Mercedes vario 814 self build bus to FLT palace

Whilst i appreciate your input and your knowledge of fitting them in houses etc its different sizes of stoves than those that people fit in vans. There are at least 5 companies in the uk that make stoves especially for small spaces and they sell and install hundreds of them. Many full-time vanlifers have them and ive not heard of any yet thats deed or been poisoned etc. Im not fitting a botch job it will have a the correct flue s etc.

This was flogged to death last year when i first mentioned building a van and its one of my top 3 reasons for doing a self build. Im fed up being cold and deciding between warmth or entertainment. No woodburner id likely not build the van
Tam, it’s your van, your home. There does appear to be a few on here that seem to think you should build what is to be your home how they would like it. Take notice if it’s useful, but build it how YOU want it.
I’m getting the feeling you might wish you hadn’t started this thread and just built it your way. We’re not all trying to tell you how you should do it.
Please keep posting the build as you progress. I for one will never try to tell what you should do.
Thanks for the story so far.
 
I want the shower there for a couple of reasons
1) its directly above the waste tank - good idea, no having to run pipes except if really necessary
2) provides half the bulkhead - yup, although that could still be achieved by putting the wardrobe there (assuming it's full height)
3 ) doesn't restrict view of the kitchen or door from the sofa or bed - yup, don't want anyone nicking your beer from the fridge! :giggle:
4) i prefer the fridge to be near the door so i can open it from outside - lazy b*gger! :LOL:
5) cooker next to woodburner as top of woodburner will be same height as hob ...when burner is on ill use that for kettle etc - also makes sense as the cooker will take the heat from the w/burner whereas the fridge wouldn't like it, no matter how well it was insulated.
6) woodburner close to the Lounge and bed so i get the heat where i am ...and can see it ...nothing nicer than a real fire - I thought you'd be looking for a lady-thing to keep you warm at night! 😁
Its a shame that you can't put the wood burner the other side simply because it would allow you to have a longer run of kitchen rather than have it split. Also whilst I appreciate you want to be able to plop the kettle on the wood burner having the cooker next to the sink means that if you have pans with boiling water in that you need to empty into the sink you're not carrying them across from one side of the van to the other which to me is a safety risk especially if your doggies are pottering around, obviously this would require you to run water/drainage to the opposite side rather than have it adjacent to the shower. Just my thoughts and not a criticism in any way of your original layout.

tam 4.png
 
Tam, it’s your van, your home. There does appear to be a few on here that seem to think you should build what is to be your home how they would like it. Take notice if it’s useful, but build it how YOU want it.
I’m getting the feeling you might wish you hadn’t started this thread and just built it your way. We’re not all trying to tell you how you should do it.
Please keep posting the build as you progress. I for one will never try to tell what you should do.
Thanks for the story so far.
Oh for goodness sake, is there anything anyone can say on this flipping forum without you wanting to have yet another dig! No one is telling him how he SHOULD build it, just giving ideas and advice, so please go and start your own thread so we can all ignore it.
 
Its a shame that you can't put the wood burner the other side simply because it would allow you to have a longer run of kitchen rather than have it split. Also whilst I appreciate you want to be able to plop the kettle on the wood burner having the cooker next to the sink means that if you have pans with boiling water in that you need to empty into the sink you're not carrying them across from one side of the van to the other which to me is a safety risk especially if your doggies are pottering around, obviously this would require you to run water/drainage to the opposite side rather than have it adjacent to the shower. Just my thoughts and not a criticism in any way of your original layout.

View attachment 494462
The defence rests.
 
The defence rests.
I do so wish you would ... if you can't see the difference between telling someone what they MUST do and giving suggestions then it's a shame.

Have you ever converted a vehicle into a MH?

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Its a shame that you can't put the wood burner the other side simply because it would allow you to have a longer run of kitchen rather than have it split. Also whilst I appreciate you want to be able to plop the kettle on the wood burner having the cooker next to the sink means that if you have pans with boiling water in that you need to empty into the sink you're not carrying them across from one side of the van to the other which to me is a safety risk especially if your doggies are pottering around, obviously this would require you to run water/drainage to the opposite side rather than have it adjacent to the shower. Just my thoughts and not a criticism in any way of your original layout.

View attachment 494462
I could actually put the woodburner on either side as theres already a hole on the roof on both sides . I get what you mean about the sink etc but i wanted to keep it on the same side as the shower as its easier for plumbing and drainage as the water tank will be on that side as will the waste tank . Also most chefs will say a kitchen should offer a triangle of work space so having the cooker one side , the table to the side and the sink opposite gives that triangle. There will be work space above fridge next to cooker and with the drawer unit next to the sink there would be space there too.

