I have watched so many channels on Promaster builds but you and your wife are my favorite, so I will stay here🤗 I am only at the beginning stage; wire brushed any rust I saw today, and will prime + paint with Rustoleum tomorrow, then the scary first step - install the MAxxAir fans😭. I will use your videos as my guide, so thank you enormously for making such awesome instructional (and entertaining) content! I don't think most people realize how time-consuming it is to film AND edit on top of such a huge project!!! But you two are naturals🤩🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Jeez. I am so sorry that we did not respond sooner....I completely missed this comment. We are so glad the videos are helpful to you. You areYou right.....its a bit or work to build and film but we do enjoy it. We hope your fans went in well and that your build is coming along well. Good luck to you...
The detailed steps you provide is so incredibly helpful!! I have no experience with this kind of work. However, after watching your videos, I feel significantly more confident that I can do this in my own Promaster (I’ve had it for a year with no ceiling). And you guys are so cool….which helps! Thank you so much for posting your videos!!!
So glad they are helpful, Tammy....Please feel free to reach out if there is anything we can help with. And my guess is that you can do a lot more than you think you can. :)
Nice job guys. I’ve seen so many videos of other builders doing this particular step. I have to say that you are the only ones that have run a straight edge to check that everything is on the same plane. Every video I watch, I pick up on something that will improve my build, when I get to do it. I think your way of tackling this step is the best I’ve seen. I subbed as I think I can learn much more, as you progress.
Hi Ian, So glad the video was helpful to you. We tried our best to keep things square and still, somehow, we have lots of uneven places....but I guess thats the reality of building a home in a van. Please don't hesitate to reach out if we can be of any assistance to you :)
Hi Marc and Tania. Your provide so much clarity and detail in your videos that it's easy to follow long. Thank you for passing along your knowledge and experience. In the supplies list, I don't see what kind of adhesive you used to hold up those last five pieces of wood in the back and front. I used liquid nails to hold down my sub floor framing (generously applied) and some of them didn't hold. So I'm curious what you trusted to adhere your wood to sheet metal. Thanks again for your great videos!
Hi Trish, So sorry its taking us this long to respond....We were in NJ for family matters for about 3 weeks.....came back to GA....and all got Covid :( We have mainly used 2 types of adhesive.....Loctite PL and Sikaflex 221. We prefer the Sikaflex but it needs to be ordered online if you want it. We are having the same issue with the subfloor. There are spots that POP when we step on them.....drives me nuts. Before laying down our finished floor, my plan to to drive a mess more screws in it....info the 2x2s
Anyone starting your build, especially if you are tall and need all the headroom you can muster, consider not giving up vertical space by adding framing. There is simply no reason you can't attach the ceiling directly to the ribs. In my case, being 6'2", I can stand in shoes in my ProMaster 159" because I minimized the waste at floor and ceiling. For the ceiling, I used Polyiso board between the ribs for insulation, then you create a two layer ceiling out of thin tongue and groove boards (home depot), glued to a luan or other 1/4" plywood as a backing for strength. you can measure and cut the plywood backing width to make it just less than X number of t&g boards, in my case, 5 of them. You want it just less than the 5 board width so the plywood backing doesn't interfere with the t&g unions. Doing so meant my ceiling covers the width of the van in just three sections I need to attach. Since these are plenty strong (remember, they are fully glued to the backing everywhere), you will only need to use 2 rivnets per section at each rib. This means less screws than the "steam punk" method you so often see where people put up t&g and all you can see are all the screws in the ceiling since they have to put at least 1 per board. When you instead glue each board to the backing plywood, you are creating a unibody assembly that can then be more easily attached and with fewer bolts instead of screws. After each section sets up overnight, drill out for your ceiling LED lights before adding the lights and attaching it all to the ceiling. In my case, the ceiling lights are also recessed into the t&g so that the plywood backing layer is holding the light. This means not even the edge of a ceiling light is sticking down to catch your head on. If you want to do that, you need to carefully mark where each light will go, and when you glue down the t&g boards, you need to NOT glue within about a 3" circle where each light will be installed. That way, you gently drill out JUST the t&g side with a hole saw sized to recess each light fixture flush to the plywood backing, and then from the back side, using the same pilot hole, use a smaller hole saw appropriate