Making cabinets for my kitchen | VAN CONVERSION EP 2
After four long months without my van (thanks to a slightly dramatic engine mishap — let’s not talk about it), I’m finally back in the driver’s seat and knee-deep in sawdust. This week, I tackled one of the most satisfying parts of the build: making my lower kitchen cabinet doors.
If you’re working on your own DIY van build and want a lightweight, budget-friendly solution for cabinetry — here’s exactly how I did it.
🛒 Step 1: A Quick B&Q Run
Before I could get started, I headed off to B&Q to pick up some essentials:
- More tongue and groove cladding
- Trimming
- Wood glue (Gorilla brand — love it)
Top tip: Keep an eye out for offcut sections — they’re way cheaper and perfect for smaller van projects.
✂️ Step 2: Cutting the Cabinet Doors
I had 21 cabinet doors to make for the lower kitchen area, which sounds like a lot (because it is). But using tongue and groove cladding made it super manageable:
- It’s lightweight (great for saving fuel long term)
- It’s easy to cut down with a mitre saw
- It holds together surprisingly well with just wood glue
Want to see exactly how I made them? Check out the full video here:
🪵 Step 3: Gluing & Staining
I used Gorilla Wood Glue, which dries a nice beige tone and is vegan-friendly. For the stain, I started with this sample pack of non-toxic, water-based wood stains:
Once I tested them on scrap cladding, I chose my favourite colour and bought the 2.5L version, which ended up covering my entire van build — walls, ceiling, cabinets. Worth every penny.
The stain brings such a warm, earthy finish to the space. It’s subtle, cosy, and ties in perfectly with the cottage-core vibe I’m going for.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Cabinetry can feel intimidating at first, but honestly — with the right materials and some patience, it’s totally doable. Tongue and groove cladding is a bit more expensive than MDF, but in a van build where weight matters, it’s 100% worth it.
Stick around — in next week’s episode I’ll show you exactly how I install all 21 of the cabinets.
🎥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel for the full van build series.
👉 Want more van conversion tips? Browse all my Van Conversion Blogs
Keywords: diy campervan cabinets, lightweight van cabinet doors, van kitchen build, camper kitchen cabinets, van conversion kitchen
Leave a Reply