Running drainage under the floor from one side to the other would be more difficult due to the large chassis and not much space between chassis and floor .
 
Also outbacker stoves.


We have a larger version if this in our house.

<Broken link removed>

If you didn't fill it stupidly full I think it would be find.

Looking good mate.

Cheers James
 
Im not fitting a house size burner ...these small stoves are specifically designed for small spaces that's why they are more expensive than some of the larger ones. 👍
  • CB-1210 GRIZZLY Cubic Mini Wood Stove​

  • Measures only 13" (Wide) x 15" (High) x 12" (Depth) ( 33.02 cm x 38.1 cm x 30.48 cm ).


grizzlyblackfire_1024x1024@2x.png

Is this the of stove your thinking of ? expensive but designed for R.V.'s

EDIT
Just caught up with the thread, that will teach me to read to the end before posting :doh: :rofl:
 
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Also most chefs will say a kitchen should offer a triangle of work space so having the cooker one side , the table to the side and the sink opposite gives that triangle. There will be work space above fridge next to cooker and with the drawer unit next to the sink there would be space there too.

The kitchen triangle rule would normally be fridge - cooker/hob - sink.

As you have it will work just as well as the space isn’t the same as a house would work.

1. Get stuff from fridge, prep on area over top of said fridge.

2. Move right, cook and plate either left or right.

3. Move right for cleaning.

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Tam you do what you want, but on this woodburner thing, apart from the safety which would scare me to death, do you really want to go out in the rain collecting wet wood and have it ln your van and having to keep getting up to feed the thing, with all the attendent muck and dust, when you could just relax and press a button?
 
Tam you do what you want, but on this woodburner thing, apart from the safety which would scare me to death, do you really want to go out in the rain collecting wet wood and have it ln your van and having to keep getting up to feed the thing, with all the attendent muck and dust, when you could just relax and press a button?
You do realise you'll be in the firing line from a certain person now don't you! :LOL: I'm gonna start a club. :giggle:
 
Tam you do what you want, but on this woodburner thing, apart from the safety which would scare me to death, do you really want to go out in the rain collecting wet wood and have it ln your van and having to keep getting up to feed the thing, with all the attendent muck and dust, when you could just relax and press a button?
I won't be out collecting wet wood 🤷🏻‍♂️ ill have a supply of dry wood always stored beneath the burner and in the boot. Diesel heater for first thing in morning etc ... woodburner for when theres a plentiful supply of free wood.
 
Anywaaaaaaaay enough aboot blooming stoves. We had about 3 pages of this on my other thread while i was still in greece.

Im also fitting a belfast sink 😁

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Come on Tam get the thread back on track, lets have some more pics of your rusty chassis to drool over. :LOL:
Its been raining here for days so unfortunately nowt has changed. The new step and front wheel arch has now arrived so ive a bit more to cut out in that area to get that to fit ...but rain forecast again today from 11am ☹️
 
Anywaaaaaaaay enough aboot blooming stoves. We had about 3 pages of this on my other thread while i was still in greece.

Im also fitting a belfast sink 😁
Are you sure you need a Belfast sink? What if it cracks,or it drops on your foot, and they are heavy and affect your payload and only available in white and they don’t have a drainer, please consider a stainless one 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
 
Im also fitting a belfast sink 😁
I've got a lovely little one in the garden, came out of one of the old Chemistry labs when it was being converted to offices, not sure of the condition although it might give you the 'rustic' feel you're after what with the wood burner! :giggle:

More seriously, have you considered a circular sink as they are more efficient water-wise (no corners to fill), bowls are easier to buy to fit and they take up less worktop space than a square one, something like this:

 
One of these with compact laminate worktop would look great and save weight overall, they do the sink in stainless if you want it even lighter...

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Are you sure you need a Belfast sink? What if it cracks,or it drops on your foot, and they are heavy and affect your payload and only available in white and they don’t have a drainer, please consider a stainless one 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
They are more than heavy.....they are extremely heavy. Ours in the kitchen is 40kgs. Two man job to lift....two strong men as well.
 
One of these with compact laminate worktop would look great and save weight overall, they do the sink in stainless if you want it even lighter...

I would never ever, ever EVER buy a dark coloured sink ... been there, done that, got sick of it ... they are an absolute pain to keep clean as the lime out of the water stains them ... somehow I don't think Tam likes to do a lot of housework ... :LOL:
 
He won't have any payload left at this rate! :LOL:
 

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