Converting Twin to FB

[Stony33]

We’re on the hunt for a used 25ft FB (would consider a number of trims), though most used that are popping up are twin beds.

Does anyone have experience or thoughts around converting Twin to FB? Logistics/underframing possible? Worth the cost?

Many thanks in advance!

[pteck]

The real concern is going to be the external storage compartments underneath each twin. You could just ignore them and keep each side compartment closed.

[Stony33]

Ah. Thanks. I suspected that wasn’t wasted space under the beds. Probably not practical to lose that storage. Thx.

[pteck]

Twins generally have compartment doors at all sides of the bedroom. So there will be a large door at the end to repurpose as storage access to under the queen bed. It normally accesses the storage under the central nightstand and under the beds in the twin setup.

[pteck]

Not discouraging you at all. It's very possible, especially if u can do woodwork. The compartment doors aren't constraints, but opportunities as it has more doors to work with.

[TRIPPPIN]

Twins may be more desirable in a 25FB due to better storage and manoeuvrability in the bedroom. If you really want a queen bed and find a twin you like why not make a filler panel and put a queen mattress on it. You just won't have the ability to walk around the queen bed. If you like it that way you can change it to a queen permanently to get the walk around feature. I have a queen and that was my preference but now after extensive use I would prefer a twin. I would put a filler panel in when I want a queen and slide the 2 singles mattresses together. If you get a twin and want to change to a queen let me know I would buy the twin setup from you. I am 2.5 hours from Toronto towards Sarnia.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Neither floor plan is in the "rare" category. While the market in used trailers is a bit thin, you should be able to find what you want. Since both floor plans are desirable, there is no cost advantage to buying one over the other. I'd suggest you spend some time looking at the logistics of buying used in the US (where there are more for sale) and importing into Canada.

Bob

[Stony33]

Thanks for the advice all

[redhat200]

Why not look for a Newer or used 27 FT FB queen. We believe the 25FT FB twin gives us the best space and storage with two medium dogs. And being an early riser, without disturbing the other. They both are very excellent choices.

[Mount'n Man]

We found our '06 25'FB transverse queen online a couple of year's ago; met all the "wish list" criteria EXCEPT that we were looking for the twin bed cabin. Never did find one for sale during our search. Solution: do the remodel myself. Intimidating, but it opened up SO much more usable space in the room, allows easy access to the overhead bins, no more crawling over my wife at 2:00am to use the head, more space for the dogs, more useable under bed storage, etc., etc... Honestly can't see why you would want to remodel in the other direction. Just my opinion...

[Mount'n Man]

(I really hate it when the site decides to rotate a picture after I hit send... Sorry)

[3wd67rg]

K=Stony33;2164948]We’re on the hunt for a used 25ft FB (would consider a number of trims), though most used that are popping up are twin beds.

Does anyone have experience or thoughts around converting Twin to FB? Logistics/underframing possible? Worth the cost?

Many thanks in advance![/QUOTE]

We have a 1988 325 Classic Airstream Moho that was a twin and converted to full. This is an easy do; place boards across from bench to bench. Board(s) because trying to maneuver a single board through your Airstream would be a Laurel and Hardy Video. The owner before us thoughtfully linked the boards together with piano hinges so they could be folded back for entrance into the storage below. I can think of other means to do this that would not leave you with a single heavy piece to lift/carry should you want to change back and forth. I am more inclined to permanence and hydraulic struts for an easy lift. All storage IS available, but it requires crawling underneath the bed for at least the last third or two. Chris has been able to do so at his heaviest weight, approximately 250. Not pleasant, but doable. So only infrequently needed items belong there. Which is why hydraulic struts make better sense.

We are midway in the work of a rotation from sideways to a lengthwise positioning of the bed now. That is, the bed is turned, but all work cannot be finished until we get home because there is some major woodwork to be done, furniture to be pulled out, etc. I told him him it was an unreasonable amount of work in High Humidity 100 degree PLUS weather in our full sun location all summer. Now that autumn is here it rains four days out of seven and the humidity is still 70+. We get home to San Diego Mid January, we are currently in Texas.

We are ages 58 and 59 and the sideways position was fine until my back injury, (broke), made it impossible for me to continue climbing over the top of Chris to get to my side of the bed without PAIN. After a couple months of climbing over me, (he hadn’t done this for a year), Chris was finished with it, so he decided to flip the bed.

The bed is now flipped, but as you can see it’s a mess; much work needs to be done. The bench on the passenger side needs to be taken out and rethought. Chris says there is naught there but storage, outside and inside. All tanks are on the drivers side where we have placed the bed by plan. He will be building new shelf work, we will consider the drawers together. I’d like to keep these drawers if we can, they are sturdy; I have some print fabric fabric to cover the white drawers so as to match the red drawers.

We like this idea for drawers as they can be carried from house to Airstream and back for filling/emptying. When traveling I dust shelves thoroughly and place rubber shelf liners under each drawer to keep them from sliding out. When the bed was in the sideways position we had this set of drawers on either side. Later on he built two shelves for storage behind the drawers, they are approximately a a 6in shelf and a 7in shelf 20 inches deep. They are seen in the third photo.

In the sideways position you CAN fit a queen size bed in our model of Airstream, but we wanted the five extra inches of width to go to the drawers/shelving. We are comfortable in a full size bed, cuddling is healthy and happy. ♥️

Chris used the dead space overhead to build a shelf, we used it for linen storage. He also built the headboard, it flips up for storage. Because we travel to Texas, (his family is here), and stay for 4-7 months at a time extra storage is very important to us.

He’s done wonders with the bathroom as the medicine cabinet was a joke for those of us who live long term in our Airstreams.

[3wd67rg]

The only storage we MIGHT lose is the Outside storage in the very end passenger side. Chris would be building plenty of storage shelves/drawers inside to make up for storage bench removed. We may decide to keep the outside storage and build over/around it. When Chris gets to working on it, I will update this thread and add photos.

[Stony33]

Thanks!

[azflycaster]

I would wait and find the floor plan you desire. Even if you need to travel a couple of days to get the trailer, it will be quicker and easier then modifying the twins.

[3wd67rg]

Originally Posted by Stony33

Thanks!

You are very welcome Stoney. I wanted you to have at least one answer to your question that gave you exactly the kinds of information you were looking for. Chris can do this more justice as he does the work and I do decor only. In addition to caring for the home and me, he’s been busy teaching himself how to flake obsidian, and today he is taking his mom for her flu shot. But I hope to get him in here soon. Happy searching!

P.S. Measure the bedroom for yourself BEFORE you buy, remember I said we have a different model/year Airstream.

[3wd67rg]

Originally Posted by Mount'n Man

(I really hate it when the site decides to rotate a picture after I hit send... Sorry)

This happens to me occasionally, I always use preview as I go along and never post until all is perfect, or at least close. Being anal means it never really is and I always find mistakes after I’ve posted. There is a limited amount of time AFTER posting for further editing, 15 minutes I think 🤔. Still I miss things. Ugh.

The photo may post sideways because that is the original orientation. You might try making a copy of the photo in your preferred orientatation, and then post the copy instead. There is a thread to practice in somewhere around the forum.

[morlach]

basic carpentry skills required to do either swap. The only thing tricky is the damn rounded loaf shape of the Airstream “fuselage.” It can make fitting some things annoying.

[morlach]

A couple of things to think about, a rear bath - thus mid bedroom would create problems for replacing twins with a full. I think a rear bed conversion would be much less problematic. If I did a mid bed conversion I might try some kind of Murphy bed arrangement.