With many people trying to do this as fancy as possible (which is cool) you guys have actually really filled a void by simplifying this and making it accessible for anyone. Really well done, this is so creative and effective and so cheap. Thanks a lot.
I actually really love this! I’ve been so overwhelmed with how complicated these other builds are and this looks so simple!! Seriously thank you so so much! ❤️
Fellicia, I just built this bed frame using your precise ideas !! I love it !! Here are my thoughts. Given it is 2022, the cost was certainly no where close to $60, the plywood sheet alone cost $95, the carpet cost $25, the Carpet tape cost $15, the 2x4 lumber cost $16 (two eight ft pieces), the screws and Hex bolts cost about $6, so total cost was more like $200, all of which was purchased at a large Home Depot. Having said that, the final outcome is EXCELLENT. My 2022 RAV4 also was best with the plywood cut in two 32" x 43" pieces just like your 2015 RAV4 but I added a third piece of plywood that is 10" x 43" so I could have my final length at 74" rather than 64". Your boyfriend could NOT sleep on a 64" platform that is only 43" wide, not unless he crushes you. My wife and I will be fine with our final product but we probably will sleep head to foot so that we have more room and don't end up too close together when we truly wish to sleep soundly. I can see why you might prefer 6" cut lumber pieces rather than 9" pieces shown in your video, but I went with the 9" pieces so I could make maximum use of storage underneath the platform. Climbing onto the platform is tight in my case, so no way I can truly sit up or move around with ease. But given that I want to store camping gear under the platform and given that we only intend to climb in the back and sleep, I think we made the right decision, it is not like we are trying to live for days and nights in the back of a RAV4, this new flat platform will save us a fortune in HOTEL bills given how much we like to ferry out to Vancouver Island or head to Squamish for fishing and hiking or south to Leavenworth, WA....so sleeping one or two nights in this manner per trip will end up saving us thousands of dollars over time and will be fun and convenient at the same time. As far as I am concerned, the $200 cost will be saved with one trip to Leavenworth or Tolfino, so using your great ideas has been truly a wonderful investment and exactly what I was looking for!! Thank you for your great, quick paced video, after I found your BLOG, I simply followed all your ideas (after doing my own measurements to make sure my 2022 had the same dimensions as your older model). I am so pleased, with the black carpet my flat bed looks like it was manufactured and came with the vehicle. So cool!!!! Huge Hugs, Peter Frorer
very nice video. I have one suggestion though: in case of car accident, it might be dangerous for the top piece to fly forward. To avoid this, it might be better to drill a few extra holes and use drop pins to fix the top piece of the plywood together with the lower half ...
@catrashoo Not sure what country you're driving in, but in the US car accidents are relatively common (1 in ~360 per 1,000 miles) The drop pins are really good advice. Not at all trying to be critical of you, but the odds of being in an accident and severely injured are far greater than one in a million.
I was so overwhelmed with how complicated was to build those “easy” platforms… this was definitely an easy to follow and one of the few that don’t took out the seats… can’t wait to do it ☺️
@@LiLoTech Even ply is overpriced bc of pandemic & bc of a few millionaires/billionaires who have cornered the market accd to my brilliant son in law; ticks him off. Is affecting everyone.
I always like people who keep things simple and this build is simple thank you for sharing. Now all you need is some plastic bins from Walmart to slide underneath for storage and no need to build shelf.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! Tried to keep things as simple as possible. We use bins underneath and we did actually just add a drawer as well and we love it! :)
@@feliciafullwood Maybe you could show the build of the drawer & where you placed it. Bins are good to keep critters out of your food I know that for sure. Drawers are good for clothes & accessories.
Pretty simple setup. Could add additional holes so you can drop the "pins" onto the second platform to secure it to the other base platform when using your second row seating. It will prevent it from sliding and also store them easier.
Been looking for a simple bed platform build for my Outback and I think this is the best I’ve seen. Looks super easy and not unnecessarily complicated like some others 👍🏻
Felicia I have the same model car 🚗 as you got my wood cut at Lowes picking up my drop bolts and carpet and wood screws at Home Depot tomorrow. Then my oldest son and I are putting the bed 🛌 together. I actually ordered a trifold mattress to put on the bed stand it's 4inches and folds into a 12inch rectangle when not using it, it's 2.5 hard foam and 1.5 pillow top it's so comfortable. Thanks to you and your grandpa I will be saving alot on hotel bills. I'm traveling to Utah from Indiana next month. Will save a ton on hotels.
I can confirm that these exact measurements worked on my 2017 RAV LE AWD! I wrapped my entire platform with an indoor/outdoor rug to keep it from scratching!
I've watched so many of these kinda of platform build videos but this is the only one that really simplified it to where it was easier to follow. Thank you!
I have looked at several of these videos and yours is one of the best in terms of ease of construction and detailed measurements. I have no carpenter skills and only basic tools. Thank you for posting. Thumbs up!
Thank you so much!! I was intimated at first but it’s really not as hard as you’d imagine and is a pretty simple build process & we love it! Thanks for watching!!! 🙂
I REALLY appreciate the fact that you still have access to your backseats when your vehicle isn’t in camper mode! Great job! Easy, practical and inexpensive! The big plus is you kept your backseats in!!!! Kudos!!!
