Is lining a van really a DIY job?

[Cuiken]

So I picked up my T6 Kombi yesterday and am planning to get it lined.

All the decent places round here want ~£1000 to do a basic insulate and carpet line job. They are all also rammed and can't fit the job in for weeks.

I'm obviously now looking at Kiravans kits and wondering if I might just want to do it myself.

The panel removal etc seems easy enough, as does the application of sound and thermal insulating materials. Carpeting the panels also looks pretty trivial. Where I lose confidence is carpeting the pillars etc, especialy around door seals and the like.

How difficult a job is this and will I just end up tar and feathering myself with contact adhesive and 4 way stretch carpet

Cheers.

 

[Gavinda]

It's a lot more forgiving than you'd imagine, there's loads of videos on YouTube. Get a helper and plenty of Stanley knife blades and go for it.

 

[Latchmo]

Take your time, don't skimp on cheap products, and get a decent mask for the glue!

I did mine from scratch over a few days and saved a pretty penny on it. I've been to a few places now who see plenty of converted vans and people often comment how neat the job I did looks compared to convertors!

It was very satisfying to do too! Kiravans videos and Combe Valley Campers videos via YouTube are a great start.

I don't regret doing mine.

 

[Cuiken]

Nice job!

Those wheel arches look good. What insulation are you using there?

I guess you remove the whole floor before you start the job and then put it back in right at the end?

My main concern (aside from the tar and feathering) is that this is our only vehicle so trying to minimise time off the road while I do it all. Is the van rendered undrivable at any point in the process?

Ta.

 

[Skyliner33]

Nice job!

Those wheel arches look good. What insulation are you using there?

I guess you remove the whole floor before you start the job and then put it back in right at the end?

My main concern (aside from the tar and feathering) is that this is our only vehicle so trying to minimise time off the road while I do it all. Is the van rendered undrivable at any point in the process?

Ta.

I did my last van and it was my daily driver as well so it couldn’t be off road.
As for the wheel arches a lot of people prefer to put the sound deadening on the outside as it gives a neater finish.

 

[Latchmo]

@Cuiken Thanks
Dodo mat then Kiravans 8mm sound blocker then the Kiravans 100mm recycled bottle insulation (and I bought some 50mm similar for narrower spaces from Amazon! Generic stuff but works a treat!)
Yes, floor out throughout and then thrown back in at the end. I drove it when I needed to whole it was a work in progress (my daily driver / commuter too) it was 'echoey' but fine. Huge difference when completed

 

[Latchmo]

Completed rear, including floor and ceiling, then cab doors and floor (haven't done ceiling yet!!) Then plan on the exterior arches and engine bay in the future.

 

[Paynewright]

I part carpeted mine - first bit I stuck on the wrong side up but only a little bit so re-did it. After that all OK - my biggest bit was behind slider to D pillar below the window incl the wheel arch. Just take your time and work it - it stretches well!

Its quite easy to create a seemless join if it doesn’t work out when you get to the other end. The pro’s do this around the rear door opening anyway.

 

[DXX]

I haven’t carpeted a van but I would imagine it’s like many other jobs tackled for the first time. My advice is if you start and it’s going horribly wrong, stop, re-think and if necessary pay a professional.
Taking an expensive van and doing a less than good job will only detract from the vans value and probably worse you get to look at the defects every day you are in it.

 

[Cuiken]

@Cuiken Thanks
Dodo mat then Kiravans 8mm sound blocker then the Kiravans 100mm recycled bottle insulation (and I bought some 50mm similar for narrower spaces from Amazon! Generic stuff but works a treat!)
Yes, floor out throughout and then thrown back in at the end. I drove it when I needed to whole it was a work in progress (my daily driver / commuter too) it was 'echoey' but fine. Huge difference when completed

Okay, really dumb questions. When you say floor out throughout:

1. Including the front cab?

2. What is involved in removing the rear floor in a Kombi? I'm guessing the lash points will need to come out but how about the seat attachment brackets?

3. Also, what else needs to come out? I'm guessing:
a. The door sill/step covers?
b. All the door seals?
c. The rear seatbelts?
d. The trim around the B pillars and so possibly the front seatbelts?

Just trying to scope out the scale of the task.

Thanks.

 

[Dannyb6467]

Take your time, don't skimp on cheap products, and get a decent mask for the glue!

I did mine from scratch over a few days and saved a pretty penny on it. I've been to a few places now who see plenty of converted vans and people often comment how neat the job I did looks compared to convertors!