for the light fixture to penetrate and lock itself into place. whala, no lights sticking down at all and best of all, those ceiling lights are about the same thickness as the t&g, so it all looks great and custom. You'll need a couple helpers to mount the 3 ceiling sections (them holding these up for you), and keep in mind that because you can stagger the t&g to span across plywood to create a, say, 12' long ceiling run, you can run the entire length of the van in a single run, again, three of these runs can cover the entire width of your ceiling. To get ready to install them you need to measure where you roughly want the rivnuts in each rib using the edge of the section you are mounting as the reference point to measure from (hold it up and mark each rib). Then take it down, measure over for each hole to hit solid ceiling rib (not some preexisting hole partially), and write down those measurements (or write it on the rib!). Now just get your helpers to lift the section again, measure over for each hole, and drill a pilot hole big enough for your bolt you'll use. After all the pilot holes are drilled, lower the section and let your helpers rest while you drill and insert all the rivnuts. Now just lift the ceiling and screw in all the bolts, again, 2 at each rib should do it. use the trim washers (available for your choice of #8 or #10 bolts at home depot) so that it looks nice. Of course, you needed to cut your ends to fit the rounded corner at the back doors, and then to length into the overhead storage where you want the ceiling to end before mounting it all. You will also need your cutouts for whatever ceiling vents you are adding. In my case, I Shou Sugi Ban'd the t&g and stained it in aqua for a one of a kind look. Stain over Shou Sugi Ban gives off sort of a subtle iridescent hint like fish scales due to the carbonization of the wood when burning giving the stain some reflectivity behind the color...
Thank you, I am sure this will be helpful to anyone reading it. We are far from 6'2"....closer to 5'2" :). We certainly would have done things differently if we were taller.
When you live in GA and need to prevent heat in the van, you have to have a radiant barrier between the insulation and the ceiling. The strips allow for that. I put reflextic on my ceiling material below the radiant barrier so the heat couldn't penetrate the van.
I am having a very frustrating time getting my drilled holes to line up perfectly with my Rivnuts. Can you offer some tips on how to get them to line up perfectly and how to fix them when they don't?
Hi Joanna, So sorry for the delayed response. I have been away from home with much internet access. Did you see our Play-Doh trick in the Upper Cabinet Video? That is the best hack we have found. You could also blob some pain on the bolt heads and push the cabinet up against it. That hardest part for us is ths constant concern that the RivNuts are going to spin out on us (many already have). So we are very careful in how many times we tighten bolts into them. If you find that the holes are not perfectly lining up, you could try making the holes a bit bigger. This woudl a least provide some wiggle room for the bolts. We have had to do that several times.
@@marctania2349 First, thank you for taking the time with your videos. They've been the best instructional videos I've come across. Did a little research on the effect of vibration on bolts. It's shocking to see how easily fasteners come undone when subject to vibration. The best rated products for this are nordlock washers and Loctite 2760 liquid. Both are kind of expensive but given the amount of vibration from driving it's money well spent. I've gone with Loctite 2760 given I'm attaching wood. Using the loctite 2760 does require the bolt and rivet nut be perfectly clean before applying. I don't see that as a major drawback. Thanks again for the effort you both put into the videos.
Thanks this is very helpful. Just curious why you chose to use small pieces of wood for the framing near the headliner instead of 1 long piece like the rest?
Up by the headliner, there wasn't a place to screw in the strips and I was worried that bending a piece of long wood would cause a lot of stress on the glue. So we used many smaller pieces to approximate the curve. Then we used a piece of flexible PVC board on top of that....Seemed to work well
I have watched so many channels on Promaster builds but you and your wife are my favorite, so I will stay here🤗 I am only at the beginning stage; wire brushed any rust I saw today, and will prime + paint with Rustoleum tomorrow, then the scary first step - install the MAxxAir fans😭. I will use your videos as my guide, so thank you enormously for making such awesome instructional (and entertaining) content! I don't think most people realize how time-consuming it is to film AND edit on top of such a huge project!!! But you two are naturals🤩🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Jeez. I am so sorry that we did not respond sooner....I completely missed this comment. We are so glad the videos are helpful to you. You areYou right.....its a bit or work to build and film but we do enjoy it. We hope your fans went in well and that your build is coming along well. Good luck to you...
