At the beginning of the build, as we scrolled thru an Instagram feed stacked with beautifully built-out vans, we may have been a bit overwhelmed. How in the world were we going to pull this off? Luckily we quickly discovered the plethora of van-build material available in the “vanlife” community via YouTube, Instagram and personal travel blogs. TRULY GAME CHANGING!
Throughout our build we prioritized eco-friendly materials. Why? Well mainly because this is our home. We cook, eat, sleep, and live in here so any harsh chemicals, toxic stains and/or sealants etc. were not an option. For paint we made sure to use Valspar Low-VOC, we chose PureBond plywood which is formaldehyde-free, our mattress is GOTS & GOLS certified organic & non toxic, and our water tanks are BPA-free.
Secondly, we wanted to build a sustainable home to reduce our carbon footprint. Four solar panels on the roof keep us powered in most weather. And when the sun isn’t strong enough (which is rare) our battery-to-battery charger recharges our batteries as we drive. So we never have to hook up to an outer power source! Our window/fan layout promotes air flow to keep the van cool, we chose energy efficient appliances, and of course we use LED- lights + dimmers.
So if you are thinking about building out a van, don’t let the overwhelm creep in. Step by Step is the way to do it and don’t forget to enjoy the journey!
Here’s a tour of our Gecko at the end of her first Road Trip from Atlanta to the Pacific Coast Hwy and back!
Van-Build Resources
One of the best van conversion resources we found was: https://faroutride.com/ . Isabelle and Antoine did a fabulous job documenting their build plus they offer extensive electrical and water system diagrams. Super helpful site!
Roaming Geckos 