Side Isle or Center Isle Floor plan?

[Jim Eh.]

It was suggested to me (and sorry but I can't recall whom) to offset one of the "entrances" to the bathroom. You get the use of the entire width of the bus for a bathroom (like a center isle) and with the offset you get your increase in privacy. I am planning on locating the throne off to one side facing away from the bedroom with a stub wall with maybe some frosted glass to carry on to the roof. It will be on the opposite side from the offset passageway to isolate the throne from both the bedroom and the passageway. This way I can have my privacy door between the kitchen and the bathroom but open to, yet semi-secluded from the bedroom. A drawing would help but I don't have any at the present moment and I don't have a USB port in my neck.

[Seangie]

Our bus had a side aisle when we bought it but we opted to change to a center aisle.  The center aisle opened up the bus and allowed it to feel bigger with more space.

The Hollands have a side aisle type setup that is amazing.  Craig's managed to design it in such a way that it feels more like a cozy 2 bedroom house.  It gives the 2 bedroom areas their own space and privacy (to a degree) and the front space is very welcoming.

If it were the wife and I I would keep the center aisle but have a bathroom that goes across the width that can change to a center aisle.  Dave Rush did this in his bus and I loved the way it looked and changed the bathroom to be open to the public, open as part of the bedroom or just 'put away' with  a center aisle.  Wisely done.

-Sean

[MEverard]

In my 4104 I have a center aisle through the parlor and galley. I went to a side aisle at the midway point which gives me a full bath. My wife does not like compartmented bathrooms. We have short hallway to the bedroom. This configuration did not waste space.

[Geoff]

Semi-side isle

[TomC]

I always like center isle. Side isle makes no sense to me since you waste all the wall space just for the walk way. Since our bus is 102 wide with 96" interior space, our hallway is offset to the road side. Starting on the road side is 24" cabinets that include refer, washer/dryer, closets. Then 24" isle. Then the remaining 48" is taken up with the bathroom built around the side door for access to the bathroom from the outside. The bathroom is 8ft long with a shower stall that is 36" x 36". Between the shower stall and the wall is the linen closet. Has been quite livable. Good Luck, TomC

[Geom]

We looked at a few buses before we bought ours. One of them had a side isle. It did seem to provide the impression of a more private bedroom, but otherwise detracted from the rest of the space. It was highly inefficient in terms of allowable contiguous space and made for a really odd bathroom layout. It also made for a goofy small kitchen area. The ceiling was considerably lower on the side which made walking through that aisle to the bedroom awkward.

I agree with Cary and Don on the multi-use factor. A side isle dedicates that space as a walkway and nothing/little else. With the center isle configuration we have in ours, that same isle can be used as actual usable space for the bathroom, or extending the enclosed space of the bedroom, or closing off both and having three different spaces (bedroom, shower, camode).
It also allows the kitchen space to be more functional.

The side isle configuration was a weight and balance concern for me as well, as everything was now loaded to one side of the bus (bed, with tanks under bed, kitchen counter and fridge, and bathroom).

Also, it may not matter for your use, but we saw this bus in cold weather. That walkway was bitter cold as compared to the more central parts of the bus. That may have had to do as much with the completely lacking insulation in this particular bus, but in our bus the walls are covered with things like cabinets and closets, leaving the usable open space in the center away from the walls, and adding a tiny bit of additional insulation. And sitting in an 8' aluminum tube, the further you're sitting from the cold walls the better

[Geoff]

Three more shots-- the front lounge is centered, the bed and bath are centered, just the entrance to the bathroom is offset with a slide out pantry and pocket door.  That breaks up the bowling ball center isle.  The pocket door slides out against a double closet  on the left and seals off the bathroom.  The bedroom has double sliding doors that come together at the center to isolate the bedroom and and bathroom from each other.

--Geoff
(These are never seen pictures from my RTS conversion.  More if you want them).

[dbldragon]

Sorry but I do not understand the statement that a center hall makes better use of space as it does not wast space. A hall that transitions from point a (kitchen ) to point b (bedroom ) is still a hall . A 6x2 hall is 12 sq.ft along side or in center.

Chuck

[sledhead]

on our side isle when you close the door between the kitchen , bathroom and then close the door from the bed room to the bath room it makes the bath room huge . only difference is I have a 3rd door that closes off the bath tub and the crapper . this way with the side isle there is more room in the tub,crapper area . we had the bowling alley center isle in a sticks , staples m/h with a window in the back . my wiffe ,I hatted it but the dog loved it as she would through the dog toys all the way to the back and the dog could run well we were on the road

dave

[scanzel]

We went with side isle with a full bathroom like a home. After spending some time in a friends center isle we did not like when attempting to shower you basically prevent anyone else from going into the bedroom or using the toilet. With the side isle we can still access the bedroom when someone is using the toilet or shower. We have 36"x36" shower, toilet next to it and a sink across from the toilet. Gives the girls full privacy when they are in there. 

[John316]

Sorry but I do not understand the statement that a center hall makes better use of space as it does not wast space. A hall that transitions from point a (kitchen ) to point b (bedroom ) is still a hall . A 6x2 hall is 12 sq.ft along side or in center.

Chuck

Chuck,

It wastes space, because you have the angles in there. It takes more space to push a two foot square box down a side aisle, because it has to turn. However, if you take that box and push it straight back, there is less sq ft needed. Draw it up, and you will see.

Geoff - Nice looking bus. I for one would like more pics.

[sledhead]

pixs of ours      http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/crane66/media/busdec202014014_zps2d9d3c4c.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/crane66/media/buspicsapril222014014_zpse751e857.jpg.html?sort=3&o=24 

http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/crane66/media/busdec202014002_zps8fce5abc.jpg.html?sort=3&o=13 

dave

[Dawgs]

For now, we will be going with a side aisle...........momma says so.  But I am going to show her the pictures of Dave's setup.  That is a good looking set up.

[Mike in GA]

There is a 3rd option, a modified side aisle, which is what we did on our MC96a3.
     On the right side going rearward we carved out about 20 inches from the wall and installed pantry cabinets and a double sliding door for our electrical and hanging closet.
     Opposite this we made a fully enclosed full bath, with entrance from the narrow hallway.
     We like this because folks have access to the bedroom while someone is using the bath, and there is a little more privacy in the bath. Incidentally the bathroom door is exactly as wide as the aisle, so when the bathroom door opens, it can be secured to divide the coach for privacy when dressing in the bedroom, etc. When the door is returned to its normal position you can see down the length of the coach, and a get less cooped-up feeling.
     Just our way. YMMV.
Mike in GA

[sledhead]

thanks for the complement .
we had 2 sticks , staples m/h  before and it all started because my wife wanted a bath tub . we looked at a lot of m/homes but could not find a layout we liked . then the idea of making our own from a bus was former 

it is hard to see in the pixs but there are 3 pocket sliding doors
1 bed to bath
1 bath to tub, crapper
1 right side fridge between kit , bath 

dave