How do I mount an upright fridge in a van so it stays put?

Why the cabinet skin isn't enough

A cabinet panel is there to look like a cabinet. Screws into the edge of 1/2" plywood can pull out under a sharp load, and a tall fridge levers hardest on its top fasteners when it tries to tip forward. The fridge should sit on, and be held by, something that's attached to the van.

What it depends on

• Loaded weight. Use the manual's weight plus food and drinks. Drinks are heavy.
• The fridge's own mounting points. Many uprights have floor brackets, side flanges or a mounting kit. Start with those. Drilling into the fridge body can hit refrigerant lines.
• What's under the floor. Fuel lines, brake lines, wiring and frame rails live under there. Look before you drill. Factory tie-down points or a frame you've bolted to the floor are better anchors than blind holes.
• Height. The taller the fridge, the more leverage on the top. A floor mount alone usually isn't enough for a tall upright. Add a top bracket or strap into the frame.
• Door direction. If the door faces forward or back, braking can try to swing it open. Check the latch holds in travel, and add a travel latch if the manual allows.
• Ventilation path. The compressor needs air in and air out, usually at the bottom and top or back. A cabinet built tight around the fridge blocks it.
• Service access. You may need to get to the back for the compressor or wiring someday. Plan that before the cabinet closes.

Worked sample (planning estimates)

An upright fridge listed at 65 lb (sample number), plus about 25 lb of food and drinks: 90 lb loaded.

• In a hard stop, it pushes forward with roughly its own weight, about 90 lb.
• In a collision, many times that.
• Say the fridge is 33 in tall with its center of mass about 15 in up. When it tries to tip forward, the top of the fridge does most of the work against the frame, and screws into plywood edges are the first thing to let go.

What that points to:

1. Bottom brackets through-bolted to the floor or to a floor frame, with backing plates or into factory anchor points.
2. A top bracket or strap tied to a cabinet frame that is itself fastened to the wall structure, for example into rivnuts in the van's ribs.
3. The vent gaps from the manual left open top and bottom.
4. A latch check: open the fridge, close it, brake hard in an empty lot, and see if the door stays shut.

The 65 lb, 33 in and 15 in figures are samples. Use your fridge's manual for weight, dimensions and clearances.

Check before you build the cabinet

• Exact fridge dimensions plus vent clearances from the manual.
• Where the 12 V feed and fuse will run.
• Which way the door swings, and whether it hits anything open.
• Floor anchor locations, checked from underneath.

When to bring in a professional

If you're drilling the floor near fuel or brake lines, modifying factory structure, or not sure your anchors will hold the load, have a fabricator or upfitter look at the mount before the cabinet goes around it.