I went a different route. I didn't want to restrict my ability to sit up comfortably on my bed, in the back of my Subaru, so I built a simple base of slats, less than 2 inches in height. Remember you have to add the height of the mattress to the height of the base and all of that is lost headroom. Also a slatted base means air circulates underneath your mattress and you don't end up with damp mould on the underside.
I also think that’s the better way to do it. Being able to sit up is key for me and many others. Also much lighter without all that wood used to construct drawers and essentially two level of platforms.
Some people spend thousands of dollars on high end products which achieve the same functionality. I love how simple and customisable everything is when made simple. In my opinion you have a much better nights sleep knowing you made everything yourself🙂👍
Really, they charge thousands of dollars for "high end" products for car camping? What makes them "high end?" Are they made of mahogany or walnut and hand carved by a elite wood sculpter?
little tip when you make a drawer you always put the front between te sides as screws and nails are way stronger this way around. after that you can put a "false" front in front of it to hide the side edges
This is the best vide o I have seen on making a bed in a car. You explained so good and it fits en looks perfect!! I’m definitely going to use this video while building my own! Thank you
@thisislifeco What about drilling "weight relief" or "condensation holes" in the plywood? Also, you don't needt to "pre-drill" the holes for the wood screws. You'll make the holes bigger than the screws if you do that. What kind of screws did you use?
1) How are you going to install drawer rails in the future inside a 5 ft box without disassembling it which you can't do because your glued it together? 2) Do your think that drawer is going to slide smoothly without rails once you have weight in it?
Great instructive video! Two highlights for me are #1. The wider top part fitted to the doors for those of us with heroic figures (esp. when sleeping two!) and #2. The drawer with the integrated lid/work surface. Well done! Your videos have a very cool vibe and are well made. Love your stuff!
Awesome job guys! This is exactly what I want in my suv. Like what you did about putting the piece in there in case you ever wanted to install drawer slides!
Nice! Did similar drawer setup for the rear of our Jeep. But I was lazy and had the hardware shop pre cut the lengths. Then simply just put it all together at home, sprayed with black stone chip (undercarriage coating), added a fridge slide and it still holding up. 💪
@@thisislifeco lack of tools sent me in that direction 😀 With two Great Danes as travelling partners, I will have to change the setup. But haven't figured something out yet...
Hi, I saw your video, could you send me the measurements of the cabinet you made for your car I wanted to compliment you on the project which is truly fantastic Thank you in advance
Excellent build simple yet practical. I’d add a few slots on the top to prevent condensation building up. How do you anchor the platform onto the car frame to prevent rattle when driving? Would it be better to have the front portion of the platform hinged if you’d need to store something under that can be retrieved inside the vehicle?
Nice build. Do you use paste wax on the bottom and sides of the long drawers to make them slide smoother? And do you put on carpet squares on top of the platform?
You make a fair point! I’ve got secure points in my vehicle that comes stock with it. I will be attaching the platform to it soon enough. Thanks for reminding me hehe 😜
@@caseyreed5231 Weight does nothing, and actually increases the problem, when you go over a bump…that weight keeps going up after the truck starts to drop. Bungies…nothing, they stretch. Nothing short of a firm rope or tie down strap will keep it in place. Tie down to tie points that is.
@@jeffclark5268 yeah yeah yeah. Make sure to strap everything down in the vehicle bc if you get in a wreck at highway speeds. Those items become death instruments. You couldn’t tell I was joking? I said duct tape.
Well I have seen thongs compact in small places not take off but bigger items did take off. And if something has to take off it will evrn if it is pinned/screwed/nailed in.
This was the question I was going to ask. With having a wider section installed you couldn't just pull it out as it wouldn't slide out as one unit. Those wider sections would need to be unscrewed.
I have a 2003 4Runner which I go camping in. I first did a simple mock up style with plywood. I went on two camping trips with it then threw it all out. IMO, it's too restrictive and limits what I can carry inside. I rather have the head room. A few plastic containers handles all my stuff. The roof rack handles all the recovery equipment.
