need to install the lights and fenders.

Similar mobile houses are divided into three categories:

Traveling in your homemade motor home, of course, nice and comfortable. However, you need to decide for yourself whether you can handle all the work on building a motorhome on your own.