Simple and Genius! I'm seriously pondering moving into my car. Not because I have to, but because I WANT too. I enjoy being in my car, lol, although I may not feel that way after living in it! I think this bed is fantastic and simple. I am 47 years old and need something that's EASY.... AND THIS IS IT! THANKS!!!
You inspired me, so I made mine for the back of my Outlander! I used mushroom head bolts instead of Hex head bolts, so that the rounded head doesn't damage anything sitting on top. I used the wheel arch to help support the back panel, and had my marine ply cut into pieces 1120 x 900 and 1120 x 830. It is awkward to get back section which is the larger piece in and out so I ended up cutting 20mm off the widest edge, so it came down to 1100. All up, including marine carpet, carpet tape, bolts, screws, framing timber for supports and marine plywood, it cost just under $150. Plus elbow grease of course!!
I built one of these for my Mitsubishi Outlander and used it for a 3.5 week trip to Baja, Mexico. I love it! Highly recommend! I built mine about 10" tall so I can fit short Rubbermaid bins underneath. I can fit 5 of those bins underneath, so I can keep my things organized easily. I was travelling with dogs, and I switched from camping to driving mode (where the back seat was available for my big dog to lie in) every day without a problem. What I really love about this system is that it's not obvious from the outside that someone is sleeping in there. All my things fit in the car in both driving and camping mode, and there is no super-obvious rooftop tent, so no banditos came to rob me in the night. As far as they could see, there was just an SUV parked randomly in an access road. Nothing to see here, move on please! Perfect. Thanks so much for a simple, cheap solution that it is easy to remove when camping trips are over!
I like the simplicity of this one. That's what I need to do, have pieces that stack back up easily so that the backseats can flip back up during the day.
So excited, we are doing this as our first project , we keep watching your video and read your blog everyday. We are now at a stage where the wood is now cut, we now will be drilling holes, screwing the legs....YOU ARE GOD SENT ! THANK YOU
Ahhh I am SO happy to hear this, that is amazing!! Good luck with your build and happy camping! Thank you so much for watching and for the support!!! :)
This was a concise, easy, cheap, and effective way to solve the car camping bed problem and also provides a hidden storage for every day use! I will definitely be doing this! I’ll probably purchase a couple long storage containers to go under the platform and then adjust the bed height to fit those in order to save more headroom. Thank you for this AMAZING idea!!
I've watched a ton of TH-cam videos about car camping platforms and this is the easiest, cheapest and most sensible I've seen. This is exactly what I was looking for and I'm going to use your ideas! The drop pins are brilliant and exactly what I need. I need to be able to keep the back seats free for my dog! Thank you so much for sharing this
I love the overall simplicity in both the build and function of this. I may do a single bed version so the bed could serve as a sit up couch, and leave room for a food prep area.
Hi!!! OMG SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR VIDEO!!! By far the easiest to follow vs all the super complicated, for different reason, the other ones! I followed this and built my platform in less than two hours and it’s just absolutely perfect!!! I wish I could send you the pics Thank you again for taking the time to post this!
Built this yesterday with my dad, using only your blog post and video for guidance. Never made anything like this before but wanted more storage when car camping so I can go on more surf trips. Great tutorial! Took about 6 hours start to finish once we had our supplies (including the time needed to do most of the cuts ourselves). The drop pins were the hardest part as we didn't know what size to use...we ended up with 6 inch drop pins and had a very hard/time consuming time drilling down into 2x4s lol but otherwise the tutorial told us all we needed to know! The final product looks AMAZING. Can't wait to take it out and enjoy this level-up in my camping!
Thank you SO MUCH for this. I’m disabled & needed something simpler to build & move (for seat space for my solo adventures and this is the best one I’ve seen for this. You rock. So appreciated.
Fast, simple, no BS. I may have some difficulties to understand you talking so fast, but no time to get bored. Thank you very much for sharing. one of the bst video I saw.
thank you so much! i tried to make exactly the video i would want if i were to be building without needing to ask questions so i'm super glad to hear that it was helpful! :)
BRILLIANT DESIGN!!! I just found your channel & immediately subscribed after seeing this video. I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander which I have been trying to figure how to modify & this was the answer! Thank you thank you thank you! You have saved me tons of $$$$. My granddaughter & I Iove to go camping & we are a little tired of tenting especially in the rain! The two of us are going to build this bed using our primitive carpentry skills & equipment. I am sure we will be successful!!!!
Felicia my son and I just finished my bed platform it fit like a glove. Thanks to you and Grandfather! This will make my trip to Colorado and Utah so much easier next month and save so much on hotels.
@Felicia Fullwood I ordered a nice 4inch full size trifold mattress the folds up into 12 inch area and has 1.5 pillow top so comfy and fits like a glove since i have same year rav4 as you👍
thank you! this is so simple and straightforward. So many youtubers act like theirs is simple and I'm just staring in confusion. I'll definitely be doing this in my suv
Just bought all of the materials today to start building my sleeping platform in my 2016 Jeep Compass, thanks to this video and your blogpost!! All I had to do was adjust the dimensions to my own car. Thanks so much for this!!
