Awesome School Bus Renovations You Have To See To Believe!

January 12, 2023

A popular trend for auto enthusiasts who wish to mix customizing projects with a passion for traveling is a school bus renovation. Do it yourself, home conversion plans for school buses is the process of taking an old school bus, gutting it and renovating the remains into a tiny home. These projects are referred to as 'Skoolies' which are mainly a playful adaptation of RV's. Here is a list of tips for those looking to renovate their school bus into an awesome Skoolie.

Hardwood Or Carpet Floors

The first thing to accomplish with your Skoolie, once floored, is removing the seats. Removing the seats of a school bus is crucial to making the product, first of all legal, and second of all functional. After removing the seats, adding hardwood or carpeted floors to a Skoolie is another excellent way to bring out the home in a personalized vehicle. A popular strategy is laying plywood on the base which allows for a simple laying process, measurements, and cuts to fill the irregularly shaped areas (secured with wood screws and adhesives such as Loctite PL). Once secured, owners have the option of carpeting the surface of using area rugs for foot comfort. If you're going to carpet, it is essential to clean plywood first, and measure area correctly for accurate cuts, as well as considering the carpet maintenance post-installation.

Cozy Beds

Once the flooring of the bus is in, there are a few options for how to continue renovations. However, there are a couple of basic furniture layouts to consider. One cool step that renovators can take to make their Skoolie homier is by adding a bed to space. Travelling on a school bus can be fun, but it is vital to ensure that owners have a place to sleep, but also that they are making the most of the limited space they have. Many renovators make sure that beds fold-up which allows for maximizing area. Some even opt for the bunkbed approach which optimizes on building upwards, rather than out.

Installing Plumbing

Life on the road can be fun, but not if travelers have to stop every hour to use the washroom. Next on the list of renovations, is adding a washroom to Skoolie. Sure, adding a whole plumbing system to a Skoolie can be complicated and uncomfortable at times, but is well worth it in the end. A tank system will work fine, which allows for a Black and Gray option as well as a portable water tank. One tank provides for a toilet option which may be emptied when necessary, while the other allows for usable water, for example, a sink. A complicated process, but storing both tanks under the bus with feeds through the floor including necessary functions (waste valve, water heaters, pipes, etc.) allows for a long-term solution to on-the-road plumbing.

Couches and Chairs

Adding couches and chairs to a Skoolie is another cool way that owners are capable of improving the comfort of their new home. Since Skoolies are capable of moving locations, from A to B, it is essential to ensure the communal space for visitors or for relaxing when stationary is inclusive and comfortable. That being said, many school bus renovations attempt to include stackable and folding chairs to save space, as well as couches which can fold up or be converted into communal tables.

Fill The Fridge

Having appliances in a Skoolie is another excellent way of improving the quality of life for these innovative travelers; having a refrigerator allows for travelers to store food and drink on the road safely and efficiently. There are a few options to consider at this step, mainly is how much space is necessary for comfortable living. It is also important to consider at this stage, which source of power will be used for appliances, whether it be electrical or propane based. Once decided, making a decision should become easier while looking for a machine matching the power source.

Relax In A Cozy Loft

Often used as an attachment to Skoolies is building a loft at the back of the bus. Lofts are attractive as they allow for a few opportunities; mattresses may be placed there for sleeping, storage space for luggage or chairs, or merely another place to hang out. A benefit of adding a loft to a fixed up bus is that they may often be strategically placed over rear entrances at the back to take advantage of unused space. Much like a mini house, being able to add levels to any project makes for a homey feel that is almost necessary for traveling cross-country style.

Paint That Bad Boy!

Painting a school bus is a mandatory practice in some circumstances as the law ensures that any ex-school bus must not be operated if the original school bus color is maintained. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing as owners are presented with the freedom to customize their bus however they like. Lots of Skoolies take advantage of customizing based on color which may be an incredibly affordable way of personalizing one’s own masterpiece. Options include; taking the bus to an auto shop which may cost upwards of fifteen-hundred dollars, taking the bus to an RV repair shop which may have a similar price, or lastly changing the color yourself. If doing a personalized paint job it is crucial to insulate windows, pressure wash the exterior, clear up rust and blemishes and lastly painting. It is vital to prevent future rusting and choose the right type of paint for longevity.

Cupboards For Storage

Having cupboard storage for school buses is essential for keeping items organized and contained while living in a Skoolie. It is necessary to have things on the road that make life easier; utensils, dishes, clothes, and entertainment, but during transportation, those items are subject to the bumpy roads. Therefore, it is crucial to install cupboards and cabinets in any school bus renovation to ensure that everything has a secure place within the vehicle and that the limited space available is utilized to its maximum potential. It is important to remember to fasten cupboards and cabinets to the bus so that they are not at risk of coming loose and causing safety concerns during transportation.

Fold Down Tables

What is a mini house without tables for eating, socializing or doing work? An option which many travelers like to utilize for personal Skoolies is tables that fold up or down against the wall. A popular concept to satisfy this need is a dinette table which folds up and down but is placed between two cushioned seats. This structure allows for the dinette table to provide a surface for eating and double as a centerpiece for a fold up bed by adding a center cushion. Another popular idea for tables is customizing the top surface as a game, such as a chess board for an entertainment perk which makes for a fun time-filler on the road.

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