It was very satisfying to do too! Kiravans videos and Combe Valley Campers videos via YouTube are a great start.

I don't regret doing mine.View attachment 128467View attachment 128468

View attachment 128469

View attachment 128470

Might be looking at the photo wrong but is that lining one piece and carpeted over the OEM panel?

 

[Cuiken]

Decided to go the DIY route. So far I've removed all the interior panels and applied the sound deadening and thermal foam. Also, carpeted a couple of the panels with good results.

Basically ready to bite the bullet now and do the carpeting of the interior metalwork. This is obviously the ity I'm most worries about. Ultimately though, if the van is stripped, insulated and ready to go, how long should I expect this task to take?

Thanks.

 

[Skyliner33]

Decided to go the DIY route. So far I've removed all the interior panels and applied the sound deadening and thermal foam. Also, carpeted a couple of the panels with good results.

Basically ready to bite the bullet now and do the carpeting of the interior metalwork. This is obviously the ity I'm most worries about. Ultimately though, if the van is stripped, insulated and ready to go, how long should I expect this task to take?

Thanks.

I cant remember exactly how if took me, I dont think I even did it all in the same day. However I would say its better to take your time and get a good finish, than rushing to try to get it down in a certain time.

 

[Cuiken]

Yeah, not planning to rush it. Just trying to figure out how long to budget for the actual lining once the van is stripped. I'm just talking about hanging and trimming the 3m sections that go either side.

Any estimates gratefully received.

 

[Cuiken]

@Latchmo , do you recall if the Kiravans 8mm foam you used was any good?

I got mine from the place below:

Thermal Insulation from - The Metal House

Our Thermal Insulation is UK made, high quality foil faced foam with a reinforced self adhesive scrim backing available in 3 thicknesses.

themetalhouse.co.uk

Seemed decent (10mm) and did not appear a budget option.

However, the adhesive is terrible. I was really happy with the install job I did over the weekend but half of it is already peeling off. Left overnight and the foam peels away from the metalwork and, weirdly, the foil peels off the back of the foam:

 

[Mud Digger]

its how far do you want to insulate how much you want to spend Sound Deadening Shop - Car Van & 4x4 Automotive Sound Proofing

we followed comb valley camper video and very pleased with how my van turned out really good

Me and the Misses sound deadened the whole inside and wheel arches

2 weekends long cold days taking out the bulk head and with carpeted separate panels and with doing all the door metal roof panels

also cutting out a halo ( that i'v still not finished ooops ) we had a few afternoons on it to laying the floor and running conduits

adding our own touches as we went spray foamed all the channels ( care over filling to the door stays and rear lights they seize in foam lol )

even re stuck roof joists down

Floor DODO MAT DEAD N DUO TWIN £159.99 2 x rolls ( just hurts a bit £ 160 sitting under the rear ply floor as foam )

sides and roof either without deadening over the top of deadening DODO SUPER LINER 12MM TWIN PACK £109.99

i went with extreme 16mm DODO THERMO LINER EXTREME £99.99

Termo fleece thick and thin

lining and glue Mega Van mats liner kit and invisible clips think you need 111 clips for all panels

if that's any help some fantastic good ideas in here look at internal post of the forum page

got my rear lino from metal house regards Nick

 

[Cuiken]

BTW, credit to The Metal House who have provided a full refund on the thermal foam.

I'll still need to source an alternative but at least they were responsive. The other thiongs I've bought from them (carpet, glue, clips etc) have all beeen great.

 

[Cuiken]

Quite pleased with the doors. Dodo mat them thermal/acoustic foam then a layer of polyester fill. Lastly, made some panels from the foam and added them in the lower two recesses. No recess in the top gap so no panel there.



Foil already peeling off so had to attach with gaffer tape after I took the photo.

I'll fill the top void with polyester fill and then put the door cards back on later today (once I've reassured myself the window drains are all working.

 

[Mud Digger]

sorry to see your having trouble with your foam are you spraying glue the fumes might effect the top foil

pack your top void but make sure the lock linkage rod is free to move.... ? hope your window drains are external and not running inside the slider

 

[Cuiken]

The foil separeted from the initial panels before I started spraying any glue. Seems to happen as soon as it gets cold.

Like I say, the seller was great and offered a refund. I'm switching to kiravan stuff for the roof. Hopefully it will work better.

The van is a 2018 which, I think, means I have the updated drains?