So, you've made the jump and purchased a van to buildout and take on the road for your new nomadic lifestyle, eh? How exciting!
However, before you can head out on the open road, you have to actually do the buildout and that can be a lot of work. Not only do you need to do a lot of physical building tasks, but building out a van for travel also involves making a lot of choices and decisions you don't want to regret later down the road.
One of the most important decisions you need to make is whether or not to add additional windows to your van. If you purchased a van designed for moving cargo rather than humans, then adding windows is a must to bring in natural light and prevent the interior from looking like a dark cave.
Thankfully, some companies make some great retrofit windows for van conversions. The windows are easy to install as long as you order them to fit correctly. To do so, follow each of these tips:
Tip: Understand That Final Wall Thickness Really Matters
One thing first-time van converters don't consider when ordering windows is the final thickness of the walls where they will be installed.
For example, if you plan to install a window in an area with a wall that will have a layer of insulation, backer board, and then tile, you must take the combined thickness of each layer into account in addition to the exterior panel's thickness.
Many builders forget about the thickness of the tile or other surface treatments and order windows that end up being too shallow for the voids they are asked to fill. So, before you order windows, make sure you know exactly how deep the final voids will be.
Tip: Take Proactive Steps to Prevent Harmful Window Vibration
Finally, especially if you plan to install windows on the rear panels of a van, you need to proactively prevent vibration. The rear panels of many different styles of vans are areas that are known for having issues with vibration. While this isn't harmful under normal circumstances, it can be very harmful to retrofit windows. Too much vibration can lead to annoying rattles, leaking window frames, and broken glass.
To prevent glass damage and other vibration related issues, you must secure windows to both the exterior rear panel and a fixed inner panel. The inner panel will prevent vibration and protect the window.
For more information, contact a company in your area like Flarespace.
Share25 September 2019
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