Sleeping Platform Build
The bed is the centrepiece. For a car/SUV like the CR-V, a hinged plywood platform that folds up is the sweet spot — sleeps flat, stores underneath, and removes completely. For vans, a fixed rear bed with storage underneath is standard.
Quick plywood platform build for an SUV. Same principles apply to the CR-V.
For the CR-V: 12mm or 15mm ply, hinged in the middle, resting on the folded-flat rear seats. Cut to the exact interior width — it should drop in without fixings.
Add a piano hinge for the fold. Foam mattress on top (self-inflating or cut-to-fit memory foam from eBay).
For vans: build a slatted bed frame from 44x44mm CLS timber. Slats allow the mattress to breathe and prevent damp.
Always test-sleep your platform BEFORE finishing it. A few degrees of tilt or a too-short bed ruins everything.
CAR/SUV: Fold rear seats flat. Measure the flat area precisely
Cut 12-15mm plywood to fit the cargo area. May need 2 pieces with a piano hinge
Test fit. Trim edges for a snug drop-in fit (no rattles)
Sand all edges smooth. Optional: stain or varnish
Add a piano hinge between the two sections for folding
Cut a foam mattress to size (75-100mm thick memory foam or self-inflating)
VAN: Build a timber frame from CLS timber (38x63mm or 44x44mm)
Add cross-slats for mattress support (spacing ~50mm)
Fix frame to van floor with brackets or L-plates
Add storage access — hinged lid sections or pull-out drawers
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