Camper Van Conversion Shopping List
We list everything what you need for your DIY van conversion here. Just click the category below and start shopping!
Van Build Essential Tools
DEWALT Cordless Drill
The electric power drill is an essential tool for a van conversion. Luckily, you don’t need an expensive or overly one to get the job done. This DeWalt power drill is relatively inexpensive and provided all the power we needed.
Or better yet, ask your neighbor. Everyone’s got a power drill somewhere in their garage.
DEWALT Jig Saw
A jigsaw is another essential tool. You’ll likely be using a jigsaw for almost every part of your build that involves cutting wood. Whether you want to cut through wood, plastic, or even sheet metal, this DeWalt jigsaw can do that. (Make sure you’re using the right saw blades.)
Bonus: You can interchange the batteries between this jigsaw and the DeWalt power drill.
DEWALT Table Saw
Not an essential tool, but if making easy straight cuts in your wood boards is important to you, no other tool does it easier than a table saw.
There’s a steep learning curve, but once you get used to it, you’ll be churning out high-quality straight cuts all the time.
Pair with a high-quality saw blade for the best results.
Miter Saw
We loved our miter saw, but we wouldn’t label it as a 100% essential tool. It’s great for sawing the wood planks we needed to make our ceiling and drawers, but if you’re on a tight budget, a jigsaw can do similar work.
But it was sure fun to operate!
Circular Saw
Since we used a table saw, our circular saw didn’t get much action. We only used it to cut our butcher block counter top.
But if budget is a concern, a circular saw is likely a better investment than a table saw. It’s easier to use and has a greater range of uses.
Essential Tools For Camper Van Build
If you’re planning to undertake this project to convert a camper van, chances are you’ll need quite a bit of tools.
In this section, we outline all the tools and accessories we used to build our camper. Some tools are more useful than others and so we’ll let you know which ones we consider essential and which ones are simply ‘nice to have’.
Read more: Essential Tools To Build A Camper Van Build
Fan & Windows
Maxxair RV Vent Fan
A RV vent fan may not be the sexiest item in your camper van, but it is low-key one of the most essential items to have. Maxxair has the highest quality in the market.
Learn More Detail: Maxxair Fan Review: The Best Vent Fan For Camper Vans
RecPro RV Window
Pairing a window with a vent fan really helps to have strong air circulation all throughout you van. Pulling fresh air into your vehicle instantly increases your van’s livability, especially during hot, muggy, and rainy days.
Read More: How To Install RV Windows In A Camper Van
Insulation
Havelock Wool
Sheep’s wool is fast becoming the camper van insulation material of choice for many van lifers. Wool is a renewable material, non-toxic to produce and to breathe in. By absorbing moisture and condensation, sheep’s wool helps keep your camper van dry and mold free.
Learn More About Insulation: Camper Van Insulation: The Ultimate Guide
Walls
Cross Nut Installation Tool
Though DIY installation method is cheaper, we VERY MUCH recommend getting an actual installation tool. This tool ensures that all your cross nuts are VERY TIGHTLY compressed onto your van’s frame. Some of our hand-cranked cross nuts don’t adhere very well to the metal wall and freely rotate.
Read More: How To Build & Install Furring Strips In A Camper Van
1/3" plywood
Choosing the thickness of your van’s walls is an important first step. Too thick and you are adding unnecessary weight. Too thin and your walls will be too flimsy. In our van, we chose 1/3″ for our plywood wall thickness. We felt 1/4″ was too thin and 1/2″ was too thick and heavy.
Ceiling & Floor
Tongue-and-Groove Cedar Planks
While there are different types of wood to use for a van conversion ceiling, cedar wood is a great choice as a ceiling material for a number of reasons. Cedar wood is not only beautiful itself, it is also lightweight, has insect repelling effect.
Learn More: How To Install A Ceiling In A DIY Camper Van: Detailed Guide With Tips
Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
Luxury vinyl planks are easy to install because L-shaped lips are constructed on the edges of each of the planks. They are water & scratch resistant and easy to clean, which is suitable for van life!