Ya I can definitely see where you’re coming from. I could use the extra headspace too. But she’s a good starter until you learn what you like and don’t like. Cheers and happy adventuring 😁🤙🏼
I was wondering with the trunk closed could you lay down straight?? My husband is 6’2 I was wondering if he’d be able to lay down and have enough room with the extension build in.
How have the drawers held up without drawer slides? Still sliding nice and smooth? Also, do you think 5/8 is strong enough? I see a lot of builds with 3/4. Nice work!
Just what I needed…simple easy to build with minimal tools and can easily be removed. I’d like to leave one of my seats and don’t needed all the length as I’m only 5’ tall. Thx
If I had the spare time and tools myself it’d be nice to help people out but I just can’t. Always here to answer any questions though! Thanks for commenting and leaving such a nice comment 😁
Exactly what I was looking for my own lr2. Question- have you got seat taken out or folded down? Also, would you mind sharing dimensions of the platform?
The seats are folded over but I took out the seat portion of them if that makes sense? I just unscrewed them. I’ll get the dimensions for you this week. I appreciate the feedback!
@@thisislifeco Thanks bud, I've done the same, took bottom out completely, would have done same with vertical ones, but it don't seem to be coming out without affecting rack that holds fuse box etc. Thanks
@@archie_l0 exactly that’s why I just left the vertical parts too. Makes for building a platform a little easier as well. Makes for a more modular build.
I haven’t tried, but it’s definitely more of a leave in the car for the season type build. But depending on what vehicle you have it could be pulled out. The front is wide but perhaps if I lifted it on an angle it might be able to be pulled out.
Very nicely done! Two suggestions. If you don’t add drawer slides, put some wax on the bottom of the drawer, it might ease movement especially if it’s loaded with gear. The other is safety. I really recommend using some saw horses and scrap wood for your table saw. I hate to see someone cutting full sized plywood sheets with the saw on the ground. If you slip and fall on the saw…..Or, build a table saw workstation and upload the video! Thanks.
@@thisislifeco No, you guys were totally unsafe. Never have someone pull the wood. If one guy pulls and the other guy is at all surprised or off balance (likely when crawling on his knees, another bad idea) abody part, including the head, can end up on the blade. Also, use a push stick. In this case, use the skill saw to reduce the sheet and then the table saw to rip it to perfect size.
Great build! Any issues with pulling out those long drawers once they are full of gear? I've been debating if I should use drawer slides with similar 60" drawers but the slides are fairly expensive. Not sure that the slides are needed or worth it. What's your post build experience?
I’ve got quite a bit of gear in there and I have no issues. The slides I found very expensive as well and haven’t regret not putting them in. No issues for me personally
question for you, as I hadn't even put LR2s on my radar but watching this video (amazing job!) I am now considering it. How much space is there with the driver seat in your normal position to the back door? I heard you say you measure out 5' for the base drawers? Is that including the piece you notched out? How much more did the flip up head space give you?
I’ve loved it so far! So yes it’s about 5 foot and once I fold out the extra head space it’s about 6 foot. The drawer is 5 foot yes but does not protrude pass the end of the sleeping platform or the notch. Hopefully that helps! Where abouts are you from?
@@thisislifeco I'm in Langley. Been eyeing 2019/20 disco 5s in a TD6 and 11/12 LR4s. Now I'm looking at LR2s. Currently have a Tundra with a full camp drawer/sleeping platform in the back and want something similar to it for the new set up (whatever that is going to be).
I know so many different size vehicles, but I wonder if you could sell a generic version of this that would fit 90% of vehicles and make $??? Some people just don't have the tools or space to build this for their vehicle.
I completely understand not having all the tools. Mine were mostly borrowed from a friend. Definitely a possibility in the future! I appreciate the feedback :)
Nice update! Are you interested in reviewing our 6-in-1 drinking water tester? It can test bacteria, virus, microplastic, heavy metal, and weed kiiler., etc! We're sure that you'll love it.