The headliner part is so frustrating because there's no place to drill into. Thank you for showing how to do that part.
So glad the video was helpful
Meanwhile me with 2" tappers drilling through 1x2 crossbeams 😂
Love this vid, crimping doesn't get enough love
Glad you enjoyed it.....the crimping is a pain....but it does hold well
The detailed steps you provide is so incredibly helpful!! I have no experience with this kind of work. However, after watching your videos, I feel significantly more confident that I can do this in my own Promaster (I’ve had it for a year with no ceiling). And you guys are so cool….which helps! Thank you so much for posting your videos!!!
So glad they are helpful, Tammy....Please feel free to reach out if there is anything we can help with. And my guess is that you can do a lot more than you think you can. :)
@@perrellapartyof5 thank you!!!!
Nice job guys. I’ve seen so many videos of other builders doing this particular step. I have to say that you are the only ones that have run a straight edge to check that everything is on the same plane. Every video I watch, I pick up on something that will improve my build, when I get to do it. I think your way of tackling this step is the best I’ve seen. I subbed as I think I can learn much more, as you progress.
Hi Ian, So glad the video was helpful to you. We tried our best to keep things square and still, somehow, we have lots of uneven places....but I guess thats the reality of building a home in a van. Please don't hesitate to reach out if we can be of any assistance to you :)
After doing the same rib on the roof of our van we know how long it seems to take to drill that dam hole HURRY UP I CANT HOLD THIS ALL DAY BRROOOOO
Haha. So true.....We had lots of those kinds of moments :)
Hi Marc and Tania. Your provide so much clarity and detail in your videos that it's easy to follow long. Thank you for passing along your knowledge and experience. In the supplies list, I don't see what kind of adhesive you used to hold up those last five pieces of wood in the back and front. I used liquid nails to hold down my sub floor framing (generously applied) and some of them didn't hold. So I'm curious what you trusted to adhere your wood to sheet metal. Thanks again for your great videos!
Hi Trish, So sorry its taking us this long to respond....We were in NJ for family matters for about 3 weeks.....came back to GA....and all got Covid :(
We have mainly used 2 types of adhesive.....Loctite PL and Sikaflex 221. We prefer the Sikaflex but it needs to be ordered online if you want it.
We are having the same issue with the subfloor. There are spots that POP when we step on them.....drives me nuts. Before laying down our finished floor, my plan to to drive a mess more screws in it....info the 2x2s
Anyone starting your build, especially if you are tall and need all the headroom you can muster, consider not giving up vertical space by adding framing. There is simply no reason you can't attach the ceiling directly to the ribs. In my case, being 6'2", I can stand in shoes in my ProMaster 159" because I minimized the waste at floor and ceiling.
For the ceiling, I used Polyiso board between the ribs for insulation, then you create a two layer ceiling out of thin tongue and groove boards (home depot), glued to a luan or other 1/4" plywood as a backing for strength. you can measure and cut the plywood backing width to make it just less than X number of t&g boards, in my case, 5 of them. You want it just less than the 5 board width so the plywood backing doesn't interfere with the t&g unions. Doing so meant my ceiling covers the width of the van in just three sections I need to attach. Since these are plenty strong (remember, they are fully glued to the backing everywhere), you will only need to use 2 rivnets per section at each rib. This means less screws than the "steam punk" method you so often see where people put up t&g and all you can see are all the screws in the ceiling since they have to put at least 1 per board. When you instead glue each board to the backing plywood, you are creating a unibody assembly that can then be more easily attached and with fewer bolts instead of screws. After each section sets up overnight, drill out for your ceiling LED lights before adding the lights and attaching it all to the ceiling. In my case, the ceiling lights are also recessed into the t&g so that the plywood backing layer is holding the light. This means not even the edge of a ceiling light is sticking down to catch your head on. If you want to do that, you need to carefully mark where each light will go, and when you glue down the t&g boards, you need to NOT glue within about a 3" circle where each light will be installed. That way, you gently drill out JUST the t&g side with a hole saw sized to recess each light fixture flush to the plywood backing, and then from the back side, using the same pilot hole, use a smaller hole saw appropriate for the light fixture to penetrate and lock itself into place. whala, no lights sticking down at all and best of all, those ceiling lights are about the same thickness as the t&g, so it all looks great and custom.
