This trapped air is how the insulation works. Whilst carpeting isnt necessary, I thought I would as I had some leftovers. Make sure all the edges are even with each other, and tape up the corners. Some of these options would allow the curtains to slide open and closed more easily than others. Remember: This only works if your cars windows are the same shape on the left and right sides. It only has an insulative R value when it is allowed to have an air gap between two panels of the material. Before I started making all the covers, I wanted to test out my idea. If youre wondering how to make camper curtains for your truck shell, car, suv, van, or campervan - youve landed in the right spot! Wondering why you used 2 layers of reflectix? Contact Us, DIY, how to, build, truck camping, interior. Attaching to Window Frame- Youll use both the hook/scratchy and loop/fuzzy sides of the velcro, one sewn onto the fabric and the other adhered onto the frame. That all being said, I couldnt think of another material rigid and yet flexible for pushing these into the window sills of my car and then storing them. on: function(evt, cb) { I have all my lights on in the car and they are pretty bright. When choosing this method, you cut the reflectix to the size of the windows and wedge it in the tracks. For our Toyota Highlander, we elected to make blinds for only the back five windows. Or purchasing premade blackout curtains and cutting them to size may require less time, effort, and money. } They help us to continue our journey across the U.S., and to provide fun content on this platform. So measure slightly beyond the size of the glass when there is a track it can be wedged into. This allows us to crack the front windows to allow fresh air. However, blackout curtain liner is available by the yard and can be attached to fabric of your choosing. If needing adhesive, buy industrial strength and make sure you go with lightweight fabric. This left a really nice edge.I then began carpeting the side that would face inside the van. The finished covers would now bend and stay in place, letting is as much air as I wanted! I also didnt want to be woken up by excess light coming from passing cars or even the rising sun. You can really see the effectiveness of the when I open the door. If you already know the style of DIY camper curtain youre interested in, skip ahead by clicking on the image: *(This post contains affiliate links. That big piece of black, the the right of the image, framed by the red metal skin of the car should be as see through as the other window in the shot, but its not! Taking two layers of reflectix now, I used the Super 77 spray adhesive to attach the fabric to each separate piece of Reflectix. This was a good short term fix, but the modification had so many problems I wont bother to show the construction. #Vanlife #NissanNV200 #LensOfJamesDISCLAIMER: In this video, I am in no way stating that this is the proper way to undertake the conversion of a van, however after research and experience using the van, I believe this to be the way that is best suited to my van and the way I intend to use it. At checkout, use " faroutride " coupon code to get 5% discount! With this, the cab is unfolded as indoor space; negating one curtain. And since the two door and back side windows are symmetric I only had to take one template of each. Attachment I would have to play with ideas myself but here are a few to get you started. These are the only windows in my van, so I would be making two sets of identical side window covers and one large cover for the windscreen. forms: { If your keeping score, thats now four layers of heavy fleece and a layer of Reflectix. After cutting the reflectix to size as described above, trace each piece onto your fabric, paying close attention to keeping your fabrics pattern level if it has one. 4. You can buy reflectix in different size rolls online or from big-box hardware stores. Heres my van conversion technic playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB4vW5hB1e8Vi9wM9OzQU59NtSmpUAHXHIn the video, you will also see my converted van. * Tip - using plastic coated picture hanging wire* will allow the curtains to slide more readily. Curtains dont get removed so dont have to be stored elsewhere, Look nice whether up or down, interior and exterior view, Extra steps needed if your windows tilt outwards at the bottom. (function() { I wanted to still be able to press the window covers in flat to block out all light, but I needed a way to hold the top edges down while I slept. If you cut your pieces so that these creases are 90 apart from eachother it will yield a much more rigid panel. I simply pealed apart the two halves of each window cover, and then placed in the wire, and used some more spray adhesive to join everything back together. I like the idea of the covers for all the windows. You really have some good ideas here. Or use magnets sewn into