Why IKEA Is the BEST Van Kitchen Option (And What It Cost Us)

Comments · 316

• SP

  @speckdratz · 10 months ago

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL_RaBYxpiA&amp;t=168">2:48</a> Kids, of you do this, please take your hand out of the cutting path of the saw.

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• CA

  @carolhughes312 · 1 year ago

  I made my little micro camper out of Ikea and it’s been going ten years with NO problems at all.

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• AL

  @alexb9359 · 1 year ago (edited)

  I&apos;m in a campervan buiilding business for 5+ years and you forgot to mention another downside:<br>IKEA&apos;s furniture is made &nbsp;of particle board which is toxic (cos of VOCs and formaldehyde) and will release lots of harmful fumes when heated above 35-40C. Humidity speeds up the process even further. <br><br>It&apos;s usually not an issue in a regular apartment or house due to controlled climate and lots of air volume, but in a confined space of a metal-body van which can easily heat up to 50-60C in summer, you most likely will get a dangerous levels of exposure.<br><br>In theory you can avoid it by purchasing a second-hand furniture which presumably will be mostly off-gassed. But even a second-hand will emit toxic fumes in extreme van temperatures.<br><br>This is actually the most important reason why no particle board is used in campervans furniture and its made mostly out of plywood. <br><br>Hope you guys will be safe and will not encounter any health issues. But try to keep your van as much ventilated as possible, especially when you stay in one spot in summer.

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• UN

  @UnsettledByDesign · 6 months ago

  i&apos;m a year into my van build and only like 40% done with it as I use ti to travel out of state every 2 weeks. I planned on doing everything from scratch but now I&apos;m over it. I&apos;m just gonna do this. If it lasts a couple years I&apos;m happy. I&apos;ll probably still do custom ones soem day but sick of traveling in a half done van

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• ZI

  @zingbopdelux · 1 year ago

  I have had my Sprinter tricked out as an “overnighter” camper, for 5 years … and it STILL doesn’t have a damn kitchen!! I have designed and redesigned the kitchen a dozen times, but I just couldn’t bring myself to “pull the trigger” on getting it done! Why?!?, well simply because I had no final vision for it … your design, using IKEA is absolutely brilliant! … thank you!! I am now on the IKEA website, searching for kitchen builds! … I just drove across America, westward from S.W. Ontario, up into Alberta, and back across the western provinces, eastward, over the Great Lakes, into Ontario … after 30 days and 9,000 kms, I now know exactly what my kitchen needs to look like! <br>Enjoy your travels! 🌞🚐😬❤️

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• CA

  @CalmTurtle2023 · 1 year ago

  So I went down this path... actually, I went down 2 paths... Ikea and self built. &nbsp;The advantages of IKEA... it&apos;s all designed, all the drawers, shelves, guides etc... all fit (sometimes with a bit of customizing). &nbsp;So many combinations and you can get it in 3 &quot;colours&quot;... white, black and wood. &nbsp;I did part of the cabinet work using IKEA and other half of the van was DIY. &nbsp;It was my first build... Although the DIY didn&apos;t look professional (I&apos;m an IT guy and did this over the pandemic... materials, tools and location (no garage no power) were a problem). <br><br>BUT after some major road trips... smooth highways to bumpy country backroads... things on the IKEA build started to get a bit sloppy on the fit. &nbsp;I noticed cracks in certain areas where, I think vibration and shaking started to loosen various plugs and screws and twist locks. &nbsp;My fault, I hadnt put on door stops (swinging and sliding). &nbsp;Added handles and loops of string/elastic etc... then moved on to magnets etc... &nbsp;In the end after a few more road trips various pieces started to literally fall apart, for which I drove in 2-3 inch screws... into particle board. &nbsp;After 2 years, I pulled out almost 95% of the IKEA build and did a DIY.

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• TH

  @TheIdlesurfer · 4 months ago

  Whilst I&apos;m not going for an IKEA kitchen in my van, I&apos;d like to compliment your excellent and very clear spoken English. It&apos;s a lot clearer than numerous native speakers English and delivered at a pleasant cadence. I&apos;m a native English speaker and I only wish my other two languages were half as good as your English. &nbsp;I saw the rude comment from the mean spirited troll. I did not want to respond to her.

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• FH

  @Fhotojenic · 2 months ago

  This made me happy! I can’t build, nor do I have tools to build my own kitchen.. would definitely go with IKEA in my van

• SU

  @superdivemaster · 4 months ago

  Right On !!!

• WE

  @WeHitTheRoad-qo8wn · 7 months ago

  In our 4x4 Sprinter, we made our cabinets from a light weight composite Thermolite board used in the marine industry. Sikaflexed and screwed, it can withstand vibration and water. We used Ikea metal framed drawers, and their cabinet doors. The soft close parts of drawer runners broke quickly, but the drawers are good if you use marine catches. Would I used them again? &nbsp;The drawers made life easy, and are strong, but are just too heavy. I didn&apos;t realise how heavy until after I had bought them. I would not do it again. &nbsp;Our van probably gets extreme use, but my advice, especially for an off road van, is to look towards the marine industry ocean use type products.

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• JO

  @joline2730 · 1 year ago

  I have used Ikea for approx SEVEN kitchens ... everybody says they are crap, but they have never let me down yet 😊

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• LO

  @LouellaBoquiren · 6 months ago

  Thank you for this!!!