This project was a turning point in the build. Having comfortable seating changed the whole feel of the bus from a shell to a viable living space. As in any skoolie conversion, storage was essential. So, I built bench seats that can expand into beds, with drawers underneath, for storage.

I constructed the benches in different ways. One used plywood framing, like a cabinet. The other was framed with 2x4s that were assembled into a box. In the first bench, we had to add spacers where the drawer slides go, so that there was space between the screws, and so that the front face would be a decent thickness to support the bed. We switched to the 2x4s because it would make the frame more solid, and just as thick, without having to use spacers. Either method works, though, so I love each bench seat equally.

The slide-out top is a pretty simple mechanism. It’s two interlaced panels made out of slats, so that they can expand within each other. It takes a little bit of forethought, because the support on the mobile slat piece needs to be assembled under the fixed slats. I made a spacer to be sure that each slat was perfectly parallel, and provided enough clearance for the slide to move without much resistance. I used a straight edge to make sure the front was flush and looked nice. It was less important for the rear to look nice, since it would be covered by a foldable seat back.

Once the slats were installed, and eventually the cushions were put in place, weight put on the seats would be evenly distributed.

I did discover later that the brad nails were not adequate to keep the structure solid. I added some screws later, for extra strength.

One other difference between the first and second bench was that the second bench needed to have at least 2 inches of clearance behind it, to make room for table storage. The 2×4 framing stands on its own a little better, so it was easier to assemble without relying on the rear wall. Also, the seat back utilized triangular pieces for structural support, so that the seat back would hold up on its own, without leaning against the back wall.