the hem of your curtain as shown in the image from vanspiration - Zachs 2003 Chevrolet Express. I used strips of duct tape running perpendicular to the curve of the reflectix to reinforce the panel as a whole, and ended up hand-sewing all the edges of the coversafter adhering them to each other, there were several spots where the two sides didnt fully match up. Let me know which van life subjects interest you! It was also important to stay organized since all the panels looked similar and could have easily become mixed when proceeding to cover each panel in fabric. Well I actually tried it. If your curtain rod needs to stretch a wide expanse, like in a truck shell camper, you may also need to mount hardware in the middle of the window for extra support. You then use strips of velcro on the fabric or magnets in the hem to attach it to your existing vehicle headliner or onto your window frame, creating simple and effective window covers, as shown in this instructables photo posted by cstewart000. However, even though the window covers were exceptional at blocking out everything I wanted, I quickly realized that they also blocked out the air. Overview. Basically the way a hollow core door is made. If you cant wedge the material into your track (because of a screen or maybe there isnt a track at all), use velcro tabs or strips to hold the reflectix in place around window. The small quarter glass covers stay in place on their own too.For a homemade DIY attempt at making thermal blackout camper van window covers, Im thrilled with the results and Ive no doubt that the covers will do a great job at keeping the condensation to a minimum at night and keeping the sun out during the day. Thanks for watching and if youve enjoyed this video, please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE! This diy camper curtain idea has a lot of variation. Shortly after I finished the window covers, I set up the sleeping space in the car and went to sleep in the parking lot of my apartment to test out some of my systems. Find this Pin and more on Van Conversion Life by Joe Dlugosz. Above you can see me using a Sharpie to denote inside/outside layers and right/left side for the the applicable panels. This will make your space look and feel smaller while letting extra light in, and theyll get in the way. ), this pack* would be good if you already have magnetic surfaces around your windows, this pack* would be good if you need to add magnetic surfaces (adhesive set and double the magnets), if using lightweight fabric, this style* would be strong enough, sewing machine and basic sewing kit (maybe!). I only had a hatchback then. What we came up with, were insulated car window blackout covers. By accessing or using this site you are indicating your consent to and agreement with the: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Affiliate Disclosure, Powered by a Toyota 22R | 2022, takethetruck unless otherwise noted. Thanks for posting it. The tulle was way too weak, the velcro started to tear up my headliner, and the covers would fall out of the frames when I opened a doors because they were attached to the ceiling. Can partially open curtains to let in some light, No taking curtains up and down and storing elsewhere, Extra step needed if your windows tilt outwards at the bottom, Some makeshift rods wont allow the curtains to smoothly open. So, I took the smallest window template in the car and cut out a few Reflectix panels that matched the template, and then cut out each fabric color with about an inch of overlap. Make any necessary adjustments for the templates to snuggly fit the windows. I was staying with some family right before I left on my trip to Maine. Velcro: We recommend opting for sew-on velcro when attaching to your curtains. The Super 77 spray adhesive is a contact cement, so make sure to let the two sides dry a little before pushing them together. But, JoAnns had some fleece on sale at the time for about half the price of the felt. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LensOfJames Entire van conversion playlist: https://bit.ly/2ZewxLt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogi.the.van/ Check out my van blog: https://nv200vanconversion.wordpress.com Thermal suction cups 1: https://ebay.us/dUPVoT (affiliate link) Thermal suction cups 2: https://ebay.us/n2q8Ax (affiliate link) Trim Fix high temperature contact adhesive: https://amzn.to/3vPsO41 (affiliate link) Thermawrap bubble wrap insulation: https://amzn.to/3BRcSCk (affiliate link) Music: https://soundcloud.com/architct0:00 - Intro0:16 - Measuring the windows and making templates1:13 - Making a prototype1:27 - Making the windows covers1:47 - Checking the fit and adjusting2:28 - Cutting out a second layer of reflectix3:44 - Carpeting the window covers5:17 - Adding edges to the window covers8:40 - Adding suction cups9:36 - Testing the covers out!