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have been wanting to do this for YEARS! after this weeks heatwave I intend to get to work. we have a 2008 jeep liberty that is new to us and extremely excited to be camped in lol I CANNOT WAIT. because this video showed me that after years of being discouraged I CAN make this lol I can afford this build too!!! thank you so much. love from Oregon
You can also get three inch upholstery foam on amazon for like 30 bucks that is super comfy to sleep on :). This is the most doable build I've found and may actually attempt it! I live up two flights of stairs and it's a hassle carrying camping gear up and down. This may make it possible to leave some packed under the platform!
thats a great idea, we might have to do that! the multiple mattress toppers can be annoying so thanks for the heads up! and oh yeah we lived in an apt for 3 years I know the feeling!! We try and leave as much in the car as possible to make it easy to just get up and go when we want to camp!
Wow. I couldn't find your video again but it just popped up in suggested. My partner and I copied this and lived in the back of our car for six months before we got a caravan, thanks to your video making it soooo easy. Thanks so much
Gosh, I was overthinking my platform by thinking i needed to frame it like a house and needing 35ft of 2x4's, but this is so simple and effective! Thank you so much!
Awesome. I’m definitely using this but only one section, one person. Appreciate you giving me the confidence to do this and showing me where you measured.
THANK YOUUUU for this tutorial! We followed your instructions and took our first 4 day suv camping trip!!! It was wonderful! Building the platform was simple and convenient! There is lots of room to store things bellow. We even took our little doxie 🐾 Thank you again for coming up with this straight forward Easy to assemble and disassemble method! One variation we did was to invest in a little better grade of plywood ($50) which has better wood to avoid fumes (not pressure treated).
After binge watching tons of conversions for my SUV yours stood out the most. I wanted something simple and easy to take down. I made my platform yesterday with hinge pins to drop in the holes and it came out perfect!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I have been wanting to try car camping for about a year now, and this is by far the best build option! My dad helped me build this out in my 2022 RAV4 this weekend, and the measurements worked great. We did add a 8 inch piece of plywood to the part closest to the front seats to make it longer so my feet wouldn’t hang off. We used a continuous hinge so it can fold up and stow away the same as if it weren’t there. We have to scoot the front seats up some for it to fit when folded out, but I think the extra room is worth it! I can’t wait to take it camping! Thanks for sharing!!
this is so perfect. all the other ones ive seen have been too much, and this is just simple enough. i also love that you can still use your backseat. we car camp with dogs, and they prefer riding around in their hammock in the back seat. if the whole back is open they just fly around lol. thank you.
awww this is awesome! yes one of the main reasons I love it is that the back seats are always fully accessible and super quick to remove if needed but we rarely ever take it out now! so glad it was helpful! :)
Love this build. Super straight forward. Like the fact that it is quick to set up and break down but you still can use your back seats. Drop pins for the win. 💪
Yes the 1st thing u need to do is research!!! After watching tons of TH-cam videos , I found this video to be the best one for me ... Thanks 👍👍👍 u saved a lot of labour . Love & Respect from ❤ India .
Thanks so much for posting this, like many others here I really appreciate how simple yet well thought out this platform is. I just bought the wood for my Subaru Forester ‘15, and for anybody wondering what the dimensions are for a forester, we got - for the two main platforms: 43 inches across (it will sit above the wheel well) Then 29inch in length each SO we could push the second platform to the back with seats up, we needed a third platform due to the cars dimensions. This one was 13 inches long, and attaches to the second platform with a piano hinge. To support the ‘weak hinge’, drill holes in the top and run a pulley strap around each of the headrests to support that smaller extra piece of platform. It’s a little extra step, and unnecessary if you don’t care about lifting the sits/hiding the bed. But if you do, you’ll need the extension.
Finished building it today for the Forester. Plan worked with the two base platforms and one folding hinge platform. All fits behind the back seats when they’re up. Thanks again for posting this video!
Thank you for sharing. I love how you made this bed. My 16 year old daughter and I are going to make this together. We’ve checked out several other videos on how to make them and yours is the winner! She and I have taken many trips down the West Coast from Vancouver, BC to California and back to surf and explore and usually we stay in KOA’s but we love this idea and can’t wait to try it out. Thank you so much. We’re excited to check out more of your vids. Subscribed!
I love this. I have a 2008 RAV4 and need to live in my car for a bit. I was thinking I’d like an easy platform like yours but a narrow twin size. I’m only 5’ and want a lot of storage. Thanks so much for sharing this, I’ve been watching so many videos. ❤
Used this design in my 2005 Tahoe and it works flawlessly. The drop bolts are great and it’s surprisingly stable! So so easy to disassemble. I love it.
I built this today. I watched so many videos and this was the one I liked best. Easy, functional, I can use my back seats. I have a Honda CRV so my dimensions were a bit different and the top platform is level while resting on the backseats so didn’t need the 2 boards to hold up the headboard. Took about 2 1/2 hours. Came out perfect. Thank you so much for the video.
omg that is awesome! thank you so much for watching! I'd love to see the final build! if you see this message me some photos on instagram or something! Congrats and enjoy!
Off the dozens and dozens of videos and examples I’ve been researching this is perfection. Exactly what I’m looking for. No BS and perfect execution for camping and normal life. Great job! Thank you!!!
