41 thoughts on “Wood Paneling Installation”

1. Just want to leave a thank you to you guys for having such thorough build information. I’m installing my ceiling today (in the way you suggested!) and have used your website many times throughout my build. Legit I think you’re the best van conversion website I’ve found so far. So THANK YOU!!

2. Hi,
   What is the PDF button link?( STARTNOW -1ClickPDF) Why does it look like Malware?
   Thanks

   • I’m guessing that might be advertisement (there are 3 slots for ads in that page). But I can tell for sure since it’s personalized…

3. Hello! Love the write up. Just curious, about how much wood paneling and plywood sheeting did you use? Thanks!

   • 8 packs if I recall properly, but I could be wrong… it’s been a while!

4. Hello,

   How did you install your furring strips in the ceiling? I found that the holes are smaller in the ceiling than they are in the walls so I cannot use the cross nuts I ordered for the walls. I’m trying to find a way not to screw directly into the van ribs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

   Thanks,
   Tyler

   • That weird, we used 1/4-20 crossnut into the ceiling as well… do you have a Transit or a Sprinter? Anyhow, you can measure the hole diameter and order the correct crossnut for these holes. You can use the table here (https://faroutride.com/crossnut/) to choose the correct crossnut size (look for “Hole diameter” in the table).

     Good luck!

5. Is one of the reasons you used wood paneling for the interior wall because wood “breaths”? That is, it doesn’t act as a vapor barrier so, if there’s condensation present behind it on a cold night, eventually the condensation will be absorbed by the wood and evaporate. And, if so, if you sealed the wood with polyethylene (or used a different material for the walls that was waterproof) it would prevent the water vapor from evaporating.

   Thanks for such a tremendous website and resource!

6. Bonjour Antoine, J’ai un Transit 2018 et j’ai regardé attentivement votre installation qui est superbement faite. Je me demande pour le plafond près de l’avant du véhicule où la courbe est beaucoup plus prononcée, est ce que vous avez un peu “coupé” la courbe avec les planches de pin ou vous avez suivi la courbure du plafond? Merci beaucoup. Votre site est très instructif. Paul

   • Puisque les planches de pins sont 5/16 d’épaisseur, elles sont assez flexibles; elles suivent donc la courbure du plafond.

     Bonne chance 🙂

     • Merci beaucoup . Votre site m’aide beaucoup Paul

7. Hi Antoine,
   We are into our transit conversion. Thank you for all your work on this website. It has been a fantastic resource. I am curious about how you you navigated the tongue and groove under the blobs. It looks like you removed the blobs and then ran the tongue and groove and then reinstalled the blobs? Did you have enough space for the thinsulate underneath the tongue and groove near the blobs? Do you have any close-up photos of The blobs/wood paneling area? Any other Recommendations for navigating the tongue grove/blob area? Thanks again for sharing your conversion and responding to our questions. Chris

   • Actually we cut the Blob (to make it straight, https://faroutride.com/foam-blobs/) and the wood paneling does NOT go under it; it stops right at it. (see pictures in the link)

     Hope that helps!

     • The roof wood paneling does not go under the blobs? Thanks

       • No, it stops right at the edge of the blob.
         cheers

8. I’m curious about the hardware you used to attach the furring strips to the plusnuts? I’ve been using the 14/20 bolts in different lengths but the heads are all quite large whether I use the rounded or the flat top ones. I feel this may pose a problem when I go to install my tongue and groove paneling because they may not sit flush to the furring strips since those head are so large. I can’t get a good look at your photos but it seems your screws are inset and don’t sit on top of the furring strips. Can you provide more details please? Thank you!

   • You’re right the head of the bolt has to be flush! We countersunk the holes in the furring strips with a countersink tool (https://amzn.to/2OtptTP) then installed the flat-head bolts (https://amzn.to/2NWymFT).

     Hope that helps 🙂

     • Thank you, Antoine. It does!

9. Hi Antoine,

   Thanks getting back to me and for the comments. Dare I ask where you writing from?

