Originally the Dinette was in the rear,under the bunk... bad design. Nobody over 5 feet tall could get in and out of the dinnette seats without taking a deep breath and ducking, bending, and manuvering... so it didn't get used as much as I hoped it would. So I pulled out the bunk (for now)and I swapped it.
Dinette went up front, and the Couch went to the rear... for now.
Okay here's where it sits today. I might add, it's built better now than before. At least up front. (sorry about the cell phone pics, too lazy to take out the camera.)
okay, now the rest of the project...
So the reason I removed the bunk. 1" thick plywood was WAY to heavy... could never load enough stuff in the front to counter balance when I had to fill my water tank. Plus the weight was up high... made it tipsy too...
next up in the next few months as I find the time...
1. remove the rear couch (for the time being)
2. Build a wall off the rear of the Kitchenette to make an enclosed 27"x43" bathroom.
3. Build a 22"x17"x36" dresser set that will get against the rear wall below the window facing forward. (beside the new wall for the bathroom)
4. Remove the closet and re-install a new Couch platform along the wall where the current closet is.
5. Reinstall a lighter, smaller bunk platform between the new wall and the existing mounts. Instead of 1" solid plywood to the tune of 83"x42", it will be hollow built from 1x2" and luan 1/4" plywood about 55"x34". (Should save about 100 pounds or more)I will also make doors on the front for easier access to the storage when not used as a bunk.
6. Build a new cabinet over the new side mount couch between the door and the new smaller bunk about 47"x13"x16". This wil house teh Microwave and stereo flush mounted, and have two smaller storage areas too.
7. re-paint interior. (new wood and scratches)
So this now gives me a private bathroom for the porta-potty... but I can take it a step further... I can install a black (and grey while I'm at it) and a flushing toilet.
If I am really tempted to go further... I can install a full shower there too. Might as well, I want to install a better 12v water pump and water heater anyways.
Still deciding on what way to go for the storage tanks... find some used, have a couple built... or build my own with 6" PVC pipes under the trailer. Heck, I can even build a new fresh water storage while I'm at it. We'll see what the coming months bring... what I know is, I have to figure out something to do with the existing fresh water tank (it's in the new bathroom) and move the battery out to the tounge, or at least somewhere else than where it is.
Stay Tuned!
Your dinette/couch switch is amazing! It looks like they've always been there.
ReplyDeleteYour proposed floorplan sounds alot like the original layout of my LandLiner. I am rebuilding it similar but with a full time queen size bed instead of couch.
I got a great idea from the teardrop forum about making a small bahroom sink from a stainless steel mixing bowl from Wal-mart. They are cheap, come in many sizes, and have a little rim around the edge to mount them to your counter top. Just drill a hole in the bottom for the drain hardware.
I'm definately going to do this in my new bathroom as the sinks made for RVs are over $100 and basically the same thing you can get for under $5.
I removed my fresh water tank because of another idea I got from the teardrop forum. My trailer never had a grey water tank so now my sink plumbing will consist of two water 5 gallon jugs under each sink...one for clean water going in and the other connected to the drain. I am going to get a hand pump faucet for each sink. Keepin' it simple.
I have alternate plans for the potty that don't involve a black water tank either. I am going with a high end, high capacity portable toilet. It holds 7 gallons of waste water before you have to empty it. Having experiemented with both kinds of toilets I found the porta potties to be much less gross than the black tank/sewage lines route.
Keep posting your progress so we can all see please!
absolutely LOVE the new floorplan you're going with.
ReplyDeletefor water heater, use the tankless water heater - makes it use less room (obviously). you could also consider putting a drain in the center of the floor, putting a shower rack all the way around the ceiling (but starting & stopping in the "bathroom") to give you the ability to use your camper as the shower (you will never fit in that small room). many class B's do this - just put a wand shower head over the toilet, pull the curtain out of the bathroom and around the standing area of your trailer and back into the bathroom and voila! roomy shower!
just an idea.
for where to put your tanks, i'd need to look at your trailer to make suggestions. i'm sure you have already figured that out though.
looking forward to help you work on this in a few months, just holler when you're ready. :)
I really love it! This lets me know what we can do with ours, we have an Aristocrat too my father in law gave it to us and I have some big dreams and plan on making it a family project.
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