---I started by measuring the van windscreen, the two large side windows and the two small side windows. And some more icing on the cake, the fleece fabric of the covers absorbed excess moisture and prevented the windows from fogging! We also decided to use magnetic tabs to hold the window covers up because our campervan windows are metal. See image from ethanmaurice.com for clarification! You could also use the existing corner screws to attach a hook or an eye type of mount, and then run a makeshift rod out of bungee cord, string, wire, etc between that. Velcro straps fasten alongside the lowest beneath neath every replicate stem. This looked much cleaner and was surprisingly sturdy, not feeling like it would fall apart. The careful reader will notice that I failed to do this, so definitely listen to Lucas of the future on this one! Test beforehand to be sure it is good enough to hold up the weight of your fabric! I could then turn the cover over and repeat the process to complete the edge. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2. I was really glad to have taken all of these cutouts to my car for a dry fit. He said everyone uses them in Spain. I arranged the wire in a zig-zag pattern of roughly four inch by five inch rectangles all the way along the length of the panel where the window opened. Also fully like all materials gets stronger with multiple layers. Going this route can allow you to use a heavier weight fabric. With all the planning accomplished, I began the long process of tracing all the panels onto the fabric leaving about a 1 inch of allowance to be wrapped around the edge of the Reflectix. Measure a window, length x height with tape measure. When you've sewn up three sides, flip the shade right-side out. To add a semi-rigid structure to the blinds. In my test, I bent the top edge of the window covers down to open the interior of the car to the outside air. Be my guest and leave me a comment! Another option is to make or buy your own custom window covers. Likewise, these insulated window covers keep cold air from seeping in through the windows in cold weather, keeping it nice & cozy! I sprayed contact adhesive onto both the cover edge and the fabric edge and, once the solvent had evaporated, worked my way round carefully pressing them together for a neat finish.At the corners, I made cuts to get rid of the excess fabric. If your windows are tilted out like they are in many campers, your curtains will hang straight down into your living space. For this option, you cut fabric to be the same shape and size of your window. Here are a few different ways to address that problem: * Tip - Check if your window frame screw heads are magnetic, and if not, check out these magnets* that adhere to your frame. This video explains how to easily do stealth insulated window covers for a converted van, or for car camping.This video is part of a series about van conversion. When it comes to winter road trips, lets be honest theyre cold! Read More. Quick and easy to do (under a couple of hours), Insulates from both cold and heat (reflective surface does wonders), No modification to your vehicle or truck shell, Aesthetics-not nice to look at from the inside or outside (but!! Ensure that the pieces of cardboard you select are larger than the windows in your car. First, decide if youre attaching the fabric to your window frame or to your vehicle headliner. You can even contour your cut to the shape of your window pane for a perfect fit! pinking shears* if you have them, otherwise regular scissors. With the windows measured, I made templates to work from. Use really lightweight fabric along with adhesive velcro. This completely escaped my mind, and would be a major problem in the mosquito infested state I would be heading to. Weve written a very detailed post titled How To Make Roll-Up Camper Shell Curtains with step-by-step directions on how to make these curtains for your camper. Our initial instinct was to attempt to make the blinds fit the windows perfectly. Gutter screens cut to fit,will slide into channel,have about 4inches of outside air. So cheap and lasted me three years even going through lots of rain. This product is a reflective window insulation similar to windshield sun visors. This made them a little more finicky to setup (especially when opening and closing doors) than I would have liked, but I got the hang of it after a little while. You want the reflectix to wedge in the window track where possible, as this holds the reflectix in place against the window, but not be so oversized that it bows out in the middle. There should be two pieces of insulation per cardboard template. ADCO cover suits our 2015 Ford E450 pretty nicely. They were very easy to locate since they all could only go in one way now with the black sides facing outwards and the white sides facing inwards. Step by step instructions and commentary. [] warmth by putting a thick reflective sun shield in your front windshield, and