Fitting a larger bed

[Deleted]

Hi all,

Does anyone have a good solution to fitting a larger bed to a Viscount. Current bed frame is about 1200 mm wide and a mattress of 1250mm wide x 1900 mm long.

The space between the side tables is 1400mm, but if we fit a bed frame to the far left side there will be very little room to get to the wardrobe, vanity table etc.

I would like to keep both the side tables if possible.

Thinking about getting a queen size foam mattress and cutting to fit around the right side bed table or making a timber extension that could be pulled out to make the bed wider.

Has anyone else tried this?

Subbie

Attachments:

[millard1399]

G'day Subbie,

As you've probably worked out by now, a caravan "double bed" mattress is smaller than a standard double bed mattress. Your mattress size is typical of the mattresses made for caravans (which is rather a funny size because you'd think that people on holidays...relaxed...soaking up the sun, would tend to eat more and put on a bit of weight during the holidays, and so actually require a larger mattress than they would have at home! But, I digress... ).

As you also probably know, a standard double bed mattress is 137cms x 187cms (see this website for all sizes).

So, I'm thinking you've got a couple of options to think about:

1. Do exactly what you are suggesting, and make a wider bed to fit a queen size mattress. Keep in mind that many people prefer innerspring mattresses to the foam variety, so you might need to try and test out whether you can handle sleeping on foam (unless of course you already do that).

2. Build the bed base wider to take up all the 1400mm width between the tables, and get a standard 1350mm double bed mattress for it. You'd be increasing the present bed width by another 150mm, so you might find that's enough.


I personally find the height of the beside tables, in the majority of vans, are a problem for me because I don't like the claustrophobic feel they create. When you put your head down on the pillow, right there in front of your nose is a bedside table. Only a few brands of vans I've seen have the top of the tables down level with the top of the mattress, which is where I would prefer it to be. It means missing out on one drawer in the unit, but heck I'll happily sacrifice that.

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

Sis and I had an AGM (annual general meeting) about the bed today. As much as I love the matching bedside tables, I fear that my right hand bedside is going to god

Faced with having a 1200mm bed with a bedside table versus a queen side bed and a little leg room ... well ... anyone need a bedside table nice bright yellow colour

Cheers subbie ... that no longer has anywhere to put her prescription glasses or water glass at night

[Deleted]

OK ... now tell me ... why do I have no "karma" ? what does a girl have to do LOL

[millard1399]

G'day subbie,

The "karma" feature on the forum seems to be a mysterious section that not everybody ventures into. I certainly don't spend any time thinking about it, but whoever created the forum layout must have thought it was important to include.

Apparently you receive karma points by other forum members either "exalting" you for doing good work on the forum, or "smiting" you because you are one nasty son of a bi*ch (or daughter of a bi*ch )

You can receive an exalt (+1), but which can then be cancelled out by someone else's smite (-1).

There are no prizes for getting karma points. In fact, I honestly don't know what the purpose of them is. Everybody on the forum is worth their weight in gold, as far as I'm concerned, so everybody should be rated equally. I've given you a karma point, and you'll be able to tell us whether it has made any significant impact on your life or not.

I was just thinking as I was typing this, that maybe karma points stop your van from leaking. Maybe the more karma points you accumulate, the less leaks you'll get in your van!

cheers,
Al.

[atouchofglass]

Oct 22, 2011 21:44:12 GMT 10 @yellowsubmarine said:

OK ... now tell me ... why do I have no "karma" ?

Cause ya name isn't Earl?



Atog

[annieoakley]

There are also two sizes of queen mattresses. A caravan queen is the width of a regular queen but the length of a double. When I was looking at caravan mattresses I found the difference in price between a good foam mattress and an inner spring comparable.

[Deleted]

Hmmm !!!

I guess a caravan bed is similar to a cubby house bed, looks in proportion until you try to sleep on it ... then you wake up with your feet hanging over the end and a bedside table stuck to the side of your face .

