Panel Van Rear Door Curtains (1 Viewer)

Oct 17, 2014
102
123
London
Funster No
33,850
MH
Possl Roadcruiser PVC
Exp
Since 2011
I'm hoping someone may be able to suggest a solution here. We have a Ducato-based PVC which is great except for when you open the back doors in the rain, e.g. to get stuff out of the boot or turn gas on/off.. Rain then gets on curtains and/or bed.

I tried making curtains out of heavy clear polythene and velcro-ing them around the door frame so they could be removed, but velcro can't stand continental temperatures and came unglued!

It must be a relatively common problem with all PVCs but I've not been able to find a commercially available solution other than Fiamma's rear door awning, which is a good idea, but way too ott for our needs.

Thanks.
 
Mar 11, 2014
934
1,330
Lincs
Funster No
30,480
MH
PVC
Exp
Since 2010
I'm thinking that probably the cheapest and easiest solution would be a tension rod across the back at the top with a shower curtain or two attached to it. Easily removable and lightweight.

Having a PVC myself it's something that I have to contend with and one of the reasons I have a gas system that is safe to drive with it switched on so I don't have to get out in the wet to switch on/off.
 
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OP
Hughman
Oct 17, 2014
102
123
London
Funster No
33,850
MH
Possl Roadcruiser PVC
Exp
Since 2011
Good idea - thanks. I'd probably need 2 curtains as one won't be wide enough. Hope the same problem doesn't arise with tension rods.

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C

Chockswahay

Deleted User
We have a Ducato-based PVC which is great except for when you open the back doors in the rain, e.g. to get stuff out of the boot or turn gas on/off.. Rain then gets on curtains and/or bed.

We have a PVC and I agree with you....... also what about the flippin flies too!

I have thought about (but not yet done anything about it) fitting a standard curtain track across the rear cupboards which are ceiling mounted and simply putting up short curtains.
 
Nov 30, 2009
6,543
148,326
Pickering
Funster No
9,521
MH
PVC the PUG
Exp
Since 2009 with motorhomes several caravans then tents before that.
It's not something I've thought about. Ralph's in the process of converting a Peugeot panel van. The back doors open. But there's only the bit between the cupboard and the top of the rear lounge cushions. I think if it was chucking it down that much , we wouldn't want the things that are kept under there anyway. Chairs, bbq, mat.
Maybe our walking boots, but we could get them through the cupboard door on the inside.
Flies? They could fly through any door or window if it doesn't have a fly screen. Our windows do. But the the doors don't. It's only a small opening ......
Am I missing something?
image.jpg
 
Last edited:
Mar 11, 2014
934
1,330
Lincs
Funster No
30,480
MH
PVC
Exp
Since 2010
The other option is to use something like these instead of velcro

Broken Link Removed

I've got some and they are on my 'to do' list of making a thermal curtain to separate the cab from the back of the van.

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C

Chockswahay

Deleted User
Am I missing something? View attachment 65797

Depends upon how you use the van. We have a full size 'garage' under our fixed rear double bed so when we open the rear doors the 'bedroom' is exposed to the outside. If we have been out cycling and it is raining when we get back we still need to open the rear doors to put our bikes away.

Same thing with turning the gas on and off since the gas cylinders are under the bed too.
 
Nov 30, 2009
6,543
148,326
Pickering
Funster No
9,521
MH
PVC the PUG
Exp
Since 2009 with motorhomes several caravans then tents before that.
Ahh. I see. I'm forgetting different layouts.
There's nothing under ours what we need to get to , to use / work the van. Only chairs bbq mat boots . We could get at those by just opening one of the doors too.
Ralph has fitted a drip strip with LED lights attached to it over the sliding door. It works great , stopping water dripping into the van when it's raining , and you have the door open.
Or when you open the Door and it has been raining.
 
OP
OP
Hughman
Oct 17, 2014
102
123
London
Funster No
33,850
MH
Possl Roadcruiser PVC
Exp
Since 2011
We have a PVC and I agree with you....... also what about the flippin flies too!

I have thought about (but not yet done anything about it) fitting a standard curtain track across the rear cupboards which are ceiling mounted and simply putting up short curtains.
We've already got those. They blow in when you open the doors and get wet themselves as well. OK for keeping light out though.

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Chockswahay

Deleted User
We've already got those. They blow in when you open the doors and get wet themselves as well. OK for keeping light out though.

Ahh, OK so maybe I won't rush to put some up then :eek:
 
Oct 20, 2014
1,339
5,953
Hampshire
Funster No
33,905
MH
Adria Coral 680 SL
Exp
Since 2014
Tension rods do come in quite wide widths (well, you know what I mean!). Perhaps you could also throw an extra spare shower curtain over the bedding when you open the doors in the rain for added protection.
 
C

Chockswahay

Deleted User
Tension rods do come in quite wide widths (well, you know what I mean!). Perhaps you could also throw an extra spare shower curtain over the bedding when you open the doors in the rain for added protection.

Now that's a thought.........IKEA do variable length tension rod with rubber ends and cheap shower curtain.(y)

Hmm, come to think of it, that's what we have in the bathroom........ I wonder if Mrs Chox would notice if I ..............:whistle:
 
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OP
Hughman
Oct 17, 2014
102
123
London
Funster No
33,850
MH
Possl Roadcruiser PVC
Exp
Since 2011
The other option is to use something like these instead of velcro

Broken Link Removed

I've got some and they are on my 'to do' list of making a thermal curtain to separate the cab from the back of the van.
May well be the way to go - I need to check the van, but there may not be space at the back to put up the tension bar, as I think the various lockers may go back too far. In that case, this looks like the answer.