I am surprised that you are not using drawer guides for smooth opening and closing. Wood can expand with moisture absorption under damp conditions and render drawer movement tight. Also, how are you finishing the right hand side?
Another alternative to not having drawer guides is to make half the length of that long box with a top hinge for easy access without sliding the entire drawer out. Should not affect sleeping as you will likely have a thick foam mattress on top.
It’s been several months so far and not having any glides is proving to work great! I had been debating the alternatives but so far no issues. The other side is left as an open storage for my fishing rods and gear.
@@thisislifeco idk you just asked in the video if I noticed what you did wrong? I didn’t see anything but that is a common mistake so people mark the cut side after marking line so the cut is on the correct side. But I’m sure you already know all this. good build, good job, awesome!
I went a different route. I didn't want to restrict my ability to sit up comfortably on my bed, in the back of my Subaru, so I built a simple base of slats, less than 2 inches in height. Remember you have to add the height of the mattress to the height of the base and all of that is lost headroom. Also a slatted base means air circulates underneath your mattress and you don't end up with damp mould on the underside.
I also think that’s the better way to do it. Being able to sit up is key for me and many others. Also much lighter without all that wood used to construct drawers and essentially two level of platforms.
Some people spend thousands of dollars on high end products which achieve the same functionality. I love how simple and customisable everything is when made simple. In my opinion you have a much better nights sleep knowing you made everything yourself🙂👍
I really appreciate hearing that! Glad you enjoyed it 😁
@@thisislifecoAn excellent build! What thickness of ply did you use?
@mackenzieeagle2674 not everyone has the skills to build it themselves thus their need to buy it premade
Really, they charge thousands of dollars for "high end" products for car camping? What makes them "high end?" Are they made of mahogany or walnut and hand carved by a elite wood sculpter?
little tip when you make a drawer you always put the front between te sides as screws and nails are way stronger this way around. after that you can put a "false" front in front of it to hide the side edges
Roger that thank you !
You gave me a lot of food ideas for my 1994 Pajero. Thanks. Great video. Greetings from Greece
Much appreciated! Glad I could help
Very nice! What are these extension brackets called?
In my country it's called folding brackets.
TEN THUMBS UP!! saved video as a HOW TO when my day comes to hit the trail. THANK YOU
No problem! I hope that time comes soon for you :)
This is the best vide
o I have seen on making a bed in a car. You explained so good and it fits en looks perfect!! I’m definitely going to use this video while building my own! Thank you
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it
Such a simple and functional video. I loved how you explained everything at a speed I could comprehend.
Glad it was helpful!
@thisislifeco
What about drilling "weight relief" or "condensation holes" in the plywood? Also, you don't needt to "pre-drill" the holes for the wood screws. You'll make the holes bigger than the screws if you do that. What kind of screws did you use?
1) How are you going to install drawer rails in the future inside a 5 ft box without disassembling it which you can't do because your glued it together?
2) Do your think that drawer is going to slide smoothly without rails once you have weight in it?
Great instructive video! Two highlights for me are #1. The wider top part fitted to the doors for those of us with heroic figures (esp. when sleeping two!) and #2. The drawer with the integrated lid/work surface. Well done! Your videos have a very cool vibe and are well made. Love your stuff!
I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a nice comment! Glad you enjoyed the video 😁
Picking up a 1999 suburban here next week. This video is inspiring me to do something similar with it
Awesome job guys! This is exactly what I want in my suv. Like what you did about putting the piece in there in case you ever wanted to install drawer slides!
Thank you so much!
Nice! Did similar drawer setup for the rear of our Jeep. But I was lazy and had the hardware shop pre cut the lengths. Then simply just put it all together at home, sprayed with black stone chip (undercarriage coating), added a fridge slide and it still holding up. 💪
Honestly that was my first option at Home Depot but my friend was kind enough to lend me his tool. Sounds like a nice setup you now have! Enjoy
@@thisislifeco lack of tools sent me in that direction 😀 With two Great Danes as travelling partners, I will have to change the setup. But haven't figured something out yet...
