*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Minivans are often known as family vehicles because of how many people and luggage that they can fit inside. However, minivans have many other uses besides being used for just long family vacations.
Many workers use minivans because of their versatility and how much can be put inside of them.
If you have to go get some plywood and you are unable to get a truck or simply want to know if it’s possible to use a minivan to haul it then you are in the right place.
Surprisingly 4×8 sheets of plywood WILL fit inside the back of a minivan as long as the seats are folded into the floor or removed (depending on the model). However, you won’t be able to haul more than 35 sheets of ½ inch plywood since the amount of weight that is supposed to be loaded into most vans is only 1500-2,000lbs and the average sheet of plywood weighs 50lbs.
But excatly which models will a 4×8 sheet of plywood fit into and what do you need to do to get a sheet of plywood to fit?
- Honda Odyssey: 4×8 plywood will fit if you lay down the 3rd row and remove the 2nd row.
- Toyota Sienna: 4×8 plywood will fit if you lay down the 3rd row and remove the 2nd row.
- Dodge Grand Caravan: 4×8 plywood will fit if you lay down the 2nd & 3rd rows.
- Chrysler Town & Country, Pacifica, & Voyager: 4×8 plywood will fit if you lay down the 2nd & 3rd rows.
When it comes to hauling plywood the best minivans for that are those made by Dodge and Chrylser. Both of these minivans have stow and go for the 2nd and 3rd rows which means you don’t have to unbolt or remove any seats to be able to haul plywood.
You can likely get away with putting more weight in your minivan than your that temporarily but if you put too much weight or leave the weight in the van too long you can certainly damage your shocks or other parts of your vehicle.
Typically when people are hauling plywood it is only getting it from the store to the job site and minivans are perfect for that.
One thing that you do need to be aware of is how much the minivan will “squat” with the weight of the plywood in the back. If you are hauling quite a few sheets of plywood then the rear of the van will be pretty close to the ground so you will have to make sure to take it really slow when going over large bumps or dips to keep from tearing up anything on the underside of the vehicle.
You also need to be aware that the cargo space in each minivan is slightly different. For example, the Dodge or Chrysler minivans allow all of their seats to be easily folded into the floor and the plywood can be slid right in.
Other models such as the Toyota Sienna have third row seats that fold into the floor but the second row will have to be manually removed to allow for enough space for plywood to fit inside of it. Without removing the second row seats you only have about 6 feet in length so you could fit ½ sheets of plywood but not whole ones.
How much space does a minivan have on average?
A minivan can be a great vehicle for people who have a small family or a small business venture or a medium-sized garage band. The minivan offers a lot of cargo space.
Minivans are famous as slow family vehicles which are used for taking kids to soccer practice or tours of the countryside.
However, the floors of minivans are low and the cargo wells are deep which are located at the back of the third row, implying that even when the minivan is overloaded with passengers, there is still plenty of space for groceries, gear, strollers, and even tools.
Minivans provide a lot of benefits that leave behind its counterparts in the space for passengers and cargo. Most minivans have over 150 cubic feet of space for passenger seating or storage over all the three rows, but several crossovers are designed in the same way. The low floors of the minivan increase the level of comfort they offer to the passengers in the third row, in which adults and tall teenagers will have a bit more space than you can use as a knee room which provides a good amount of ground clearance.
That 150 cubic feet of space translates to roughly 4 foot wide by 8 foot long in virtually every minivan. The minivan does get wider by the sliding doors so you will go from 4 foot wide to a little over 5 foot in that section of the minivan but that’s only for approximately 3 feet of the 8 feet of length.
The seating pattern available in the minivan is quite similar to the SUVs. Both of the vehicles have bucket seats in the front and back of the minivan. The second as well as the third row of the seating structure in the minivan is well equipped.
Which size of a sheet of plywood can fit in a minivan?
You can accommodate different sizes of a plywood in your minivan but typically the wisest that will fit is 4 feet. Since the standard sizes for plywood is either 4 feet wide and 4 feet long or four feet wide and 8 feet long you shouldn’t have an issue fitting either of those inside of your minivan.
How to install plywood in a minivan?
If you aren’t actually looking to just haul plywood in your minivan but are actually looking to install it to convert your van to living quarters then it is important to know how to install it properly.
Installing walls and flooring made up of plywood in your minivan can seem a bit weird at first, but once the process gets completed, you will be surprised to see the result.
Following are the steps by which you can complete plywood installation in your minivan:
- Measurement of cardboard sheets
You need to cut out the cardboard sheet according to the dimensions you need for panelling the first wall, which extends from the metallic rib in between the two windows located on the side of the driver to right at the back of the driver’s seat.
You will want to make sure to measure properly and then cut it out on cardboard to make sure it fits correctly.
- Do the trimming
As soon as the cardboard template has been cut out, you need to ensure that it properly fits in the space. You will have to trim some spots at random to be close to the perfect sizing.
You must make sure that the trimming is done perfectly as this is the final template for your plywood that will be installed.
- Trace on the plywood
You now need to trace the pattern from the cardboard onto a sheet of plywood and then use a jigsaw for cutting out the outline that you just traced into the wood.
- Cut holes
Next, you need to cut out holes for the windows in your minivan. You can drill holes in each corner and then use a jigsaw for connecting the dots.
- Check the fit
Even if you try your best to get the template exactly right for the required dimensions, you will likely still have to do a bit of trimming across the panel of plywood to make sure that it fits perfectly.
- Add insulation
You will want to add in extra insulation to the part of the window that will be used for the plywood installation.
- Attach the plywood to the metal body
Now you need to attach the metal body of the van to the piece of plywood that you have cut out. You will complete the joining process with the help of screws. These screws must go right through the plywood into the frame, but should not make pilot holes on the surface.
- Repeat the process with other panels
You now need to follow the same steps with all the other panels of plywood that you will need in the installation of plywood in your minivan.
- Cut door panels
Lastly, you need to add the panels of plywood to the front doors. You need to make templates of cardboard, trace the outline on plywood, cut it out with the help of a jigsaw, and attach them using screws as well.
Can plywood wall installation be beneficial for your minivan?
Everything is unique about the organic beauty of getting your living area covered with wood since it brings you immense peace and makes your heart feel content. It can provide you a homely feeling in your minivan and can even enhance the appearance of the interior of your minivan as well.
Hence, installing a plywood wall in your minivan can be very beneficial for you but that is especially true if you insulate the walls. If you are planning on living in the van when it is cold or hot then you will want some insulation to help protect the inside of the van from those elements.
Ideally you will use a lot of insulation between the walls of the van and your plywood to ensure that as little hot and cold air transfers from outside to inside as possible.
Conclusion
It is certainly true that a minivan can easily accommodate a sheet of plywood since it has ample cargo space for passengers and a lot of free space too, which can be used as legroom or knee room.
You can easily use your minivan for transporting sheets of plywood from one place to the other by simply laying down or removing the seats in your minivan (depending on your model). You can even install plywood walls inside your minivan to make your minivan appear way more aesthetic if you plan on living in it.