;D Thanks Al for the karma point and I sure hope it helps with the caravan window leaks

And you're right ATOG ... my name ain't Earl

Subbie

[Deleted]

***** subbie ... that no longer has anywhere to put her prescription glasses or water glass at night ********

[/quote]

I have had to make the same sacrifice. Nowhere for glasses, water, hot tea, books ,sudoku and pencils, mobile phone................but then HE is the one who gets up in the night so HE has the floorspace(and a bedside table) Gotta put the CPAP somewhere!
K
(still smiling)

[Deleted]

Sadly the little side cabinet was removed today, along with about 1 million staples securing it to the walls !!!! Who was responsible for giving the Viscount crew staple guns

We managed to find someone willing to sell us a caravan metal bed frame and a pair of gas lifters, so his-out-doors (the poor bloke who has spent weeks under the van grinding away surface rust etc) has been allowed into her-in-doors territory to build a box for the bed frame.

Another great find was a queen size mattress with cut off corners (although double in length and slightly less than a queen in width) giving us enough room to comfortably walk beside the wardrobe. We'll probably make a foam bolster to give us the extra length.

Will post some photos of the progress soon.

Subbie

[Deleted]

Found a solution to the problem of no side table, we had a piece of foam left over from couch job which we made into a bolster that is about 20cm shorter than the mattress width and when placed at the head of the mattress it leaves a space wide enough to squeeze a rectangular basket to hold a bottle of water, prescription glasses, earplugs, torch, book etc. Now to build a flying fox to whizz me from my enclosed wall position to beyond the bed so I can get up at night

[Deleted]

got any photos of your new bed yet? (and basket??)

[Caprinut]

Al,
I think Karma comes back and bites you in the next life. IE Good Karma and you become a termite in a Queensland house. Bad Karma and you're a termite in a fibreglass caravan.

[Deleted]

Hi Jean and Alex,

Yes I uploaded the photos of the new bed into the Hall Of Fame area for our van, but I can stick a couple on here as well. Don't have a photo the extra piece of foam bolster and basket as we added those after I took the last photos.





Cheers Subbie

[Deleted]

I really like the fabrics you have chosen . Looking good!

[Deleted]

Hi enidb, we got the bed frame and lifters from Hume Caravan Accessories in Campbellfield Vic. We chose the frame that can be extended but we dont use this feature. The bed lifts up but not very well, I think lifters are not positioned properly or are under strength. You have to be sure lifting bed does not clash with the window winder on the rhs. You cant open the wardrobe doors fully but this has not been a problem. It has been very nice having a queen size width bed for the last 3 years,esp. on hot nights where you need your own space away from your partner.

[2lateagain]

I might be wrong, but I am under the opinion that the gas struts have to be fitted upside down (thick section to the top) it helps to keep the seals lubricated and stops the gas from escaping. I fitted one set the other way and they were soggy and really did not want to work well, but on turning them over they felt stronger and are still going after a number of years. Any struts that I have seen fitted with the thick section to the bottom are usually not working real well and seem to have oily substance around the top. Just my opinion, have been wrong numerous times before, just have to ask my wife.

Graham

[Deleted]

Thanks Graham, I will reverse them and let everyone know what happened. I am yellow submarines better half, Andrew and I do all the handyman type work on the van. I just replaced the old rusted steel hatches with new galvanised ones I made but I would like to restore the old viscount hatches as they are original and are quite decorative.

[supreme78]

I will post a pic of the gas strut setup on my bed as it works a treat it's all about leverage and getting the most out of the angles. I am away fora few days and will post a pic on return to my van. But you need to put the strut so it's sideways when the bed is shut and goes to a 45 deg angle towards the foot of the bed when open. Easier to explain with a pic but will need to take one for you.
Regards
Paul

[supreme78]

Here is a pic of a professional set up and you can see the angle the strut is on when opened. Hope this helps.

[Deleted]

Thanks Paul, you are quite correct, I will modify attach point of strut on the bed frame but the strut must also be strong enough when fully open to hold up bed.

[gearx]

We recently had some custom caravan cushions made. I noticed that they also do custom size mattresses for anybody looking.