Building a false floor for the new van.

HappyHippyDad · Mar 11, 2024

I recently sold my Renault Trafic as it had done 214,000 miles and I also wanted something more economical.

I bought the Citroen Berlingo LWB. A very nice van to drive, more like a car than a van. However, I had to take out roughly half of the stuff I had had in the Renault as the berlingo was not big enough. Everyday I had to plan for each job and make sure I had the bits on the van for that individual job, plus it was still an absolute jumble in the back of the van. Not a good way to work if you want to try and limit your stress throughout your working day.

I tried to get a quote for someone to build a false floor. he didn't get back to me (I estimate it would have been around £700), so I built it myself.

Days and days of thinking about the design and 2 days to make. I'm very slow as I spend half the time pondering on how to utilise every inch and also avoid future problems, plus I had a few beers on the go and some Bob Dylan to help.

I love the finished product! Maybe not as pretty as a professional would have done it, but I reckon I gave it a lot more thought than they would have done and probably got some extra little bits that they wouldn't have done. (e.g. the extra shelf above the ladder to store conduit, capping, broom etc, all the bits that really get in the way when just lying on the van floor). Just need to fit the racking now!

[ElectriciansForums.net] Building a false floor for the new van.

littlespark · Mar 12, 2024

Ok… I did a thing.

Cleared out the back, just to take a photo.

The space is wide enough for a 600 wide washing machine or whatever… and full height for 4 ft sheet timber or whatever.

HappyHippyDad · Mar 12, 2024

littlespark said:
Ok… I did a thing.

Cleared out the back, just to take a photo.

The space is wide enough for a 600 wide washing machine or whatever… and full height for 4 ft sheet timber or whatever.

View attachment 113826 View attachment 113827 View attachment 113828 View attachment 113829

Very good idea! You have the extra height if needed, but can also have a false floor when required.

nicebutdim · Mar 12, 2024

littlespark said:
Ok… I did a thing.

Cleared out the back, just to take a photo.

The space is wide enough for a 600 wide washing machine or whatever… and full height for 4 ft sheet timber or whatever.

I like the lights inside the racking.

Dan · Mar 12, 2024

I love these threads! I'll try remember go find the couple on tilers forums because I remember a few. One guy runs a lovely old but fully restored 1960's renault or volvo or something. And custom paint job with real hand painted sign writing.

Lovely project to stick through a nice running business as it's an advertising feature then and not just a work van.

littlespark · Mar 12, 2024

nicebutdim said:
I like the lights inside the racking.

There’s a story to that….. oh yeah

Here it is

nicebutdim · Mar 12, 2024

littlespark said:
There’s a story to that….. oh yeah

Here it is

I do remember that. The result certainly looks much better than I might have expected.

Pretty Mouth · Mar 12, 2024

HappyHippyDad said:
Thanks PM.

I just used some heavy duty runners I found on ebay. 20-60'' Pair Heavy Duty Drawer Runners Full Extension Ball Bearing Slide w/ Lock | eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325296131510?var=514180280676 , they seem to work ok, but I have a feeling the locking mechanism could prove to be a right pain in the future when it decides to play up and I can't pull the draw out. I do like the fact it locks into place though, so there is no movement when driving. It would be interesting to see some pictures of yours if you fancy popping some on, indeed anyone's van storage solutions, small bits like tube holders or large racking system's. it would all be interesting and useful to see.

I'm determined to make work run as smoothly as possible and a well organised van is probably one of the main priorities.

I built the draw, so I could get the size exactly as I wanted to accommodate 4 of the bins I use. I put the least used items in there, with the very least used at the back. Paying someone to do this may have been a lot quicker, but I don't believe the end result would have been as useful or effective.

View attachment 113820

View attachment 113821

Lovely job. I'm impressed how far the drawer runners extend. This is my effort. I built them for my older model berlingo, and moved them over when I got the new one (new to me I mean). Apologies to forum members that are sensitive to clutter.

I used box section steel and skateboard bearings for the drawer runners, which works fairly well (a bit of rubbing on the R/H drawer these days), and can take a lot of weight. The drawers are easily the best thing I did to the van, they free up so much space. The racking could do with rethinking though. I'll get round to it one day!

littlespark · Mar 12, 2024

nicebutdim said:
I do remember that. The result certainly looks much better than I might have expected.

thanks.

Looks fine with just cool white output.... but it gets a bit crazy when i put it on RGB flash in time to music

buzzlightyear · Mar 12, 2024

Nice job under false floor, the pull out draws look like a under taker uses.
Paint your van black and the way you go.

HappyHippyDad · Mar 12, 2024

Pretty Mouth said:
Lovely job. I'm impressed how far the drawer runners extend. This is my effort. I built them for my older model berlingo, and moved them over when I got the new one (new to me I mean). Apologies to forum members that are sensitive to clutter.

View attachment 113835

I used box section steel and skateboard bearings for the drawer runners, which works fairly well (a bit of rubbing on the R/H drawer these days), and can take a lot of weight. The drawers are easily the best thing I did to the van, they free up so much space. The racking could do with rethinking though. I'll get round to it one day!

Your draw runners look equally as long as mine. Sounded odd saying that! Comparing lengths of men's draw runners

I'm surprised at how less space there is compared to the renault trafic, even with it being a LWB, so we have to utilise every single inch.

HappyHippyDad · Mar 16, 2024

Finished!

I took the week off work and have at last finished the van. A week of lost work, but a really enjoyable week and now 10 years of reduced stress when working.

It was driving me crazy having it all just crammed on the van floor, all on top of each other. It took ages to move everything to find anything!

A bit of a decision to lose access from both side doors, but I gain a lot more storage.

nicebutdim · Mar 16, 2024

It wasn't a week's worth of work lost, but a break from work which you chose to use productively.

buzzlightyear · Mar 16, 2024

Nice job, OK where is the trap door.
You must be a diddy man to walk in to that or Alice in wondervan.

HappyHippyDad · Mar 16, 2024

buzzlightyear said:
Nice job, OK where is the trap door.
You must be a diddy man to walk in to that or Alice in wondervan.

6ft, but slim. Sounds like a dating site!
I now officially love the van.
I have spent more time in the van over the past week than the house..
I'm cooking dinner, but I want to be in the van.
Van

buzzlightyear · Mar 16, 2024

HappyHippyDad said:
I'm cooking dinner, but I want to be in the van.

I have a fork, be round in a jiffy.
We can both cook sausages, narh you can bring the spuds.

Building a false floor for the new van.

HappyHippyDad

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littlespark

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HappyHippyDad

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nicebutdim

Dan

littlespark

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nicebutdim

Pretty Mouth

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littlespark

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buzzlightyear

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HappyHippyDad

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HappyHippyDad

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nicebutdim

buzzlightyear

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HappyHippyDad

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buzzlightyear

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