So one way or another, a result :)

Thanks everyone.

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Sep 23, 2013
2,579
8,603
Lincs
Funster No
28,231
MH
Globecar Campscout
Exp
Since 2008 (started in a VW T4 campervan)
The Globecar winterisation pack includes full width & height silver thermal screens for the back doors that attach with those studs. They cover the whole of the back door opening, but of course as such you are still shut out from the under bed garage. They do have a central zip up the middle, but you are now squeezing between cold wet thermal screens.

I used those same stud fastenings for the thermal/lightproof curtain that we made for isolating the cab from the rest of the vehicle - useful not only to keep the cab warm while driving but also for a bit of discreet overnight parking - cab window blinds are a bit of a giveaway.

What is needed for the back doors is something that covers the area between the tops of the doors when open & extends part way downwards from the open ends, creating a dry working area between the doors. Ideally, it should fix to the inside of the doors & unfold as you open them - spoils the point if you have to faf around in the rain erecting something.

I think we need @MinxyGirl 's expertise on this one - especially as she now has a use for just such a solution. And @ScotJimland has the equipment to run up the finished article(s). (y)

In all seriousness, if we can come up with a design, I have a brother-in-law with suitable manufacturing equipment for a small production run.
 
Jan 10, 2013
5,958
7,354
Near Uttoxeter and Crete
Funster No
24,227
MH
Warwick XL PVC
Exp
Still trucking and learning
I haven't got a panel van and I maybe misunderstanding the problem but would one of these with a cut down clear shower curtain work attached to the middle of the inside of the van?
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
I think we need @MinxyGirl 's expertise on this one - especially as she now has a use for just such a solution.
You called???? :)

In our previous and current PVCs I fitted a couple of thick net curtain expanding poles (a normal thin net curtain pole is too flimsy and a shower pole is too fat!), one has a pair of thermal curtains on that hang just below the bed base height so don't flap in when the doors are opened, the second pole has a pair of full height voiles on, crinkle ones rather than the really fine one which I find being a little bit heavier don't blow about quite so much. For both sets of curtains, I've threaded curtain rings onto the poles and the curtains are attached to these with normal curtain hooks.

If the thin voiles blowing in the wind is a problem it wouldn't be difficult to put some weights in the bottom to keep them hanging properly when the doors are opened, in fact this is what I did when I made a voile curtain for the sliding door on our previous van utilising the 'string' weight out of an old shower curtain which I simply threaded through the bottom seam/hem.

Below are photos of the curtains in our previous PVC (this was before I'd fitted the net curtains too) where I at first used a net curtain pole and some shower curtain loops along with a push in metal clip to hold the pole in place.

curtains.JPG
4 - Rear curtains bracket.JPG


I then changed it to what I have put in our current van - thicker spring/expanding poles instead of the thinner ones, and used large metal cup-hooks which the poles sit in which I've lengthened as much as possible so they fit tight against the side of the van, the hooks mean they can easily be removed if necessary - spring/expanding poles won't stay up on their own ... I've tried and they just fall down on your head ... you need something to keep them there and this was the simplest and less 'destructive' method I could think of, I did consider stick on hooks but they tend to not have a large enough 'hook' depth to keep the poles in situ.

As for the other question about a cover/shelter of some sort for when the rear doors are open in bad weather ... I did start to make one but it would have been such a pain to deploy I'd have been soaked by the time it was usable so I didn't bother in the end! On the other hand, making something that automatically creates some cover when the doors are opened but that is permanently attached (or at least could be left attached with the doors closed) isn't as silly as it sounds.

Simply using a rectangular piece of waterproof material, attaching one long side to the top of the rear opening inside the van, then the 2 shorter sides to the top of each door would mean that when the door is opened a cover would be created, when the doors are closed the materials would hang inside creating a triangle shape pointing downwards. This wouldn't work that well though if only one of the doors was opened but would still give a little bit of triangular shelter. The one thing you'd have to remember is that once you closed the doors any wet material would then be inside the van which wouldn't be ideal.

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Cal54

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 25, 2014
3,778
61,432
Southport, UK
Funster No
31,130
MH
Leisuredrive Renoir
Exp
Since 1996
I have the same issue, i.e. trying to keep the rain off my bed when opening the rear doors to access the toilet cassette. My thoughts as a solution to my problem is that a roller blind in a waterproof material mounted at the top of the van, which could be pulled down and secured to my bed head would be ideal. Just need to source something suitable and then find a way of fitting on the ceiling of the van.
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
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149
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Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
I considered a roller blind instead of fitting rear curtains but felt that the extra insulation provided by curtains made them more beneficial, but if that's not a consideration then a roller blind could do the job for you.

A suitable roller blind could actually provide a pull out rain cover (for short term use whilst ferreting around inside) if there was a way to attach it to the open doors ... but don't know that I'd want a soggy roller blind inside the van and it would probably go mouldy if not unrolled and dried out.

If anyone does go down the roller blind route make sure you always put the cord out of the way so you don't throttle yourself with it in the night! :D
 
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Chockswahay

Deleted User
Hi @MinxyGirl,

I've only just noticed you've bought a 'decent' van hehe!

How do you rate it compared to the English conversions? (we have only owned one van..... a Globecar Globescout)

Hmm.......... I think I am only a 'GO' haha

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Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Very pleased with our new van ... our previous Autocruise PVC was actually very well built contrary to comments by others about British vans. I do miss the little 'window sills' that we had in the Autocruise as they were a nice touch and useful.
 

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