This Is aweome man! do you have the measurements for this? would love to try this myself. Thanks!
Hi Mat, thanks for the video. Any chance you could post a link to the brackets you used to support the front portion? Thanks!
Can’t seem to find the exact ones anymore. They were Home Depot though!
Hi, I saw your video, could you send me the measurements of the cabinet you made for your car I wanted to compliment you on the project which is truly fantastic Thank you in advance
Can u tell what's the size of plywood,screws and the bit for prehole.thz
Excellent build simple yet practical. I’d add a few slots on the top to prevent condensation building up. How do you anchor the platform onto the car frame to prevent rattle when driving? Would it be better to have the front portion of the platform hinged if you’d need to store something under that can be retrieved inside the vehicle?
My car has metal half rings that are part of the trunk and I can hook up to them. Keeps everything snug
Very nice job! Thanks for sharing the process.
Thank you for the kinds words!
You left space on the sides of the drawer for rail or track. Did you end up adding or would you just build the drawer full width next time?
Nice build. Do you use paste wax on the bottom and sides of the long drawers to make them slide smoother? And do you put on carpet squares on top of the platform?
Can you share exact dimentions pls ?
What stops the whole thing from taking off ⬆️ if you hit a bump?
You make a fair point! I’ve got secure points in my vehicle that comes stock with it. I will be attaching the platform to it soon enough. Thanks for reminding me hehe 😜
Weight, Velcro, duct tape, bungee cords, and gorilla glue.
@@caseyreed5231 Weight does nothing, and actually increases the problem, when you go over a bump…that weight keeps going up after the truck starts to drop. Bungies…nothing, they stretch. Nothing short of a firm rope or tie down strap will keep it in place. Tie down to tie points that is.
@@jeffclark5268 yeah yeah yeah. Make sure to strap everything down in the vehicle bc if you get in a wreck at highway speeds. Those items become death instruments. You couldn’t tell I was joking? I said duct tape.
Well I have seen thongs compact in small places not take off but bigger items did take off.
And if something has to take off it will evrn if it is pinned/screwed/nailed in.
Nice, simple ,affordable , design guys 👍 . Nice work thx for posting.
Thanks for watching and leaving such a kind comment! :)
I’m here to learn! Why pre-drill screw holes instead of just using wood screws?
If you don't there's a far higher chance that the wood will split. It also brings the two pieces together cleaner and tighter.
@@j606ywt Thanks! I’ve only recently had the space for real tools, so I’m still learning the basics. ☺️
Thankyou for the great response !
Is your spare tyre stored in the boot underneath the flooring? would you have to pull out your entire setup to get to it? thanks
This was the question I was going to ask. With having a wider section installed you couldn't just pull it out as it wouldn't slide out as one unit. Those wider sections would need to be unscrewed.
So yes my spare tire is underneath the bed platform which is a downside but I felt if I absolutely needed to get it I would be able to.
where do you get those bracket extensions? that are fold able?
Just from Home Depot!
Looking for them too, impossible to find the same so far :(
I have a 2003 4Runner which I go camping in.
I first did a simple mock up style with plywood. I went on two camping trips with it then threw it all out. IMO, it's too restrictive and limits what I can carry inside. I rather have the head room. A few plastic containers handles all my stuff. The roof rack handles all the recovery equipment.
Ya I can definitely see where you’re coming from. I could use the extra headspace too. But she’s a good starter until you learn what you like and don’t like. Cheers and happy adventuring 😁🤙🏼
Im gonna build this for my gx
I was wondering with the trunk closed could you lay down straight?? My husband is 6’2 I was wondering if he’d be able to lay down and have enough room with the extension build in.
I’m about 6’1 and with the extensions I can lay out straight without touching the end
Love it may i know the thickness of plywood
very clean build. is there any particular reason you opted not to have the platform secured down?
Hi i,m Dave from the UK i,m going to do same great video I have the new 2024 Land Cruiser on order .
