Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 06-05-2018, 08:27 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Denver
Posts: 20
Re-Model of Cabinets/Galley with new wood

I'm looking to re-do the cabinets (galley) area of my 2002 Ford E-350 RB 50 sportsmobile. I'm curious if anyone has redone this area with upgraded wood. Right now I have the original particle wood and the screws keep coming lose. I would also prefer a different look (natural wood). Does anybody have any suggestions for which type of wood to use. Lastly, I'd like to upgrade my sink, refrigerator and stove. Any and all suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Jimmy

jkackley724 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-05-2018, 09:33 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Many folks, me included, have rebuilt or just built cabinets with birch ply. It takes stain very nicely and is light and strong. There are two varieties, my choice is American birch sold in 4x8 sheets at most home improvement type stores. Also, there is true Baltic birch sold at specialty wood stores, comes in 5x5' sheets. Both have fewer voids than regular plywood and is a great choice for cabinets. I use 3/4" inch and T-mold the edges of almost all of the cabinets I've built. The T-molding is available from video game suppliers (Ebay or online) and a router bit to groove the edges of the ply is available about anywhere. I have a few builds on here with extensive pics and examples. Glad to get more specific if you like. The home-build section here has lots of rebuilt Sportsmobiles and one-off clones, etc.

If you like the layout of your van you could easily use your existing cabinets for templates of new ones out of different, better wood. I have done this on a few vans. Sportsmobile's cabinets are just held together with L-brackets and can be cleanly taken apart into a nice, flat stack of wood. In other words, nothing is destroyed if you take yours apart to use as templates for new. It's pretty simple if you have access to a circular saw, jigsaw and/or table saw.

Here's an example of a modified Sportsmobile with lots of birch ply and a simple polyurethane finish:







86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-05-2018, 02:45 PM   #3
Site Team
 
BroncoHauler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
Eric (86Scotty) has done some nice interior work on a significant number of vans so he knows his way around interior cabinets.

Of course if you want to go crazy, there's this guy you can use as an example:
http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...cht-21293.html


Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
BroncoHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-05-2018, 05:11 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Don’t forget your own awesome build Scott!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2018, 03:59 PM   #5
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Denver
Posts: 20
Thanks for the replies. This has been very useful. Another question for you, given my van has been setup with the water pump under the couch how difficult would be to change the location of the sink compared to where it is now.

Also, is it fairly straight forward how to secure the cabinets to the van interior. I'm looking into the possibility of changing the layout as it stand right now.
jkackley724 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2018, 07:27 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Re-Model of Cabinets/Galley with new wood

Adding to or moving SMB plumbing is pretty easy using the Apollo (brand) fittings and pex tubing. I get them at Lowe’s.

When you take your cabinets apart you will see how B anchors the cabinets to the floor with big L- brackets. REALLY big, strong ones. You’ll see. Hopefully you’ll be able to plan and layout your new ideas using these existing anchors and anchor points since they are big holes and bolts in the floor.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2018, 08:34 AM   #7
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Denver
Posts: 20
Thanks, I'm trying to do as much research as possible before I go tear the cabinets a part. This has been really helpful. It sounds like the easiest thing to do is take the cabinets a part, figure out where the anchor points are, then design my new cabinets based on the anchor points (unless I want to drill new holes in the floor). Is that generally accurate.
jkackley724 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2018, 08:36 AM   #8
Site Team
 
BroncoHauler's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
Also check for any holes through the bottom of the van body due to the plumbing system (e.g. drain). That my influence your new design.


Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
BroncoHauler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2018, 08:57 AM   #9
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Denver
Posts: 20
Good point, I have a grey water tank that sits just behind/above the rear driver side wheel.
jkackley724 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2018, 10:18 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
86Scotty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,222
Good point Herb. You want to generally avoid any excess holes in the floor but keep in mind you can patch them or use them for other things. More than once I've used an original plumbing line hole for electrical wiring when the batteries were on the frame.

86Scotty is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:33 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.