Campervan ceiling ideas: wall inspiration & tips

Looking for campervan ceiling ideas? What about walls? Fitting these elements is a vital part of any campervan conversion. A van with well fitted and modern looking walls and ceiling looks much smarter than bare surfaces - and makes your conversion more attractive to hirers too!

To help you get started on this step of your DIY campervan conversion, here’s our guide to campervan ceiling ideas and campervan wall styles, including how to install your new cladding.

Disclaimer: This information is intended as a guide only and we’re not professional carpenters. We strongly recommend you research van wall and ceiling fittings and systems further before starting. If in doubt, always get a professional to advise on or fit your walls and ceiling.

Factors to consider when choosing your campervan ceiling and walls

There are a few factors to consider when deciding what type of wall/ceiling you want for your van. First up, what’s the overall vibe you want to create? Cosy wooden cabin-style interiors look great on most van conversions, or maybe you want something bright and airy using a gloss finish?

Next, what material will you use and what will it cost? Don’t just plump for the more affordable option, as ease of fitting and overall thickness are crucial factors. It’s not all about the installation either; you’ll want something that’s easily cleaned once the conversion is finished and you’re out on the road.

There are three main materials for campervan walls and ceilings – plywood, tongue and groove planks, and aluminium composite panels or ACP. Not sure exactly what these are or how to use them? No problem: we cover them all.

Campervan ceiling ideas & wall styles

Plywood campervan ceiling and walls

Plywood is a no-brainer choice for simple and easily maintained campervan ceilings and walls. It’s light, easy to install and easy to source. It’s also pliable enough to bend easily to the contours of your van and is simple to cut, trim and drill. Finally, this type of plywood stains well.

Plywood comes in a wide variety of types so you can pick the exact style you want. Pine or lauan is the most popular style because of its affordability and its range of grain patterns. You could also use hardwood plywood, which looks good but is generally heavier, less pliable and more expensive.

Look for thin plywood sheets (about 7mm) if you want a quick, easy and affordable van build. (See how plywood walls fit into your overall budget with our guide tocampervan conversion cost.)

How to fit plywood to campervan walls

Fit your plywood in 8 easy steps:

1. First, attach timber joists/framing (also known as pine studs or furring strips) down the length of the van’s cabin, for example on either side of each metal rib. This step is optional but will prevent screw damage in the vehicle frame.

2. Measure and mark the dimensions of each target section.

3. Place a sheet of cardboard against each target section, then cut a template from it to size.

4. Place the template against the target section to double-check it fits. You might need to trim slightly here to get as flush a fit as possible.

5. Trace the cardboard template onto your plywood sheeting.

6. Cut around the trace with a jigsaw.

7. Test fit the piece of plywood, trimming where necessary to make it a perfect fit.

8. Fix the plywood to your pine studs. We recommend self-drilling metal screws so you don’t have to drill pilot holes. Take care you don’t drill into the van’s exterior!

That’s it! Just repeat for each section and you’re done.

Wooden or tongue and groove boards

This option gives a cosier wooden cabin feel and makes a van look attractive and professional. It’s one of the most charming campervan ceiling ideas (and it looks great on walls!) but generally isn’t as affordable as plywood.

Bear in mind too that many professional fitters won’t want to use tongue and groove in campervan conversions as it’s less flexible than plywood sheets.

That said, tongue and groove look amazing in a van! These types of panels, usually in pine or cedar, create a warm and inviting feel and are an effective way to add lots of character to a conversion. They’re tough and durable too, and resistant to mould and mildew. If you can afford them and are confident with a higher-effort installation, tongue and groove walls will really make your van stand out.

For affordable and pliable tongue and groove materials, buy boards of around 7mm. You’ll then need to cut and drill a lot more than with plywood, double-checking constantly that the lines are straight. But the finished effect is well worth the extra effort if you have the skills and patience to get the job done.

How to fit tongue and groove boards to campervan walls

Fitting tongue and groove is more time consuming, but doable in 5 steps:

1. As with plywood, use joists/pine studs down the length of the van’s cabin.

2. Measure your walls (and ceiling, if adding the same style of boards) to see how many panels you’ll need.

3. Cut out and fit cardboard templates for each panel.

4. Next, use a circular saw to cut the panels along the edges of the cardboard template. You might need a handheld jigsaw at this point for any more complicated cuts and trims.

