Dinette Conversion

Make it comfortable inside
EdwardM
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Dinette Conversion

Post by EdwardM »

I just thought I'd share some pictures of the dinette conversion that the previous owner did with our van. We love having the chairs facing each other with a table that can take all our food or a couple of laptops if needed.

The seat towards the front covers the generator compartment along with the electrical box. The seat towards the rear did contain a drawer for storage, but we removed that and it now contains the house battery, solar converter and inverter. Underneath the table is the USB plug for the outside WiFi antenna.

Everything is done with plywood. The compressible table leg looks like it was a kit piece. ImageImageImageImageImage

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Last edited by EdwardM on Mon Feb 12, 2018 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
EdwardM
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by EdwardM »

I should also mention the seat cushions (not the one that covers the table when in sofa mode) are held in place with Velcro sewn into the covers and glued onto the wood.Image

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usachris
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by usachris »

That looks great, Ed. And super functional too. The fabric is a nice choice. Very complementary.
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EdwardM
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by EdwardM »

usachris wrote:That looks great, Ed. And super functional too. The fabric is a nice choice. Very complementary.
Haha, thanks. We got those seat covers done in Mexico from the same guy who did the front chairs. They are cotton, so comfortable, and dark so they hide the dirt. Melissa was worried they might be too busy, but we think they compliment the rest of the van well. Plus we use two of those cushions to extend the mattress when we slide out the bed.

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Sub2RainEN
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by Sub2RainEN »

Great mod! I like that it maintains the footprint, since the space is at such a premium.

EdwardM wrote:
usachris wrote:That looks great, Ed. And super functional too. The fabric is a nice choice. Very complementary.
Haha, thanks. We got those seat covers done in Mexico from the same guy who did the front chairs. They are cotton, so comfortable, and dark so they hide the dirt. Melissa was worried they might be too busy, but we think they compliment the rest of the van well. Plus we use two of those cushions to extend the mattress when we slide out the bed.

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Sheila G
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by Sheila G »

Wow this looks great! I love it.
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skater
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by skater »

Very nice!
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Choptop
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by Choptop »

Nice !!
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Kentuckian
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by Kentuckian »

We really like your dinette arrangement! Its practical, fits the floor plan well and I'll bet its more comfortable to sleep on than the jackknife couch!
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JoeD
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by JoeD »

That looks really good! I love it. How did you match the stain color so well? Also where'd you get the telescoping post?
Jersey747
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by Jersey747 »

Looks Great Ed
Thanks for posting pics and sharing , nice cabinetry work, will be doing the same myself shortly when it warms up outside ...
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usachris
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by usachris »

JoeD wrote:That looks really good! I love it. How did you match the stain color so well? Also where'd you get the telescoping post?
Hope I’m not jumping in out of turn, but I think this is the pedestal that was used: https://tinyurl.com/yafghfqk

It’s definitely a 3-stage pedestal.
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skater
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by skater »

My only gripe would be that as a 6' tall person, I'm pretty sure I'd no longer be able to use the couch as a bed. When I did use the couch as the bed, my feet hung off the end of the bed. (Just a thought for anyone considering this change. I still really like it and might do it to ours someday.)
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EdwardM
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by EdwardM »

I don't know where any pieces are from, as the previous owner did all the work. But the table leg is the only specialist piece, the rest is really just box work with plywood and then a few costs of polyurethane. I'm 6'3"and it would be just about possible to sleep on it stretched out, though I haven't done it and wouldn't want to. But for kids or afternoon naps, it would be just fine. It's by no means perfect, the front seat has way more room than the rear one for example, but we use it every day and it's great for us. I hope it gives some useful ideas to anyone considering the conversion. I'm pretty sure the floor was re-done at the same time, which would be needed to cover any holes etc.

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EdwardM
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Re: Dinette Conversion

Post by EdwardM »

usachris wrote:
JoeD wrote:That looks really good! I love it. How did you match the stain color so well? Also where'd you get the telescoping post?
Hope I’m not jumping in out of turn, but I think this is the pedestal that was used: https://tinyurl.com/yafghfqk

It’s definitely a 3-stage pedestal.
That looks like the same piece to me. I recommend it, it slides down easily when unclamped and is sturdy when in place. You can adjust the clamp tightness with two bolts on the side if needed.

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