Dare I say, the wooden slats “make” the van. They draw a lot of compliments and rate 10/10 on both form and function. They give the van an airy, fresh, outdoorsy feel without the visual monotony of solid wood paneling or tongue-and-groove.

Tweed upholstery beneath the slats creates a varied texture. The shadows change depending on the light. The lengthwise slats sit over top the widthwise ones, creating a space for hooks and lashings for drying clothes, surf boards, baskets, etc.

10 puck lights are inset into two of the slats, which are 3” wide to old the lights and are wired into two dimmable zones, one for the front of the van and one zone for the bed.

The slats idea was inspired by @quinsvan, specifically the timelapse post that made me think, I can do this! He in turn drew inspiration from @theryovan.

Planning

Estimate amount of wood required.

This is a function of the space to be covered, the slat width and the space width. Here were the values I used:

Puck lights track slat width: 3”
Slat Width: 2” (5.08cm)
Space between: 1” (2.04cm)
Total coverage: width 75”

Puck lights

Procurement

Order the wood.

After being unable to find long pieces in 1/2” thickness at local lumber shops, here’s what I ordered from Woodworker’s Source.

1/2” poplar Poplar 1/2" Thin Lumber Random Widths, Random Lengths

 You will get more than enough to cut this:  50pcs x 3.25" x 120"

 Qty: 204 Sq. Ft. (approx)

Note: I ordered more than 2x the quantity I ended up needing. 100sq ft would have been sufficient.

Execution

Once the slats are cut into 2” pieces, they tend to warp, so it’s important to move quickly from cutting to screwing them into the ceiling.

Slats