   I have had three vans (all green, BTW, all Econolines.) The first 2 were cargo vans, and I insulated them with fiberglass, and it seemed fine. When I pulled the second one apart to send it to the junkyard (22 years old/275K miles/the engine and chassis were going) the fiberglass looked like the day I put it in, and so did everything else I uncovered. The exception was near the floor, where water/Michigan salt was leaking up from under the van (remember, the chassis thing) and mice were apparently in there, living in the fibreglass!!! (Hmmm, I bet they would have liked the Thinsulite better, you think?)

   Also, I paneled both vans with normal 1/4 plywood, using aluminum pop rivets, drilling holes as needed. Compared to the destruction via Michigan salt under the van, all inside was pristine when I took it apart. But, I do like you use of the higher quality Baltic Birch Plywood, that is a really great idea.

   Longitude vs transverse? I am about 170.5 cm, and my first van (’69 E-100), it was wide enuf to sleep transverse, no problem. The ’78 E-150 was not, we had to do longitudal. So, in the day, we used to do lots of constant driving trips (skiing in the UP), and trying to sleep in the back longitudal you roll every time the driver steers, all the time. Transverse, only when accelerated and stopping, once every 2 hours. You are correct, that we would haf to contour the side to sleep transverse.

   As for your floor, I was very impressed, I really didnt get the feeling that much heat was lost thru the floor, what with so much furniture over the floor, so I never thought to insulate. I think I had 5/8 or 3/4″ pressboard (particleboard?) (Also, hydrophilic, bad), with rugs over it. But I do like your vinyl covering, that looks cool.

   I am not talking about present van, a 2000 E150 club van, it is only good for transport, not camping. Good for the kids though. But it is near its rust death. One more trip out to RMNP (backpacking) in two weeks, and then a Kalamazoo winter, I hope it survives.

   No, and both my sons are Engineers. Maybe I should show them your web site.

   Anyway, I’ll say it again, love your site and I am very impressed at your van.

   Cheers, thebiggreenvan.

   • Hi!
     We’re currently in Squamish, BC.
     Thanks for all you inputs, it’s nice to have everyone’s opinion and experience 🙂

     Have a good one!
     antoine

10. Hi. Really interesting blog.

    I was just wondering why you didnt sleep transversely rather than longitudinally. You could have saved the extra length that you used getting the long long van. Your tougne and groove could have dipped out over 35 inches (height from floor) or so to give you the extra width. Your side storage could have been forward in the room saved. And that extra side space seems not to be extra insulated.

    Also, why not simple fiberglass insulation? Thinsulite seems too organic for the temps (summer) involved.

    Cheers, and I have found your blog so interesting. We are thinking going Ford Transit next summer.

    Thebiggreenvan

    • Everyone that tried sleeping transversely end up switching for longitudinally in the long run… the Transit is not wide enough (the ProMaster might be), unless you add flares. Moreover I don’t want to sacrifice insulation for that…
      As opposed to Thinsulate, fiberglass is not hydrophobic; it means it will absorb moisture. It will also loose fibers with vibration. It’s not appropriate for a vehicle… Highly recommend thinsulate!

      Cheers!

11. I am trying to figure out how you “found” the plus nut holes to screw the furring strips in to. Becuase to me, it looks like you put the plus nuts in and then covered them with e-z cool. Did you just stab in the dark before you found it? Did you mark where the hole was? I am trying to figure out how to complete that in my build without accidentally drilling 40+ holes in my van, in an attempt to find the plus nuts.

    Thank you!

    • 1- Install all the Plusnut for the furring strip installation;
      2- Insert a Hanger Bolt (amzn.to/2KDXDiE) in each Plusnut;
      3- “Press” the furring strip onto the hanger bolt to mark the location of the plusnut.

      This is described with pictures here: https://faroutride.com/plusnut/

      Voilà! Have fun!

      • Hi Antoine – I think the question was asking more about when and how you installed the EZ Cool around the Plusnuts (this was actually my question as well).

        I assume:
        1-Install Plusnuts
        2-Install EZ Cool around the plusnuts so you can locate them for future use and they aren’t ‘hidden’?
        3-Insert hanger bolt
        4-continue with steps given above

        Your site is invaluable. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into it and for continuing to come back and answer our questions!