Learn More: Camper Van Floor Installation In A DIY Van Conversion
Bed & Benches
LINENSPA 5" Mattress
Foam mattresses are often considered to be the best mattresses for camper vans. They’re lightweight, easy to cut, and are affordable. We’ve slept on our LINENSPA foam mattress for 3 years and love it.
Also Read: Best Campervan Mattress? LINENSPA Foam Mattress Review
DALUOBO Swivel Table
Swivel table is a great way to save extra space and create a smooth pathway in camper vans. This DALUOBO swivel table leg is easy to set up, made of aluminum so it is lightweight and durable.
Also Read: How To Build A Camper Van Bed Frame (Step-by-Step)
Solar System
BougeRV 200W 9BB Solar Panel
We use these Newpowa panels on our van and we’ve found that the dimensions of two of these 180-watt panels fit the best when mounting these panels side-by-side on a commercial van, such as a Transit, Sprinter, or Promaster.
Solar Charge Controller
Charge controllers are a critical component to any solar system build. But we love our Victron charge controller because it’s Bluetooth enabled. This means we can regularly check all our solar harvesting data right on our smartphones. Check out our Victron solar charge controller review to learn more!
Camper Van Custom Solar System Diagram
Our solar system wiring eBook teaches you everything you need to know to build your own solar system in your camper van or RV.
From detailed wiring diagrams, clickable product images, and loads of informative side content, we’re sure you’ll learn a thing (or two!) about putting together your own system.
Best of all, our eBook is completely free.
To learn more: Read our solar installation guide.
Electrical System
Deep Cycle Lithium Battery
Forget lead acid, AGM batteries. Lithium (LiFePO4) deep cycle batteries are what you need. They last longer, can be discharged deeper, are smaller in size, and lighter in weight.
For the best value, we recommend this Redodo lithium battery. It packs lots of power in a compact design, priced affordably, and is well reviewed online.
Victron 2000VA Inverter Charger
Planning to charge a laptop, operate a blender, or bring along your favorite electric toothbrush? You’ll need an inverter to power all those standard household devices. The 2000VA Victron inverter/charge does all that and also helps us charge our house batteries when we’re parked next to shore power.
Hasn’t failed us yet!
Camper Van DIY Electrical System Diagram
For a general overview of electrical wiring in a camper van (or RV), we recommend downloading our electrical eBook. It’s packed full of illustrated diagrams & clickable product images for shopping convenience.
And just like all our other eBooks, this one is completely free to download.
Furniture
Maple Butcher Block Counter Top
Using butcher block to create a countertop is a camper van favorite due to their warm look, wide range of colors, and easy DIY installation.
Plumbing System
Ruvati 15 x 15 inch RV Sink
Our sink’s almost perfect square shape is incredibly space efficient. And space efficiency is exactly what we want in a small living environment, like in a camper van. Includes a colander to dry dishes and a beautiful cutting board made from African Mahogany.
We would never go with any other sink option.
APPASO Kitchen Faucet
We pair this beautiful goose-neck faucet without Ruvati sink. It comes with a useful two-way nozzle (heavy stream vs. powerful spray) and, best of all, the entire faucet neck rotates out of the way when not needed.
Great for space efficiency.
Mini-Tank Water Heater
This water tank heater is a popular option for those building their own camper shower system. However, you’ll need decent battery capacity and at least a 3000VA Inverter to power it.
Shower Head (With On/Off Switch)
This low flow-rate shower head is perfect for water conservation. Connected to our 10-gallon water tank, this shower head gave us lots showers out the back of our van.
There is also a nifty on/off switch on the shower head for greater water-preservation ease.
Camper Van DIY Plumbing System Diagram
Speaking from experience, building your own plumbing system is seriously no fun! Finding the right pieces and components to ensure everything fits together is time intensive and a real headache.
Let our plumbing eBook take care of everything, from start to finish. Just like all our other eBooks, it’s completely free.
