One problem when fitting out a campervan is that there are very few straight edges to build up to. So I’d like to share this little tip that will show you how I made hardboard templates and got my campervan’s interior walls and cupboards to fit perfectly.
Making a profile tool
First I made myself a simple profile tool out of a piece of wood with four holes drilled in it (to accommodate a pencil). The pencil is moved to the next suitable hole as more material is removed from the template. I also fitted a nail to the shaped end for more accuracy.
Like this…
Using the profile tool
Keeping the profile tool as horizontal as possible while gently pushing it up to the side of the vehicle, I copied the contour onto a piece of hardboard.
Like this…
Once the shape had been cut out of the hardboard, I moved the pencil to the next appropriate hole, and repeated the process until I got within a few millimetres or so of the finished contour.
Then, just using the side of the pencil pushed up against the contour, I marked the hardboard one last time, shaping the hardboard with a rasp until I had achieved a perfect fit. I then transferred the hardboard template onto the wall or cupboard master by drawing around the template with a pencil, then I cut it out with a jigsaw.
When using this method for the walls. I made a full-size template out of hardboard first, making sure that the bottom of the hardboard (the part that touched the floor) was a perfect right angle. This ensured that when the template was transferred to the MDF, and the wall cut out and put into place, that the bottom of the wall was at 90 degrees to the floor. If I hadn’t done this, anything that I built off of it would have been out of square, causing big problems later on.
Pictures of two examples made using the profile tool…
A top cupboard that fits tight up against the roof lining.
A wardrobe wall mirroring the contours of the roof lining and window aperture.
I hope this tip helps, and that you find it useful in building your own diy campervan!