I am currently shopping for a rav4, and have always car camped in my Subaru Outback but never used a platform in that, this might be a really neat idea for my rav4! the "drop pin" idea is killer
Thanks so much I’ve had my outback for about a month and I’m ready to start camping soon but have been so intimidated By all these platforms I see built by people’s dad or using fancy tools, I’m now on my way to the hardware store today :D
I’m so happy you shared this. I’ve got a 2012 Outback and have also been looking at some complicated builds. I’m a senior woman. I know I can do this by myself. Outstanding! On my way to Lowe’s!
Thanks. That was great. This is the best, most versatile, and simplest build-a-bed-in-an-SUV video I have seen. The only variation I plan (for my RAV4) will be to use drop-pins for all of the supports, so that all of the legs come off for increased versatility in various ways.
Thank you so much! I just filmed a video of us cooking an entire meal and go over a lot of that so stay tuned!! I’m going to make a video very soon about all my favorite car camping accessories too! :)
So far it's like the only video that actually shows step by step how it's done. Thank you so much! I saw other people posting the final product and showing it off, but no detail on how they did it
This was exactly the video I was looking for…. You hit all the right camera angles of what I wanted to see in that system, and your references to other videos are awesome and appreciated!!!!
Same car so used same build but with 6" supports instead of 9". Still plenty of storage space and I can sit up with a slight bend at 5'11". Materials were $100 at Home Depot. Thanks for the vid and blog!
Thanks! We have done this with ours minus the carpet and we did the hinges idea as my husband is tall. Can’t wait to test it out. We also didn’t put legs in the middle but might do later.
I can't remember of howmany different videos I watched before , this one is the easiest and cheapest to build , thanks for sharing 👍
So glad you liked it! :)
Love it!
I too have watched many!! Love your design best!!! I’ll be making this for my Kia Sorento. ❤️
Indeed. I saved so many. Finally found her here.
Seriously! I've been putting it off because of the complexity, but this one I can do on a Saturday morning 👷
I have saved this to my TH-cam library and listen to it often. I’m a 63 year old woman… starting my 2nd life… no idea 🤷🏻♀️
Me too! 🙂
me too
Doing this myself in 2024… It was $65 just for the plywood!! Lol what a difference three years has made.
With many people trying to do this as fancy as possible (which is cool) you guys have actually really filled a void by simplifying this and making it accessible for anyone. Really well done, this is so creative and effective and so cheap. Thanks a lot.
Just bought all my supplies! With inflation it was $95! I’m so excited to build thank you!!!! You’re amazing ❤️
How do you like it?
I actually really love this! I’ve been so overwhelmed with how complicated these other builds are and this looks so simple!! Seriously thank you so so much! ❤️
You are so welcome!! I seriously just wanted something to get us out camping so as simple and cheap as possible! Glad it was helpful!! ☺️
I agree 💯%!!! Thank you so much for the inspiration & build info! Absolutely appreciate this! 💗 Happy camping!
Fellicia, I just built this bed frame using your precise ideas !! I love it !! Here are my thoughts. Given it is 2022, the cost was certainly no where close to $60, the plywood sheet alone cost $95, the carpet cost $25, the Carpet tape cost $15, the 2x4 lumber cost $16 (two eight ft pieces), the screws and Hex bolts cost about $6, so total cost was more like $200, all of which was purchased at a large Home Depot. Having said that, the final outcome is EXCELLENT. My 2022 RAV4 also was best with the plywood cut in two 32" x 43" pieces just like your 2015 RAV4 but I added a third piece of plywood that is 10" x 43" so I could have my final length at 74" rather than 64". Your boyfriend could NOT sleep on a 64" platform that is only 43" wide, not unless he crushes you. My wife and I will be fine with our final product but we probably will sleep head to foot so that we have more room and don't end up too close together when we truly wish to sleep soundly. I can see why you might prefer 6" cut lumber pieces rather than 9" pieces shown in your video, but I went with the 9" pieces so I could make maximum use of storage underneath the platform. Climbing onto the platform is tight in my case, so no way I can truly sit up or move around with ease. But given that I want to store camping gear under the platform and given that we only intend to climb in the back and sleep, I think we made the right decision, it is not like we are trying to live for days and nights in the back of a RAV4, this new flat platform will save us a fortune in HOTEL bills given how much we like to ferry out to Vancouver Island or head to Squamish for fishing and hiking or south to Leavenworth, WA....so sleeping one or two nights in this manner per trip will end up saving us thousands of dollars over time and will be fun and convenient at the same time. As far as I am concerned, the $200 cost will be saved with one trip to Leavenworth or Tolfino, so using your great ideas has been truly a wonderful investment and exactly what I was looking for!! Thank you for your great, quick paced video, after I found your BLOG, I simply followed all your ideas (after doing my own measurements to make sure my 2022 had the same dimensions as your older model). I am so pleased, with the black carpet my flat bed looks like it was manufactured and came with the vehicle. So cool!!!! Huge Hugs, Peter Frorer
very nice video. I have one suggestion though: in case of car accident, it might be dangerous for the top piece to fly forward. To avoid this, it might be better to drill a few extra holes and use drop pins to fix the top piece of the plywood together with the lower half ...
