Give Up an Hour of Time and Learn To Build the Smallest, Eco-Friendly, Tiny Home Camper

Folks, if you ever make it to Mike Krabal's YouTube channel, you'll run across just a few projects over the course of the past three years, and that's mainly because some of the projects he spins up seem to take months to complete. After all, the guy's got a life, you know.

Well, the most recent video he's released takes us through the steps necessary to come up with what he considers his "favorite camper yet!" Oh, it can also accommodate four tired guests and has a dinette, wet bath, bedroom, and full galley, not to mention hot running water and all that; be sure to check out the way Mike heats up his water for showers.

Now, we could sit here and talk about how this puppy is brought to life step by step, but that would clearly take as long as the video itself and one hour of footage on fast-forward is a long time. So, to give us an idea of what the end product can actually achieve, we'll just pretend we've already completed all the stages of putting this puppy together and find ourselves living out of it with the family.

First and foremost, if you plan on following through with this build, there's something you should know, and it has to do with the chassis this habitat is sitting on. Overall, Mike is using just a basic trailer that can handle up to 1,720 lbs (780 kg) of load, but the completed camper, with a full tank of water, weighs 1,620 lbs (735 kg). That said, if you're looking to load up and hit some rougher terrain, I do recommend grabbing a slightly more solid chassis and suspension, especially if you're planning some off-the-tarmac traveling.

As for why I chose to bring this build to light, the first and foremost reason is based on the reactions you'll get as you roll into some trailer park. Honestly, when's the last time you saw a camper that's this wholesome, natural, and as Eco as you can get?

Aside from some protective rubber film here and there, fiberglass or aluminum panels in the shower stall, and bedding foam, the rest of this travel trailer is crafted using nothing but good old wood. Oh, and some Gorilla glue, caulk, sealant, and, you know, the story if you're into DIY camper projects.

After finding your parking spot, stabilizing your camper, and opening its doors to the world outside, you're bound to start seeing a parkgoer here and there, slowly making their way to your unit. Once this happens, you'll need to do the following: either tell them where you saw this build and the step-by-step video they need to complete or walk them through the steps yourself.

Long story short, you'll tell your new friend all about how plywood and 1x10-foot pine boards are the basis for what they see, how you laid down floor support beams and then filled them with insulation, and how you even managed to fit a bathroom inside, among others. Yet, it's once your guests leave that you and your family will be able to take full advantage of what you've built.

The exterior of the camper doesn't include any sort of features aimed at outdoor living, all except the water heater that's set up on the chassis A-frame, so it's mostly the interior features that you'll be using. But worry not; from the first moments inside, you'll be able to feel as though you're at home. Oh, and the satisfaction that you built it is bound to be a good feeling.

As we stand in the doorway to our right, Mike added this unit's galley, and while it's not much, just a fridge, for now, and sink with a high-rise faucet, there's space to bring a mobile cooktop, too. The AC unit is also found underneath the top. To our left, your bathroom awaits, and while it's as simple as can be, its positioning lets you meditate with a view; just leave the door to the camper open.

Continuing our journey inside, the smell of all the wood used in this build is bound to bring you that much closer to the natural world around you, all the windows tattered all over the shell are bound to do the same. Sounds like a good time to take a little siesta on the modular dinette.

Speaking of siestas, the rear of this mobile home accommodates an East-West bedding arrangement that can fit two small guests. Funny enough, another bedding space is found underneath the first, so you could possibly fit more than four in here. Again, windows everywhere let you open your eyes in the morning and peak out into a new day. Be sure to check out those simple covers Mike designed for those portholes.

Sure, some of this 10x6-foot machine could use a tad more personalization, but that's not what this video is about, so by the time you're done with your DIY tiny home on wheels, it's bound to look a lot more like you want it to.

Personally, I'd touch up the shower a bit more and maybe even put down some interior paneling here and there; I already mentioned the chassis. What about you? What would you do differently with this project? Let us know what you think below.