cutting insets out of Reflectix wrap (available at most hardware stores) for your other windows. Think about needing to occasionally remove and clean them when youre considering how to mount them. It proved to me that the window covers blocked out a lot of light that would have kept me awake. Also, I now know that I can get plenty of airflow from just four cracked windows, even in a southern summer. The first DIY project we tackled was to make insulated "blackout" window covers so that we could have some privacy inside the car wherever we were parked for the night. Remember how I said I wanted to sew these? This product is a reflective window insulation similar to windshield sun visors. This will help keep your van cool in hot temps! I understand the best application of the foil reflecting layer is to be backed up by an air gap. I was in my rav4 on the eurotrip Poland Czech Austria ..Grossglockner .. Italy France .and far far away. We supply, replace, install, and create custom window frames, skylights, doors, sliding doors, and shutters. For blackout curtains: It is difficult to find blackout fabric with patterns or designs by the yard. })(); Copyright 2018. After all the templates are cut out, trace them onto the roll of reflective insulation. Thanks for the great information, and photos. Trace the Templates onto the Roll of Insulation 15 minutes Cardboard template sandwiched between pieces of insulation. But, I found that its actually not very good for this application. Many people make these using materials primarily found around their house, but a few links are given throughout. ); I stuck the pieces together using Trim Fix high temperature contact adhesive and then trimmed them down. As an engineer, I had to look at all of these materials to see if they would work for my application. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( Lucas, I have an 2007 RAV4. While I was down at the car, I also took note of the covers that were directly contacting a steel door frame. The black on silver shows right through and I had to disassemble some of the panels to clean this up. Consider the weight of the fabric and the method youre using to mount the curtain. It actually took me a second to realize where I had put up the test privacy window cover, because it worked so well in preventing light in or out. Insulated Van Window Covers Custom sprinter van camper insulated window covers can provide a barrier between the heat from the summer sun and the cold from the winter nights. And thats exactly what I made! [] If you want to find out all the details of how I build these covers, got great airflow through them, and bug proofed them, check out this dedicated article:Make The Best Privacy Window Covers Complete Guide [], I have to Rav4 2005 long time. & SAVE $500+! Apply Cement to the edge of the foam board and the pleather. Once you have the cardboard templates from the right side windows, just trace the templates out on spare pieces of cardboard. Before we tape up the sides (learn from our mistakes), mark on the blinds where to cut off extra material. Did I miss something? Please make more! With the fabric attached on both halves of each panel, I used the same spray adhesive to join the halves, making sure all the edges lined up. A great plus is the short time involved to build them. Using curtain ring clips* as the photo from houseoftheworths.com below shows can fix this problem (while also helping everything slide more readily). This will show better in the following photos. Anyway, now it was time to buy all of the material. However, that does mean youll have to leave velcro on your car interior (which isnt the pretties to look at). So even though I knew I wouldnt get as much insulation as I could from this material, I continued to use Reflectix through this project. So, I had to scrap that idea and moved to plan B. Buying fabric by the yard, re-purposing sheets, or buying premade curtains to cut to size are all options. YouTube is so awesome to allow that! Shop VanMadeGear.com. Keep this in mind as you buy and cut apart your fabric. DIY Camper Window Cover Option #1: Reflectix. So all together, I needed privacy window covers that blocked out all light, were easy to setup, simple to store, and were difficult for anyone outside to know they were in place. Are Trailers better than Vans for Nomad Life? Wrapped the fabric around a single layer of Reflectix and tucked the edges of the white fabric and placed that on top of the open edges of black fabric and the exposed Reflectix. Excellent ideas. I had to take them down regularly and massage the edges of the window covers to flatten out the Reflectix to make them fit again. Since windows are a key point of heat loss, we decided to combat this. There are a few other options that dont require new holes being drilled: For a truck shell camper, 4 tension rods* wedged between the top corners could be a quick way to hang