That is a great suggestion.. thank you so much!
That would be one in a million possibilities, think positively 🤔
@catrashoo Not sure what country you're driving in, but in the US car accidents are relatively common (1 in ~360 per 1,000 miles) The drop pins are really good advice. Not at all trying to be critical of you, but the odds of being in an accident and severely injured are far greater than one in a million.
I was so overwhelmed with how complicated was to build those “easy” platforms… this was definitely an easy to follow and one of the few that don’t took out the seats… can’t wait to do it ☺️
yay I'm so stoked to hear that. thanks for watching! :)
omg thank you for making this so simple ive been sitting here overthinking this whole thing for DAYS
You are so welcome! I am the QUEEN of overthinking things believe me. So I’m super glad to hear this was helpful😅❤️
I hear ya on the overthinking. Now, that I have this down, I'm overthinking how to get plywood for a reasonable price!
@@LiLoTech Even ply is overpriced bc of pandemic & bc of a few millionaires/billionaires who have cornered the market accd to my brilliant son in law; ticks him off. Is affecting everyone.
love the fact that the back seats are not just let go forever
I always like people who keep things simple and this build is simple thank you for sharing. Now all you need is some plastic bins from Walmart to slide underneath for storage and no need to build shelf.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that! Tried to keep things as simple as possible. We use bins underneath and we did actually just add a drawer as well and we love it! :)
@@feliciafullwood Maybe you could show the build of the drawer & where you placed it. Bins are good to keep critters out of your food I know that for sure. Drawers are good for clothes & accessories.
Pretty simple setup. Could add additional holes so you can drop the "pins" onto the second platform to secure it to the other base platform when using your second row seating. It will prevent it from sliding and also store them easier.
Been looking for a simple bed platform build for my Outback and I think this is the best I’ve seen. Looks super easy and not unnecessarily complicated like some others 👍🏻
Thanks! I wanted our setup to be super simple but functional and also be removable. Didn’t want to get crazy complicated and it works amazing!
@Sam did you ever build this in your outback? Did it work out well? Thinking about how to deal with the slight slope in back.
Felicia I have the same model car 🚗 as you got my wood cut at Lowes picking up my drop bolts and carpet and wood screws at Home Depot tomorrow. Then my oldest son and I are putting the bed 🛌 together. I actually ordered a trifold mattress to put on the bed stand it's 4inches and folds into a 12inch rectangle when not using it, it's 2.5 hard foam and 1.5 pillow top it's so comfortable. Thanks to you and your grandpa I will be saving alot on hotel bills. I'm traveling to Utah from Indiana next month. Will save a ton on hotels.
I can confirm that these exact measurements worked on my 2017 RAV LE AWD! I wrapped my entire platform with an indoor/outdoor rug to keep it from scratching!
Yay!!! So stoked to hear this!!!! ☺️☺️
I have had millions of videos stuffed in my brains but yours top above all. It is so simple and yet so firm and easy to handle..
I've watched so many of these kinda of platform build videos but this is the only one that really simplified it to where it was easier to follow. Thank you!
EUREKA!!! Brilliant, I have watched countless videos looking for easy build. I need look no further. many thanks.
I have looked at several of these videos and yours is one of the best in terms of ease of construction and detailed measurements. I have no carpenter skills and only basic tools. Thank you for posting. Thumbs up!
Thank you so much!! I was intimated at first but it’s really not as hard as you’d imagine and is a pretty simple build process & we love it! Thanks for watching!!! 🙂
I REALLY appreciate the fact that you still have access to your backseats when your vehicle isn’t in camper mode! Great job! Easy, practical and inexpensive! The big plus is you kept your backseats in!!!! Kudos!!!
Yeah, people wouldn't be able to tell you sleep in your car.
Simple and Genius! I'm seriously pondering moving into my car. Not because I have to, but because I WANT too. I enjoy being in my car, lol, although I may not feel that way after living in it! I think this bed is fantastic and simple. I am 47 years old and need something that's EASY.... AND THIS IS IT! THANKS!!!
I saw this a few years ago. STILL the most practicable, simple solution to car camping. Thank you.
You inspired me, so I made mine for the back of my Outlander! I used mushroom head bolts instead of Hex head bolts, so that the rounded head doesn't damage anything sitting on top. I used the wheel arch to help support the back panel, and had my marine ply cut into pieces 1120 x 900 and 1120 x 830. It is awkward to get back section which is the larger piece in and out so I ended up cutting 20mm off the widest edge, so it came down to 1100. All up, including marine carpet, carpet tape, bolts, screws, framing timber for supports and marine plywood, it cost just under $150. Plus elbow grease of course!!
I built one of these for my Mitsubishi Outlander and used it for a 3.5 week trip to Baja, Mexico. I love it! Highly recommend! I built mine about 10" tall so I can fit short Rubbermaid bins underneath. I can fit 5 of those bins underneath, so I can keep my things organized easily. I was travelling with dogs, and I switched from camping to driving mode (where the back seat was available for my big dog to lie in) every day without a problem. What I really love about this system is that it's not obvious from the outside that someone is sleeping in there. All my things fit in the car in both driving and camping mode, and there is no super-obvious rooftop tent, so no banditos came to rob me in the night. As far as they could see, there was just an SUV parked randomly in an access road. Nothing to see here, move on please! Perfect.
