Choosing the Best Wall Cladding for Your Van: A Friendly Comparison of Top Options
Your van wall cladding is the only thing that shifts your van from zero to something. There’s no doubt to the fact that cladding your vans will give you utmost satisfaction emotionally. This blog details about everything you need to know about van wall cladding - right from choosing various options of wall panels.
Let’s start talking about the various wall cladding available today and their benefits. As a friendly advice, we would like to inform you that before you start working on installing wall claddings, it's important to have a CAD design of the interior of your van to have a basic understanding of how it will look once the modification is completed.
Wall Cladding V/S Plywood
When talking about wall cladding, basically there are two main options that are utilized for wall paneling and roof. It’s either cladding or plywood the most common as well as recommended options available.
Even Though wall cladding has been used by many, a recent survey projected that instead of the wall cladding with tongue and groove, many prefer plywood to use in their van.
Let’s check the various options for wall cladding.
Tongue and Groove Cladding
When you decide to clad your van walls, it will give a massive rustic appearance rather than using plywoods. It takes more time for installation using the tongue and groove and is also on the expensive side. But no doubt, it’s worth the money and time spent as it gives a very stylish and attractive finish.
The different types of wall cladding include clapboard, beaded lap, dutch lap, shiplap and so on. When it comes to converting a van, many people prefer the Tongue and Groove. This wall cladding option is easy to obtain and is easy to install.
Plywood
Lining your van walls with plywood will give you a more modern look and feel. Apart from this, why people like it is because of it’s quick availability and affordability in comparison to cladding.
Plywood Grades
Plywoods come in 4 grades - A, B, C and D. This is the same order while considering the quality of plywoods where A points to the highest quality and D being the lowest. Any grade plywood lower than A will have some kind of knots or weak points.
Experts find MArine plywood as the highest grade one as there is cross lamination. Cross lamination refers to each and every ply being perpendicular to the last. This feature helps it to be highly resistant to certain elements much better.
Ply Numbers
Plywood is composed of several wood veneers stuck together. 3-plywood is the most common type used in van walls.
Veneers
Another product used for van wall panels are the veneers. They are also called furniture plywood and their main feature lies in being decorative plywood. They provide a great looking finish and offer high resistance to any wear and tear. Veneers often have a texture that is glossy. The veneers are majorly used in vans and caravan walls that are built professionally.
In cases of using normal plywood over veneers, it’s imperative to ensure that finishing of the wood is done with paint.
The biggest advantage of using veneers in a van is that they work as a barrier from moisture thereby maintaining dryness in your insulation.
An important thing to be kept in mind is to refrain from the use of any particle board or MDF as wall panels as they can break very easily, are hefty and vulnerable to moisture.
Types of Wall Claddings for Vans
Even Though tongue and groove cladding as well as plywoods are the widely used cladding techniques when it comes to van conversions, there are wall claddings as well that’s done out of creativity of the team. This would include:
Scrap Wood
Scrap woods are used by some as wall cladding during van conversion. It’s a little risky choice as their moisture content is high and there are chances of warping in due course of time upon drying which will make cracks on the wood. Due to their heavy nature, it’s not an option accepted by all when it comes to van conversion. Another major factor to keep in mind is that there are chances of having wood worms in scrapwood. In any case, if you could make sure there are no such risks associated with the scrap wood you have chosen, this option can give you a great bohemian appearance
Slatted
These claddings are not found very commonly, but if you manage to get it enough, it would help you create a great look.
Affordability of Various Wall Claddings
Opting the right wall cladding product for your van will not only enhance the beauty and functionality of your van, but also has a major impact on your budget. Tongue & Groove: Medium range cost but incurs huge labor cost. There's no doubt that it can give you a warm cabin feel. Plywood: Very affordable and easy and quick installation Marine Plywood: A strong, waterproof choice, ideal for humid areas Composite Panels: Light and modern but expensive. Reclaimed Wood: Very affordable but installation can be tough because of quality variation
How does Wall Cladding from Storetogo benefit you?
The wall cladding from Storetogo provides maximum protection for your van interiors. Our wall claddings are easily to instal within limited time through the points given in the van by the respective manufacturer.Wall claddings help protect the van and retain its functionalities. Making use of our ProSafe lashing rails, our wall cladding also help in securing loads. We have the perfect wall cladding that’s suitable for any type of vans through our customised solutions.