You'll need a couple helpers to mount the 3 ceiling sections (them holding these up for you), and keep in mind that because you can stagger the t&g to span across plywood to create a, say, 12' long ceiling run, you can run the entire length of the van in a single run, again, three of these runs can cover the entire width of your ceiling.
To get ready to install them you need to measure where you roughly want the rivnuts in each rib using the edge of the section you are mounting as the reference point to measure from (hold it up and mark each rib). Then take it down, measure over for each hole to hit solid ceiling rib (not some preexisting hole partially), and write down those measurements (or write it on the rib!). Now just get your helpers to lift the section again, measure over for each hole, and drill a pilot hole big enough for your bolt you'll use. After all the pilot holes are drilled, lower the section and let your helpers rest while you drill and insert all the rivnuts. Now just lift the ceiling and screw in all the bolts, again, 2 at each rib should do it. use the trim washers (available for your choice of #8 or #10 bolts at home depot) so that it looks nice. Of course, you needed to cut your ends to fit the rounded corner at the back doors, and then to length into the overhead storage where you want the ceiling to end before mounting it all. You will also need your cutouts for whatever ceiling vents you are adding.
In my case, I Shou Sugi Ban'd the t&g and stained it in aqua for a one of a kind look. Stain over Shou Sugi Ban gives off sort of a subtle iridescent hint like fish scales due to the carbonization of the wood when burning giving the stain some reflectivity behind the color...
Thank you, I am sure this will be helpful to anyone reading it. We are far from 6'2"....closer to 5'2" :). We certainly would have done things differently if we were taller.
When you live in GA and need to prevent heat in the van, you have to have a radiant barrier between the insulation and the ceiling. The strips allow for that. I put reflextic on my ceiling material below the radiant barrier so the heat couldn't penetrate the van.
Great video Marc & Tania. What is the length of the nut you used and washer size? Thanks
Hi Jean, Which nuts are you referring to? Most of the bolts that we used were 1/4-20 and 1" long. The washers were 1/4-20 as well
I am having a very frustrating time getting my drilled holes to line up perfectly with my Rivnuts. Can you offer some tips on how to get them to line up perfectly and how to fix them when they don't?
Hi Joanna, So sorry for the delayed response. I have been away from home with much internet access. Did you see our Play-Doh trick in the Upper Cabinet Video? That is the best hack we have found. You could also blob some pain on the bolt heads and push the cabinet up against it. That hardest part for us is ths constant concern that the RivNuts are going to spin out on us (many already have). So we are very careful in how many times we tighten bolts into them. If you find that the holes are not perfectly lining up, you could try making the holes a bit bigger. This woudl a least provide some wiggle room for the bolts. We have had to do that several times.
@@marctania2349 First, thank you for taking the time with your videos. They've been the best instructional videos I've come across. Did a little research on the effect of vibration on bolts. It's shocking to see how easily fasteners come undone when subject to vibration. The best rated products for this are nordlock washers and Loctite 2760 liquid. Both are kind of expensive but given the amount of vibration from driving it's money well spent. I've gone with Loctite 2760 given I'm attaching wood. Using the loctite 2760 does require the bolt and rivet nut be perfectly clean before applying. I don't see that as a major drawback. Thanks again for the effort you both put into the videos.
Thanks this is very helpful. Just curious why you chose to use small pieces of wood for the framing near the headliner instead of 1 long piece like the rest?
Up by the headliner, there wasn't a place to screw in the strips and I was worried that bending a piece of long wood would cause a lot of stress on the glue. So we used many smaller pieces to approximate the curve. Then we used a piece of flexible PVC board on top of that....Seemed to work well
No mask when spraying paint.... You can wash your hands but not your lungs. 😒
Good point