I turned the wall beside the slideout into a bookshelf

[RV Squirrel]

I have a 2014 CL 14DBS.  My wife and I really enjoy it, but at times it can be lacking for storage space.  At such times, stuff ends up on the dining table and interferes with meals.  We keep a small garbage can underneath the table, and this reduces the amount of leg space.

Whenever I opened the slideout, I noticed a big blank wall that had nothing on it but an AC outlet and an access door for the slideout controller.  I guessed that I would be able to make use of the space inside this all to make a bookshelf, with space for a small trash can and hamper.  I didn't know it at the time, but this would also allow me to add a flexible LED light and USB charger port.

I mentioned this project in a previous post asking about how to maintain slideouts.  I figured that I would be operating the slideout multiple times in order to finish the project, and did not want to wear anything out.  I posted the "before" picture in that post, but will include it here as well.

I made the bookshelf out of sheet PVC.  I was able to get scrap from a friend who does a lot of trim work on houses.  CAVEAT:  PVC contains chlorine, which creates dioxin (a poisonous gas) if it burns.  I did some research and decided that my bookshelf project was safe enough for me, given my situation.  Being in an all-aluminum camper certainly helped.  Nonetheless, I encourage others to do their own research if they consider sheet PVC for such a project. 

The plumbing for the shower ran through the wall.  Wiring for the slideout controller and bathroom lighting ran through the wall as well.  I had to make space for these (as well as the aluminum structural tubing inside the wall) by making the center section not as deep as the side sections.  To do this, I cut a lot of PVC panels and glued them together with crazy glue.

The shelf allows me to store a number of things that would otherwise be clutter.  I even have room to store my DVD collection, binoculars, remotes, trash, and dirty laundry (which would otherwise be in a laundry bag on the floor).  I was able to move the slideout controller to a more visible location (it had fallen down inside the paneling).  I was also able to tap off the power to the bathroom light switch (behind the wall) so that I could add a flexible LED light and USB charger.  The flexible light is great because I can position it so that the LED portion does not interfere with the slideout as it slides back in.

The trash bin and hamper are held in place with rotatable "paws" so that they can't rattle out of place while the slideout is slid in and the trailer is moving.  Although the bins stand out from the bookshelf a bit, then do not interfere with the slideout as it slides back in.  I plan to put the books et al into the hamper for storage while moving.

In order to make space for the trash bin and hamper, I had to remove one piece of the brown molding that framed the slideout.  I think I like the black aluminum frame better. 

[Merlin]

Wow, what a great idea and project. I had no idea that wall was so thick. Clutter is a constant hassle in a camper and this is a wonderful solution. Good work.

[Chappy133]

Nicely done!

[RV Squirrel]

Thank you both for the comments.  I've been trying to find extra space in a number of places.  I've managed to make a closet in the bathroom, cubbyholes above the dinette window, shelves in the wardrobe, drawers under the sink and over the frig.  I've also made an extension to the dinette table that made the table less wobbly.  We got the camper in 2014, but I think that I've spent more time in it doing projects than actually camping.  My wife calls it my "happy place".

[Paul]

Good work! It is true that the table is very wobbly. My kids sometimes make messes because the table wobbles. I'd be interested in finding a solution for that!

[dlb53151]

Great cabinet!  I wish I was handy to do that!


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[RV Squirrel]

Thanks!  Paul had asked about the bracket that I made for the table, so I'll describe that in a new post.

[dlb53151]

Thank you both for the comments.  I've been trying to find extra space in a number of places.  I've managed to make a closet in the bathroom, cubbyholes above the dinette window, shelves in the wardrobe, drawers under the sink and over the frig.  I've also made an extension to the dinette table that made the table less wobbly.  We got the camper in 2014, but I think that I've spent more time in it doing projects than actually camping.  My wife calls it my "happy place".

RV Squirrel - would you mind sharing pics of some of the projects you did?  Would love to see!


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[RV Squirrel]

Will do.  I posted a lot of pictures for a dinette table modification at "My dinette table is less wobbly", but I didn't see much of a response.  I guess that I put in too many pictures.  When I get around to it, I put in some (but not alot) of pictures for some of the other things that were done in our CL 14DBS.  Things are a bit busy now with the holiday weekend.  I hope that everyone gets a chance to enjoy it!

[Sylvain]

Beautiful work!  I love to see how people improve their trailer!