Thanks so much for a simple, cheap solution that it is easy to remove when camping trips are over!
I like the simplicity of this one. That's what I need to do, have pieces that stack back up easily so that the backseats can flip back up during the day.
So excited, we are doing this as our first project , we keep watching your video and read your blog everyday. We are now at a stage where the wood is now cut, we now will be drilling holes, screwing the legs....YOU ARE GOD SENT ! THANK YOU
Ahhh I am SO happy to hear this, that is amazing!! Good luck with your build and happy camping! Thank you so much for watching and for the support!!! :)
This was a concise, easy, cheap, and effective way to solve the car camping bed problem and also provides a hidden storage for every day use! I will definitely be doing this! I’ll probably purchase a couple long storage containers to go under the platform and then adjust the bed height to fit those in order to save more headroom. Thank you for this AMAZING idea!!
Ok….cutest grandpa ever!!! ❤ this is exactly hat I’ve been looking for! Thanks for making it simple….and thank grandpa for being so cute!
Yay so glad it was helpful! And thanks, I will!! he’s definitely the cutest 🥹🙏
I may try this. It’s doable for an old lady like me I think.
Totally!! It was much easier than I expected and works amazing! Good luck if you end up building your own :)
I've watched a ton of TH-cam videos about car camping platforms and this is the easiest, cheapest and most sensible I've seen. This is exactly what I was looking for and I'm going to use your ideas! The drop pins are brilliant and exactly what I need. I need to be able to keep the back seats free for my dog! Thank you so much for sharing this
I love the overall simplicity in both the build and function of this. I may do a single bed version so the bed could serve as a sit up couch, and leave room for a food prep area.
Hi!!! OMG SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR VIDEO!!! By far the easiest to follow vs all the super complicated, for different reason, the other ones! I followed this and built my platform in less than two hours and it’s just absolutely perfect!!! I wish I could send you the pics Thank you again for taking the time to post this!
Super!
Built this yesterday with my dad, using only your blog post and video for guidance. Never made anything like this before but wanted more storage when car camping so I can go on more surf trips. Great tutorial! Took about 6 hours start to finish once we had our supplies (including the time needed to do most of the cuts ourselves).
The drop pins were the hardest part as we didn't know what size to use...we ended up with 6 inch drop pins and had a very hard/time consuming time drilling down into 2x4s lol but otherwise the tutorial told us all we needed to know! The final product looks AMAZING. Can't wait to take it out and enjoy this level-up in my camping!
Thank you SO MUCH for this. I’m disabled & needed something simpler to build & move (for seat space for my solo adventures and this is the best one I’ve seen for this. You rock. So appreciated.
You are so welcome, it’s my pleasure! So glad it was helpful :)
so simple to get a comfortable camper car, thank you girl
You are welcome! :)
Fast, simple, no BS. I may have some difficulties to understand you talking so fast, but no time to get bored. Thank you very much for sharing. one of the bst video I saw.
Easiest platform build on TH-cam! Thank you!!
FINALLY I find an easy platform build for my car!! Thanks!
you're so welcome! stoked to hear you like it! :)
Omg I love how straight to the point and informative this video was. Zero fluff. Definitely subscribing!
thank you so much! i tried to make exactly the video i would want if i were to be building without needing to ask questions so i'm super glad to hear that it was helpful! :)
BRILLIANT DESIGN!!! I just found your channel & immediately subscribed after seeing this video. I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander which I have been trying to figure how to modify & this was the answer! Thank you thank you thank you! You have saved me tons of $$$$. My granddaughter & I Iove to go camping & we are a little tired of tenting especially in the rain! The two of us are going to build this bed using our primitive carpentry skills & equipment. I am sure we will be successful!!!!
Ahhh, thank you SO much! That seriously makes me so happy to hear. Good luck with the build! :)
Felicia my son and I just finished my bed platform it fit like a glove. Thanks to you and Grandfather! This will make my trip to Colorado and Utah so much easier next month and save so much on hotels.
This is amazing! I’m so happy to hear this, so glad it was helpful!! Hope you have an amazing trip!!
@Felicia Fullwood I ordered a nice 4inch full size trifold mattress the folds up into 12 inch area and has 1.5 pillow top so comfy and fits like a glove since i have same year rav4 as you👍
Girl this is my favorite build sample I’ve found yet. Simple and perfect gonna try it out:)
I love the drop pin idea for easy breakdown
thank you! this is so simple and straightforward. So many youtubers act like theirs is simple and I'm just staring in confusion. I'll definitely be doing this in my suv
Just bought all of the materials today to start building my sleeping platform in my 2016 Jeep Compass, thanks to this video and your blogpost!! All I had to do was adjust the dimensions to my own car. Thanks so much for this!!
I also love the "drop-pin" idea! Thank you! This is great!