5. You’ll need a second person for this step: beginning at the bottom, get a helper to hold each panel in place while you drill it into the joist with self-drilling screws. Use the tongue and groove of each board to help position the remaining panels.

Aluminium composite panels for campervan ceiling and walls

The final option for campervan ceilings and walls is aluminium composite panels or ACP. Made up of two thin pieces of aluminium enclosing a polyethylene core, this is an extremely versatile, easily sourced material in a huge variety of colours and styles. Wood, stone, vinyl pattern… pretty much any ACP texture goes when it comes to adding panels to your van.

ACP is tough-wearing and durable, plus extremely easy to clean. It’s resistant to deforming and warping, and also provides a small amount of additional insulation. As the pattern/style is already there, you won’t need to paint or stain the surface either, so it’s a brilliant choice for quick installs.

The main difference with ACP compared to plywood or tongue and groove is how it’s installed. Rather than fitting a series of plywood sheets to walls with nothing marking the division of each sheet, ACP is connected by panel joiners which are added between each sheet. Or you could fit the sheets using panel rebates, where you cut a rebate in one of the panels being joined so the next panel fits neatly in.

Complete either join using construction adhesive.

Here’s a step by step guide.

Fitting aluminium composite panels to campervan walls

1. Firstly, measure the walls of the van to calculate how much ACP you’ll need. ACP is easy to source, but as you’re likely to be using a particular pattern, you’ll want to order all your panels in one go.

2. Next, use tape to mark up where the panel joins will be. Measure each panel, so you can get your ACP already cut to fit.

3. Once you have your panels, use the cardboard template method as above to double-check fit, trimming any excess using a

4. Install your panel joiners from the floor to the ceiling of the van.

5. Fit the ACP sheets between the panels.

6. Finally, add covers to the panel joiners for a neat finish.

There’s no need to stick to just one of these materials, of course! You could go for a bright and high-gloss look using aluminium panels for the walls, and add a sleek cabin feel with a wooden ceiling using tongue and groove planks.

Speaking of which, here’s our guide to fitting campervan ceilings.

How to fit a campervan ceiling

Our favourite campervan ceiling ideas use plywood sheets or tongue and groove, and either material is fitted in a similar way to wall installation. There are crucial differences though, such as taking into account how van walls curve as they meet the ceiling. A Ford Transit, for example, curves at the front of the van, making thicker wood planks unworkable for ceilings.

Think headroom space too – you’ll want the fitted ceiling to fit as close to the roof as possible, to keep the van comfy for taller passengers. And as with everything van build related, look for materials that are lightweight and durable. As with walls, plywood is the easiest and most affordable option.

Step-by-step guide to hanging a campervan ceiling

1. Before you get busy with the plywood, you’ll need to think about your campervan lighting. If you’re installing LED spotlights, you’ll need to cut holes in your ceiling material to thread the lights’ wiring through.

To do this, place a plywood or tongue and groove panel against the van ceiling and get someone to hold it while you mark the wood with the position of the lights to be installed. Use a drill and hole saw to cut the hole or holes for the lights. Then, when hanging the ceiling, feed each lights’ wiring through its respective hole.

1. As with installing walls, the next step is to use joists/furring strips/pine studs. Attach these along the length of the ceiling. We recommend using two or three shorter joists for each section rather than a full-length one, to take into account any curve in the van.

2. Hang your panels row by row by drilling screws into the joist, switching between the driver’s side and passenger’s side as you go. The aim is to have both sides meet in the middle, so make sure to measure this out beforehand.

3. If the two sides meet at an angle once they’re installed, cut the middle row of your panels to fit between them. Trace the shape of the gap by holding a board up to it and marking the angle. Then cut along this trace with a jigsaw, testing and trimming to make it slot in seamlessly.

Get started on your favourite campervan ceiling and wall ideas

And there you have the best campervan ceiling ideas and wall inspiration. You might opt to paint or stain your newly installed walls and ceiling (or paint/stain before fitting), to give the finished van a modern and professional look and make it even more enticing to future hires.

Need some more inspiration? Ourcampervan interior ideas blog has plenty of photos of sophisticated wall and ceiling finishes in our UK campervan rentals. Also, check out ourvan conversion ideas blog to get some smart functional inspiration for your van.

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