That’s super exciting!! I hope it goes well :)
How have the drawers held up without drawer slides? Still sliding nice and smooth? Also, do you think 5/8 is strong enough? I see a lot of builds with 3/4. Nice work!
They’ve held up great, they slide smooth! I think so but I’d say it depends how much weight you plan on putting on it
@@thisislifeco Glad to hear it, thanks so much for the response! I have a hatchback so I'm tryin to keep things as minimal as possible. 👍
Just what I needed…simple easy to build with minimal tools and can easily be removed. I’d like to leave one of my seats and don’t needed all the length as I’m only 5’ tall. Thx
Glad it helped!
Nicely done!!
Thanks pal 😁
Did you use 7mm height wood??
I believe it was 3/4 “
Great video. What would you estimate the weight of each drawer to be?
The drawer probably ways 20 lbs empty
Thanks bro I’ll do the same for my Honda CR-V
Good luck!
Omg this is what i was looking for
Hopefully it can help you out! Feel free to ask me any questions 😁
It is perfect!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you very much for the kind comment 😁
Do you have much height left once you put in a mattress?
Not a lot but it was something I was willing to risk for a bit thicker mattress and lots of storage.
Should've done rope handles for the Draws but Cool Build!
Can you and Henk build my car camping set up? Lol it came out so amazing
If I had the spare time and tools myself it’d be nice to help people out but I just can’t. Always here to answer any questions though! Thanks for commenting and leaving such a nice comment 😁
Very nice 👌 setup
Thank you very much ! :)
Exactly what I was looking for my own lr2. Question- have you got seat taken out or folded down? Also, would you mind sharing dimensions of the platform?
The seats are folded over but I took out the seat portion of them if that makes sense? I just unscrewed them. I’ll get the dimensions for you this week. I appreciate the feedback!
@@thisislifeco Thanks bud, I've done the same, took bottom out completely, would have done same with vertical ones, but it don't seem to be coming out without affecting rack that holds fuse box etc. Thanks
@@archie_l0 exactly that’s why I just left the vertical parts too. Makes for building a platform a little easier as well. Makes for a more modular build.
@@thisislifeco I was hoping to make deeper storage boxes at that space, but oh well. Roof rack and boxes it is
Olá May broter .. no falo inglês... qual automóvel yuo usou para fazer motor home ??
plywood used which type and size in mm
what brackets did you use for the extra piece
thanks for sharing this and your ideas
Most welcome 😊
Every time I wield a jigsaw it comes out like those mid century abstract blob shapes
Haha 😆 I can understand that
Is doesn’t look modular though, am I mistaken? Is it practical to take it out and put it back in?
I haven’t tried, but it’s definitely more of a leave in the car for the season type build. But depending on what vehicle you have it could be pulled out. The front is wide but perhaps if I lifted it on an angle it might be able to be pulled out.
Very nicely done! Two suggestions. If you don’t add drawer slides, put some wax on the bottom of the drawer, it might ease movement especially if it’s loaded with gear. The other is safety. I really recommend using some saw horses and scrap wood for your table saw. I hate to see someone cutting full sized plywood sheets with the saw on the ground. If you slip and fall on the saw…..Or, build a table saw workstation and upload the video! Thanks.
Yeah I those are definitely great suggestions that I’ll think about. Thankyou !
Parabéns ficou top .. mas que carro é esse ?
This is a 2008 Land Rover lr2
Anyone else freak out at 0:19 when the guy almost got his hand with the table saw?
Definitely looks close but he had it under control hehe
@@thisislifeco No, you guys were totally unsafe. Never have someone pull the wood. If one guy pulls and the other guy is at all surprised or off balance (likely when crawling on his knees, another bad idea) abody part, including the head, can end up on the blade. Also, use a push stick.
In this case, use the skill saw to reduce the sheet and then the table saw to rip it to perfect size.
I did actually. Happy I wasn't alone. Push sticks save digits 🙂 Loved the build though and will be using it for my own mod. Thanks.
YES.
WEE BIT CONCERNING 🥵🥵Nice build though.
