Van Lining and Racking Guide to Maximize Efficiency

Do you really need van lining and racking? Well, it depends what you use your van for, if it’s like most of us for transporting tools and if you want to have any organisation at all (unlike the photo on the right), then the answer is “yes” you could benefit from lining and adding racking to your van.

Check out this comprehensive van lining and racking guide to upgrade your van and maximize efficiency.

Ply Lining

Lining your van with plywood protects not only the inside panels but the outside panels as well form dents brought about by loose load. We all know the damage shifting loads can do. These dings eventually lead to rust marks. Fitting ply lining to your van increases its resale value. Ply lining makes perfect sense as it is definitely less hassle and cheaper that constantly repairing or re-spraying the dented walls of your van.

Ply-lined Van

Racking

Racks are designed to fit the interior metal skin of the van for a solid fit and hold things in place whilst in transit. Van racking will  need to fit your needs so depending on your load a little planning with need to go into it’s design to make sure it fits what you need to rack. Ply lining is done before doing the racking.

Van Racking and Lining Made Easy

Discover these van lining and racking options to optimize your van’s space for efficiency and durability.

DIY Kits

Van racking is basic trim carpentry based on the box system of cabinet making. Now you don’t have to be a master carpenter to fit racking in your vehicle as there are plenty of DIY van racking and vehicle storage systems offered by various companies. Most of these DIY kits are made of birch plywood or galvanize steel, aluminium and heavy duty plastic. They are available as:
• through shelf with ends/no ends
• through shelf with flaps
• cabinets
• drawers
• bin racks
• trays
• cases with dividers

… and more. Some are available in standard-sized modules and it is up to you, the van owner, to choose which ones best suit your van storage requirements. Birch plywood is 9mm thick and are supplied pre-assembled, ready to be installed. These DIY racking and lining kits are available for Ford, VW, Citroen, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz-Benz-Benz-Benz, Nissan, Renault, Peugeot and Vauxhall vans.

Standard Racking:

This pertains to storage modules pre-assembled in workshop and then fitted on-site. This type of van racking is usually comprised of shelves to the sides of the van. Some van owners prefer to have a false floor for extra storage. Standard racking can be tailored to your requirements if need be.

Bespoke Van Racking:

The storage units are designed, manufactured and fitted by a credible van racking and lining company. The materials used are varied as they depend on the specifications of the end-user. Bespoke van racking is more expensive than standard van racking as this involves designing, developing and manufacturing storage solution for customers with specific requirements.

Bespoke Van Racking

False Floor for Drawers

Now if you have the inclination to do the van racking yourself, make sure you get the right dimension of the van before you design the storage units. This process entails outmost organization and carpentry skills, including a couple or so weekends to finish the work. If you can’t afford to lose time, energy (and profit), you can always opt for bespoke van racking from Swiss Vans. Just tell us what you intend to transport in your van and we will do the rest.

Whatever your van is, we recommend that you install a false bed on the floor to protect the steel floor from tear and wear. Second, to increase the storage space as it is easy enough to add compartments under the false floor. It is possible to elevate the false bed from 3 inches up to 16 inches to fit in drawers.

Vanorak

If you don’t fancy going the whole hog and fully -racking out your van or want removable storage for your VW Transporter, you can easily order a Vanorak from Swiss Vans. Vanorak fits behind the wheel arches in front of the back doors of the van and easily stores cargo such as shopping bags and other small items in its three compartments to prevent them rolling around in the van during transit. You may check it out here.

Final Thoughts

Your van’s interior layout plays a crucial role in enhancing productivity and making the most out of your van space. Here at Swiss, we can organise the lining and racking of your new van ordered from us to suit your needs. If you are interested in van racking and lining, give us a call and we’d gladly answer your questions.

Call us 01656 837253