        • Gotcha!
          1- Install Plusnut
          2- Install EZ-Cool OVER the plusnut; just install the hanger bolts first and poke through the EZ-Cool with the hanger bolts, enlarge the hole in the ez-cool and mark the location of the plusnut with a bold red marker (so you can locate them later), remove the hanger bolts.
          3- Re-insert the hanger bolts when ready to install the furring strip.

          Hope that helps!
          cheers!

          • It does, thank you!

12. Did you need a router to cut the hole for the fan?

    • I don’t know what’s a router, so I guess I didn’t use one 🙂
      Most people I’ve seen install a fan just used a jigsaw. The fan installation is detailed here: faroutride.com/fan-installation

      Cheers!

13. Hey! How did you manage to run/hide the wiring harness on the back left by the rear doors? It goes from the ceiling to the left wall(Passenger Side), but it does not look like it made your wood side paneling bulge out at all.

    • I don’t have any picture, it’s hard to tell. But it’s just hidden under the wood. The paneling is not immediately against the van wall because we used furring strips; the wiring is in that gap. yeah, it was tight but we manage to fit it there!

      antoine

14. Hey guys – Very curious as I am beginning planning the forward most section of ceiling by the blobs. How did you end up managing the downward curve of the roof and attaching the wood ceiling planks by the headliner? Thanks!

    • Hi Nick,
      Curious how you handled that down curve. Thanks

15. I tried searching all over, but could not find anything on your website about it: what did you do with the OEM cabin lights? The build order looks like it went from thinsulate straight to the ceiling paneling.

    The 12v light or wood paneling posts also do not mention the cabin lights and how they were removed. Maybe im just dense, but how did you get rid of them? They are pretty tightly wedged into the top ribs, and the wiring bundle runs straight along the side of the van and past the side airbags inside the foam blobs. It’s all bundled with airbag wiring as well as misc wiring so i am weary about removing them. Any tips?

    By the way, this might be useful for other people that are learning through your blog, the tool you used for the Plusnuts is actually rated for Rivnuts, which is why people keep saying that it breaks. This tool below would be the actual tool used for Plusnuts! http://www.cardinalcomponents.com/assets/c1000_plusnut_hand_tool_manual.pdf

    • We removed them, just by prying them off (they’re snapped into place if I recall correctly). Then the wire can be removed from the main electrical harness (there is a quick-disconnect on the main electrical harness).

      The picture on Amazon is erroneous: it’s the tool for 5/16-18 3/8-16 size that is pictured, but what you actually get is the same tool as you mentioned. Nevertheless, the reviews are pretty bad 🙁

16. With using thinner plywood furring strips instead of 1×2″s, how did the wood paneling tongue and groove look installed in areas with more curvature? We have a sprinter van and the walls have more curve to them, so thinking the tongue and groove might not match up in areas where the furring strip bends too much.

    • It turned out well and it’s following the curvature nicely. But I don’t know exactly how are the Sprinter walls…

      Cheers!

17. Has your 1/4″ birch firring strips along the beside worked out OK?? I am thinking about doing the same in order to maximize every lateral inch there is in that gaping wall recess. Is it a problem to lean up against that wall while in bed?

    • The bedside wall feel really stiff (compared to the wall behind the driver seat); because the furring strips are much shorter, there is almost no deformation when I push on it.
      The wall behind the driver seat feels the same as when we installed it: there is maybe 1/2 inch deformation when we push on it with our hand. We lean on it when we’re sitting on our “couch”. It’s still holding strong!!

18. Is there much problem with the tongue and groove paneling expanding and contracting with changes in climate? Any thoughts or advice about how to reduce the squeaking (for someone who hasn’t started to install paneling yet)? I know it’s usually pretty hard to track down the exact source of squeaks. As always, thanks for the inspiration and advice!

    • It’s still a bit too soon to tell, as we only went through 1 winter and 1 summer. There is no cracks yet, but there is some squeaks! I’ve heard of people gluing the tongue-and-groove to 1/8″ plywood to eliminate the squeaks; I’ve also heard that you can put silicone between the planks.

      What we’ve learn for sure is, any wood-on-wood will squeaks! When a gap is not possible, some neoprene tape or rubber (http://amzn.to/2vGMMMv) of some sort will work!

      Let us know if you find better solutions!

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