Nice job 👍🏼
Thank you very much!!
Great build! Any issues with pulling out those long drawers once they are full of gear? I've been debating if I should use drawer slides with similar 60" drawers but the slides are fairly expensive. Not sure that the slides are needed or worth it. What's your post build experience?
I’ve got quite a bit of gear in there and I have no issues. The slides I found very expensive as well and haven’t regret not putting them in. No issues for me personally
question for you, as I hadn't even put LR2s on my radar but watching this video (amazing job!) I am now considering it. How much space is there with the driver seat in your normal position to the back door? I heard you say you measure out 5' for the base drawers? Is that including the piece you notched out? How much more did the flip up head space give you?
hang on.. you're in the LMD? Does your friend want to build more drawers??? hahaha
I’ve loved it so far! So yes it’s about 5 foot and once I fold out the extra head space it’s about 6 foot. The drawer is 5 foot yes but does not protrude pass the end of the sleeping platform or the notch. Hopefully that helps! Where abouts are you from?
@@thisislifeco I'm in Langley. Been eyeing 2019/20 disco 5s in a TD6 and 11/12 LR4s. Now I'm looking at LR2s. Currently have a Tundra with a full camp drawer/sleeping platform in the back and want something similar to it for the new set up (whatever that is going to be).
Would love to know the rough estimate on how much this cost in materials?
All together I’d say about 300$
I know so many different size vehicles, but I wonder if you could sell a generic version of this that would fit 90% of vehicles and make $??? Some people just don't have the tools or space to build this for their vehicle.
I completely understand not having all the tools. Mine were mostly borrowed from a friend. Definitely a possibility in the future! I appreciate the feedback :)
What type of car is this? Great job 👏👏
2008 Land Rover lr2
0:15 Damn man, what'd that caterpillar ever do to you?
I know..I didn’t see him till later 😟
What were your drawer dimensions?
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Can you shar eexact dimentions pls ?
Hi mate can you share they ?
Man nicely done! And you need to mention your rig is a LR2! That is an awesome SUV (got one too). Cheers from Montreal!
Much appreciated ! Just changed the title 😁👍🏼
Did you ever put a sealant on your wood?
I haven’t yet no. I’ll try to once I get a nice sunny day here on the west coast
wow opening scene with your friend putting his hand and arm near the saw blade. 🤕🤕🤕🤕
Ya lesson learned indeed !
Put on safety glasses when using saws and nailer
You’re right, I completely forgot!
I am surprised that you are not using drawer guides for smooth opening and closing. Wood can expand with moisture absorption under damp conditions and render drawer movement tight. Also, how are you finishing the right hand side?
Another alternative to not having drawer guides is to make half the length of that long box with a top hinge for easy access without sliding the entire drawer out. Should not affect sleeping as you will likely have a thick foam mattress on top.
It’s been several months so far and not having any glides is proving to work great! I had been debating the alternatives but so far no issues. The other side is left as an open storage for my fishing rods and gear.
can you give all the measuzers to build my own ?
00:14 murdered a poor bug! 🤣😭
Yeah didn’t realize till after I watched back 😅
R.I.P. bug 0:17
Did you cut on the wrong side of the line?
At what point in the video?
@@thisislifeco idk you just asked in the video if I noticed what you did wrong? I didn’t see anything but that is a common mistake so people mark the cut side after marking line so the cut is on the correct side. But I’m sure you already know all this. good build, good job, awesome!
Where is your spare tire?
It’s stored underneath the platform. A bit of a roadblock but I’m still able to get it if needed.
RIP Caterpillar 2023-2023
Could you build me one 😩😩😩❤️
That poor caterpillar @0:15 :(((
Ya that’s tough 😅 rip little dude
Good work but adding a lot of extra weight to lug around.
Something tells me that you're a glass half empty kind of guy?
Very poor explanation. I wonder why you made this video.
Sorry to disappoint you ✌🏼😁
Great carpentry skills! 🔨 🪚 Very good video 🙂
Much appreciated, with a lot of help the adventures continue 😁