Convert Microwave to Usable Cupboard Space in a Supreme Getaway Caravan

We are very rarely hooked up to power when we camp so for the past few years we have used the microwave in our van for a bread bin. Amanda came up with the idea of pulling the microwave out and replacing it with a door.

The Old Microwave In Our Supreme Getaway Caravan aka The Bread Bin

First thing to do was to remove the old microwave. It was screwed in from underneath. There was a screw in the bottom of each “foot”.

Removing The Old Microwave

After removal of the microwave we had a space that was much larger than we thought. Bonus! There was a load of wiring in the left side of the cupboard, it belongs to the solar controller, hot water switches, a CIG outlet and some light switches.

Wiring Inside of Microwave Cupboard

I tidied the wiring up with cable ties and then made up a cover to hide it all away inside the cupboard. On the bottom and top I mounted a bit of aluminium angle with sikaflex. The cover screws in to these angles so as to be removable in case the wiring ever needs to be accessed in future.

Wiring Tidied Up and Angles In Place

The cover is just a thin piece of MDF cut to size with a bit of angle on the corner to hide the join. It does an effective and neat job of hiding the wiring away.

Wiring Cover Fitted

The door is made from a piece of 4mm marine ply from making shelves in the van cut to size. There was no chance of matching the old door panelling so we didn’t even try. Amanda had a great idea to cover it up anyway. I couldn’t match up the trim profile in the rest of the van either so instead of buying something that wouldn’t match anyway I used an offcut of skirting that I had. It was all glued together with PVA wood glue and clamped up to dry.

Making a New Cupboard Door For Supreme Getaway Caravan

After the glue was dry I gave the door a light sand and put on two coats of Cabots clear floor finish. I purchased some hinges and a matching catch from www.caravansplus.com.au for about $15 delivered. I had an old door knob kicking around in the shed that matched the others in the van pretty well so that was fitted along with the hinges and catch. Then the door was fitted up to the cupboard in the van.

Hinge & Catch

Amanda made up a photo collage to fit inside the door panel and then laminated it. It was fitted to the door front with some velcro dots so it’s removable and can be swapped out in future.

Completed Door Replacing Microwave

All up it was a really easy project and we are happy with the result. We have a heap more storage space, the van is 10kg lighter without the microwave and if needed we can refit the microwave in about 20 minutes.

Heaps More Storage Space in the “Microwave” Cupboard