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have been wanting to do this for YEARS! after this weeks heatwave I intend to get to work. we have a 2008 jeep liberty that is new to us and extremely excited to be camped in lol I CANNOT WAIT. because this video showed me that after years of being discouraged I CAN make this lol I can afford this build too!!! thank you so much. love from Oregon
This is the most simple cost-effective platform bed build I've ever seen in all of these TH-cam videos thank you thank you thank you so much
You can also get three inch upholstery foam on amazon for like 30 bucks that is super comfy to sleep on :). This is the most doable build I've found and may actually attempt it! I live up two flights of stairs and it's a hassle carrying camping gear up and down. This may make it possible to leave some packed under the platform!
thats a great idea, we might have to do that! the multiple mattress toppers can be annoying so thanks for the heads up! and oh yeah we lived in an apt for 3 years I know the feeling!! We try and leave as much in the car as possible to make it easy to just get up and go when we want to camp!
I can't seem to find a large piece on Amazon for anything close to $30 :(
@@LiLoTech Use different search terms. You’ll find something close enough I think.
Wow. I couldn't find your video again but it just popped up in suggested. My partner and I copied this and lived in the back of our car for six months before we got a caravan, thanks to your video making it soooo easy. Thanks so much
this is really simple and elegant build. I liked the part of retaining the backseats inside the vehicle. Very nice.!
Gosh, I was overthinking my platform by thinking i needed to frame it like a house and needing 35ft of 2x4's, but this is so simple and effective! Thank you so much!
Awesome. I’m definitely using this but only one section, one person. Appreciate you giving me the confidence to do this and showing me where you measured.
Awesome! You are so welcome, glad this helped! You can do it! Good luck! A one person setup would be way more efficient & comfy! :)
You really helped me with this video. I have a 2017 Subaru Forested and your style is perfect. Thanks.
THANK YOUUUU for this tutorial! We followed your instructions and took our first 4 day suv camping trip!!! It was wonderful! Building the platform was simple and convenient! There is lots of room to store things bellow. We even took our little doxie 🐾 Thank you again for coming up with this straight forward Easy to assemble and disassemble method! One variation we did was to invest in a little better grade of plywood ($50) which has better wood to avoid fumes (not pressure treated).
After binge watching tons of conversions for my SUV yours stood out the most. I wanted something simple and easy to take down. I made my platform yesterday with hinge pins to drop in the holes and it came out perfect!
Ahhh that’s amazing! Thanks for the feedback! So happy to hear your build went well! Enjoy and thanks for watching!! :)
That is really cool. I did a platform bed. The legs at the back came off. You solved the problem for me
ahhh that is amazing! so glad it helped you out! :)
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I have been wanting to try car camping for about a year now, and this is by far the best build option! My dad helped me build this out in my 2022 RAV4 this weekend, and the measurements worked great. We did add a 8 inch piece of plywood to the part closest to the front seats to make it longer so my feet wouldn’t hang off. We used a continuous hinge so it can fold up and stow away the same as if it weren’t there. We have to scoot the front seats up some for it to fit when folded out, but I think the extra room is worth it!
I can’t wait to take it camping! Thanks for sharing!!
this is so perfect. all the other ones ive seen have been too much, and this is just simple enough. i also love that you can still use your backseat. we car camp with dogs, and they prefer riding around in their hammock in the back seat. if the whole back is open they just fly around lol. thank you.
awww this is awesome! yes one of the main reasons I love it is that the back seats are always fully accessible and super quick to remove if needed but we rarely ever take it out now! so glad it was helpful! :)
Love this build. Super straight forward. Like the fact that it is quick to set up and break down but you still can use your back seats. Drop pins for the win. 💪
Yes the 1st thing u need to do is research!!! After watching tons of TH-cam videos , I found this video to be the best one for me ... Thanks 👍👍👍 u saved a lot of labour . Love & Respect from ❤ India .
Made one for myself today! Thanks for the idea. I owe this build to you guys :) and thank you for making my life easy. Much Love
Marvellous simple solution to what I'm looking to do with my Kia Sportage. Thanks.
Thanks so much for posting this, like many others here I really appreciate how simple yet well thought out this platform is.
I just bought the wood for my Subaru Forester ‘15, and for anybody wondering what the dimensions are for a forester, we got - for the two main platforms:
43 inches across (it will sit above the wheel well)
Then 29inch in length each
SO we could push the second platform to the back with seats up, we needed a third platform due to the cars dimensions. This one was 13 inches long, and attaches to the second platform with a piano hinge. To support the ‘weak hinge’, drill holes in the top and run a pulley strap around each of the headrests to support that smaller extra piece of platform. It’s a little extra step, and unnecessary if you don’t care about lifting the sits/hiding the bed. But if you do, you’ll need the extension.
Finished building it today for the Forester. Plan worked with the two base platforms and one folding hinge platform. All fits behind the back seats when they’re up.
Thanks again for posting this video!
Genius idea! I’m going to modify my sleeping platform after watching your video. I have a Mazda CX-5, plenty of room for one! Thanks a million!
That's awesome, so glad to heat that!! You are so welcome!! :)
Thanks so much, all the other videos seem like they require woodworking experience and I feel confident that I can do this thanks to this video!!!
