Is there a way to make the side dinette bed wider in a Casita SD17 ?

[whoot]

I am getting my Casita soon, and from what I see online, the side dinette bed would be too small for a 5'10 adult to sleep on, and I will probably have to use the larger rear dinette as a bed. But I would really prefer to use the rear dinette as a large computer desk. Is there a way to make the side dinette wider? It looks like just laying a wide board over it, and maybe having support legs for the board would work. Maybe there is a metal cot frame that could extend it? I'm just wondering if anyone already has an easy way to do this.

[Eddie Longest]

The side seats are about 24" wide. I saw where someone placed a piece of plywood on the sleeping area. They attached another piece of plywood 6" with hinges and it set vertical against the wall during the day. At night they slid the board out and the piece against the wall was flat on the bench making a 30" bed. I think they made a custom cushion to fit the folding board. I don't think the used any legs. The isle in a Casita is only 24" wide without the extension board. I think I saw it on the Casita Forum.
Eddie

[Borrego Dave]

Ed that might have been on the other forum but it was also here. I think within the last 6 months. I have the SD and followed his post. It did have legs that screwed on and added 6 inches to the width. Pretty sweet and easy mod too. Bill, the extra width would be good cuz if you don't remember which way to roll over........well, think gravity

[whoot]

So there were 2 pieces of wood connected by hinges, one piece was 24" wide and the other was 6" wide? The piece that was 6" wide was closest to the wall, and was folded up during the day? I'm trying to imagine it. So the 24" piece was "hanging over the edge" by 6 inches when the whole thing was stretched out for sleeping?

[WaltP]

William
I recommend registering on casitaforum.com and posting your question there, where there have been many discussions and solutions.
One I know of was by Borderbrae that may be of interest, but there are several others as well.

Walt

[Carl Pa]

On the scamp side dinette, i find it to be very comfortable b/c it is longer then my 6` body and i can really stretch out, something i can`t do when both of us are in the rear dinette. The 24" width of the side dinette does not bother me because i am thin. We use both the beds, so we don`t bother each other to get up in the night. I am a early riser so the side dinette goes up for breakfast, I use a bed roll and it goes up in a few minutes, no bother at all. Have a coffee and wait till loml wakes. Carl

[Peg Davis]

Look on the casita forum and search under member phalaney we did a SD side dinette bed modification. All there with instructions and pictures.

[Mary F]

Check this out:

Casita SD Side Dinette Mod

[Mary F]

Another idea is, if you don't need the full size of the back dinette table for your computer desk, you could make the back bed into a twin. There are pictures of a similar approach on Sharon G's Tinycamper Blog, although Sharon used the leftover space for a table and seating. But instead of a seat on one of the sides, you could fashion a computer desk, somehow... It would leave the center aisle clear, at least.

(A friend of mine did something similar, many years ago; alas, I no longer have pictures of it.)

Anyway, it's likely more trouble than what you're thinking of doing, but increases the options for using the space.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by Mary F

Check this out:

Casita SD Side Dinette Mod

That looks perfect, I will plan on making something like that. Thanks!

[whoot]

I bought a 72"x30" folding table to lay on top of the 72"x24" dinette, which should give me another 6" to lay sideways. I put a rubber exercise mat between the dinette and table bottom, and a heavy duty sleeping bag on top of the table. Any extra rubber or bag, I curled under the outside edge, to stop me from rolling off (hopefully). I will try it tonight. If this doesn't work, I will get a 72"x36" folding table. I really need to use the rear dinette as a real computer desk. Here is what I did.

$40 plastic table.



Heavy duty sleeping bag.



Blanket, pillow, and security pillow.



I'm going to cut this corner off.



Now I have a real desk!