curtains. I took a video of the results as seen below: I was sitting in my car in the middle of the day. DIY Insulated van or RV window coverings. I could now think about attaching them to the van windows. Then measure your fabric, extending your measurements either out to your window frame if attaching there, or all the way to your headliner if going that route. Id love to hear your questions and comments on this content below! Although its about our truck shell camper, the directions can be used to make diy car, suv, van, or campervan curtains. My next step was to double up the insulation by gluing a second layer. They did keep bugs out of the car, but let in more and more as the netting wore. They keep enough light out to make napping in broad daylight outside, not much of a problem. The window covers are held tight against the window frame all the way around, so even if your camper sides tilt outwards you dont have extra work to do, Can look aesthetically pleasing if you find fabric you like, When the window covers are removed, youll need a place to store them, this package* has sew-on loop/soft side to go against your fabric and adhesive hook/scratchy side to go against your camper, OR magnets (rare earth magnets are super strong! Its a stronger bond that wont wear down over time and then the curtain can be thrown in the washing machine. You may find a magnetic surface like your window frame screw heads, or you could use adhesive magnets against your vehicle (linked in material list). There are also several reflective covers designed to be placed in the windshield of your vehicle, such as this windshield cover for a Class C Ford E450 . How To Make Roll-Up Camper Shell Curtains, The Best Memory Foam Truck Bed Mattress for Truck, Van, or SUV Camping, How to Cut Foam to Make the Perfect Camping Mattress, How to Install a Vent Fan in Your Truck Camper, 12 Truck Bed Camper Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. *Tip* Position the velcro on your fabric inch in from the edge rather that right up against the edge of the fabric. I taped along the side which would face the window with some aluminium foil tape to hide where the pieces join together.I could now cut out the second side window cover, copying it from the first one, in the knowledge that they would both fit perfectly. 2. I just test-drove a used van (decided not to buy it) but the young owner from Spain had made simpler, single-layer reflectix screens, with one difference: he used packing tape around the edges, that he left flapped. In other words, rather than wrapping the tape tight around, allowing maximum tape-to-reflectix adhesion, he left much of the tape out, stuck to itself, giving a super-thin flap all the way around. You must cover the entire area of the glass. They also vary in price and greatly vary in their overall look on the scale of DIY to professional. Having the tops of the window covers not be in contact with the car window frames made some of them not want to stay in place. event : evt, The goal is to get an accurate template of each window shape in the car. . Almost all of them didnt fit properly, and with the help of my scissors I reshaped them all to best fit the windows, keeping in mind that the fabric would also add some interference between the covers and the window frames. Yes! Figure this out before cutting all your window pieces, because if you cut them oriented the wrong way, they wont stay wedged in the window frame as expected. One time in 2013 i make diy roofrack (aluminium) . After all the templates are cut out, trace them onto the roll of reflective insulation. See Reflectix 2.0 below), Condensation gets trapped behind and doesnt get to dry out if you arent removing them daily, Must store them somewhere when not in use (weve typically slid them under the mattress if possible), Unable to open part way like a curtain for ventilation or letting some light in, maybe adhesive velcro* or clear command hooks* (depending on your windows). I was wondering also. This overhang will help to seal the window cover to the wall or surfaces around the window. A short curtain rode. Besides figuring these details out, I had some other concerns. Check out our 30-minute camping setup for more ideas! Step 2: Cut batting larger than Reflectix. With the right sides of the blackout and decorative pieces facing one another, sew three sides shut. You can buy reflectix in different size rolls online or from big-box hardware stores. The black fabric also worked perfectly and the car looked like any other parked car in the apartment lot. Does he mean the lines in the two Reflectix panels being glued together should run different directions from each other. Do you have a better solution to cover your windows? Totally possible to DIY. Couple tabs of Velcro would allow it to be fastened in the closed position and the open position as well.
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