I’ve bought a 1988 Toyota coaster bus and found out I had to gut the whole thing due to water damage just looking for some ideas. Preferably not made with particleboard. Here are some photos before it’s been gutted to replace the rotten wooden floor
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @olivialien. It is wonderful to have you with us and many thanks for sharing your project.
It looks like you have quite the project ahead of you, but completely gutting the bus also gives you a great opportunity to design the new layout around exactly how you want to use the space.
For the cabinetry and furniture, I'd be looking at lightweight plywood rather than particleboard. Structural plywood can be used for framing and cabinetry, while thinner plywood can be used for doors, panels and other areas where strength isn't as critical. Keeping weight down will be particularly important with a bus conversion.
For a space-efficient layout, I'd consider placing the kitchen along one side of the bus with a relatively shallow benchtop and incorporating drawers rather than cupboards wherever possible. At the rear, a raised permanent bed could work well, with the entire area underneath used for storage. Alternatively, a bed that converts into seating would give you considerably more living space during the day.
Before rebuilding, I'd also make sure you've identified and repaired every source of the original water ingress. This would be the ideal time to address insulation, ventilation and any corrosion before the new floor and internal linings go in.
If you can let us know the internal dimensions of the bus and whether you're looking for a permanent double bed or something that converts away, we'd be happy to help you come up with a potential floor plan.
I trust you'll find this three-part series helpful: How to renovate a caravan. Also, check out our Top 10 caravan renovations and 15 caravan and campervan renovation projects for inspiration.
Let me tag @twocutekelpies, @FloTheCaravan, @sandy_d, @LizzieCro and @DIY4Knuckleheds who are all passionate about caravan conversions.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
