CHAPTER six

Milly Is On Her Way

In keeping with our contemporary concept, the selected finishes were limited to marine grade plywood and black joinery and flooring. This simple selection would provide a backdrop to our favourite vintage finds.

To keep on budget, we decided to opt for pre-fabricated cabinets rather than custom made. We visited our friendly blue and yellow building (Ikea) and selected the cabinet configuration. We selected the matt black cupboard fronts to tie in with our finishes. As the caravan’s walls are not structurally sound and cannot support weight, we went with floor mounted cabinets only.

With the internal layout finalised and the roof repairs completed, it was time for the first panel to go up. The second panel would incur the solar powered exhaust. We were unable to find a non-ugly air grill, so decided to incorporate an air vent into the plywood panel instead.

Beauty is only skin deep and Milly was no exception

With the cabinets selected we were able to finish the wall framing and plan out the plywood wall sheets. Due to both weight and budget concerns, we decided to not plywood panel behind the cabinets.

Over the foam insulation we installed roof sarking to the walls. This would provide an added level of insurance against water leaks and improve fluctuations in temperature. Battens over the sarking were installed to provide the fixing for the plywood panels.

The first cabinets to be installed were over the wheel arches. These cabinets would provide the setout point for the cabinet layout. We modified the standard cabinet by fixing the adjustable shelf over the wheel arch and using another shelf to create the front cover.

The cabinets are lifted from the floor with the use of reconstituted timber decking boards left over from another project. A black aluminium flat bar will be added to the board later down the track. The decking boards provide a physical barrier between the cabinets and any possible moisture from the floor. The skirt is keep to a minimum so the benchtop does not clash with the height of the caravan’s windows. Each cabinet will be screwed fixed into the decking boards.

Rotten sections of the floor were replaced. An additional sheet of marine ply was installed in preparation for the black vinyl flooring.

We are on the home stretch and are super excited!