Thank you for sharing. I love how you made this bed. My 16 year old daughter and I are going to make this together. We’ve checked out several other videos on how to make them and yours is the winner! She and I have taken many trips down the West Coast from Vancouver, BC to California and back to surf and explore and usually we stay in KOA’s but we love this idea and can’t wait to try it out. Thank you so much. We’re excited to check out more of your vids. Subscribed!
I made this with my puppy this morning. A thousand thanks!
I love this. I have a 2008 RAV4 and need to live in my car for a bit. I was thinking I’d like an easy platform like yours but a narrow twin size. I’m only 5’ and want a lot of storage. Thanks so much for sharing this, I’ve been watching so many videos. ❤
Girl this is genius! I got a Fiat 500 L Trekking can’t wait to build it. So versatile.
yep, 'drop pins' is the way to go! Great video showing how simple it is to be a weekend warrior on the trails, river or whatever you're into.
My uncle and I made this bed for my truck last year and it was awesome. Thanks so much for the video.
This makes me SO happy to hear!! Ahh. Thank you so much for watching & sharing! Happy camping!! ☺️
This is the simplest yet very functional way. I love it!
Used this design in my 2005 Tahoe and it works flawlessly. The drop bolts are great and it’s surprisingly stable! So so easy to disassemble. I love it.
Thanks so much! We just finished building one and your plans worked out great!
This looks easy.... I’m not handy with tools, but this looks doable.. thank you for sharing.
you're welcome! it's definitely pretty simple even for someone not handy with tools!
I built this today. I watched so many videos and this was the one I liked best. Easy, functional, I can use my back seats. I have a Honda CRV so my dimensions were a bit different and the top platform is level while resting on the backseats so didn’t need the 2 boards to hold up the headboard. Took about 2 1/2 hours. Came out perfect. Thank you so much for the video.
omg that is awesome! thank you so much for watching! I'd love to see the final build! if you see this message me some photos on instagram or something! Congrats and enjoy!
Off the dozens and dozens of videos and examples I’ve been researching this is perfection. Exactly what I’m looking for. No BS and perfect execution for camping and normal life. Great job! Thank you!!!
Such an awesome design that even a beginner could build. This has helped me so much in designing mine for my Honda Fit. Thank so much for posting!
@Melissa Bell Glad you’ll be doing this in your Honda Fit. I have a Toyota Matrix (very similar to the Fit). Am definitely doing this method too.
I am currently shopping for a rav4, and have always car camped in my Subaru Outback but never used a platform in that, this might be a really neat idea for my rav4! the "drop pin" idea is killer
Finally a really easy platform.
a nice tip here would be to measure with the front seats all the way forward. I don't think anyone would want to sleep and drive at the same time ;)
Thank you so much for recreating a blog! It helps not having to rewind the videos to get the details and have a reading list instead!
Love the simplicity and tool-less break down.I'm going to try this in my Highlander.
Currently working on making this build in my Honda CRV! Love the creativity and the fact I can still use my back seats! Thank you
Thanks so much I’ve had my outback for about a month and I’m ready to start camping soon but have been so intimidated By all these platforms I see built by people’s dad or using fancy tools, I’m now on my way to the hardware store today :D
hahaha yes! glad you like it! my grandpa definitely helped but only because he loves it. i wanted something super simple that even i could build lol
I’m so happy you shared this. I’ve got a 2012 Outback and have also been looking at some complicated builds. I’m a senior woman. I know I can do this by myself. Outstanding! On my way to Lowe’s!
this is the vision I've had in my head for when I build mine......and you've perfected it by the split and slide so the seats can go back up! perfect
Thanks. That was great. This is the best, most versatile, and simplest build-a-bed-in-an-SUV video I have seen.
The only variation I plan (for my RAV4) will be to use drop-pins for all of the supports, so that all of the legs come off for increased versatility in various ways.
You are so welcome! That sounds awesome! I would love to see the build once you're finished! Thanks for the feedback and for watching!
This is a life I'm heading for.I just bought a 2020 Sorento Kia 7 passenger.Always looking for ideas before I go this adventure!
Wow, super easy and functional. Can you do a video of everything you bring camping to see how you cook and stuff. Loved the vide, thank you
Thank you so much! I just filmed a video of us cooking an entire meal and go over a lot of that so stay tuned!! I’m going to make a video very soon about all my favorite car camping accessories too! :)
Easiest and most practical for non permanent build
I built one today! Super easy. What a fantastic resource you are! Thank you!
JUST THE VIDEO I NEEDED!!! went through so many websites and videos... this is what im looking for! thank you :D Happy camping!
So far it's like the only video that actually shows step by step how it's done. Thank you so much! I saw other people posting the final product and showing it off, but no detail on how they did it
This was exactly the video I was looking for…. You hit all the right camera angles of what I wanted to see in that system, and your references to other videos are awesome and appreciated!!!!
I cant wait! My fiance and I are going to be buying the materials this weekend to do this build!
Same car so used same build but with 6" supports instead of 9". Still plenty of storage space and I can sit up with a slight bend at 5'11".
Materials were $100 at Home Depot. Thanks for the vid and blog!
Awsome design and easy and cheap to make , will build this in spring time for hunting and fishing trips
Thanks! We have done this with ours minus the carpet and we did the hinges idea as my husband is tall. Can’t wait to test it out. We also didn’t put legs in the middle but might do later.