Painting and Reinstalling Plylining: Peugeot Expert Camper Conversion
- Jan 29
- 3 min read
Welcome to the seventh instalment of our camper conversion series! In this post, we'll be painting and reinstalling ply lining into our 2020 Peugeot Expert. You'll find a step-by-step guide along with helpful tips and tricks for your own conversion project.
Tools Used:
Undercoat: Link
Paint of your choice
Drill
Screwdriver
Pen
For Landscape Painting:
Step One: Prepping the Wood
Since we were reusing the original ply lining, we needed to sand down the rough edges. I also tried clamping some of the warped pieces to straighten them out, but this had little effect, although the bends weren't noticeable once the wood was screwed in place.
Step Two: Painting
Once the wood was prepped, we started with a layer of undercoat. After it had dried, we applied three layers of colour. I painted the lower panels green and the upper/largest ones white.
Step Three: Landscape Painting
I decided to paint a landscape to give the van a bit more of a personal touch.
I used some of the same green we used on the lower panels so it would match the rest of the van. To make the hills appear further away, I added cheap white acrylic paint from Amazon. I also used this paint for the blue water and grey mountains. The top of the painting uses the same white as the rest of the white panels, again to make it match.
I used three layers of varnish to protect the paint underneath.
Step Four: Reinstalling the Panels
Large Side Panel:
First, we needed to find the screw holes, which had been hidden under the carpet lining. We started by lining up the ply lining to the wall to find their approximate location and used a needle to find the hole.
Then, we used tape to mark its position, which made lining everything up easier. Once the first screw was in, the others were less difficult to find. We had to use longer screws in this section to account for the additional layer of insulation we had previously installed.
Lower Section of Side and Back Doors:
The lower panels originally had two layers of wood—one held in with clips and another screwed in on top of it. Using the underlayer as a guide, I marked the position of the screw holes.
I closed the door so I wouldn't be pushing too hard against the hinges while screwing the panel in place. I used the original screws for these sections.
Tip: If you don't have the underlayer to use as a guide, I'd recommend marking the holes while you carpet-line the van.
Upper Section of Side Doors:
The upper wooden panels are held in place by screws with plastic spacers/stand-off washers. I marked the holes for this section when we carpet-lined the van.
I screwed in the bottom screw and rested the panel in place. Then, I found the next hole using a needle, but there wasn't enough space due to the insulation. I marked the new holes about a cm further out, using the panel as a guide.
Tip: It had to be tight so the panels wouldn't vibrate or fall out while we're driving. Having an extra pair of hands to hold up the panel while you screw it in will make this job a lot easier.
The method is the same on the upper section of the rear doors, but I decided they looked fine without the panelling now that we have installed the carpet.
For more van content, visit my YouTube channel here.
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