Curtain Side Conversions

What Is a Curtain Side Conversion?

A curtain side conversion replaces the solid side panels of a box van or Luton van with a sliding PVC curtain system mounted on a rail. The curtain slides back to expose the entire side of the cargo area, giving you full-length access for loading and unloading.

It's the same system you see on large HGV curtain-siders, scaled down for commercial vans. The curtain is made from heavy-duty, reinforced PVC that's weather-resistant and secure when fastened, but slides back in seconds when you need access.

How It Works

The conversion involves removing one or both side panels of the van body and fitting an aluminium rail system along the top and bottom edges. The PVC curtain hangs from rollers on the top rail and is tensioned at the bottom. Buckle straps or ratchets along the edges keep the curtain taut and secure during transit.

When you arrive at a loading point, you simply release the straps and slide the curtain back. The entire side of the van opens up, giving you unrestricted access to the cargo area.

Benefits of Curtain Side

Fastest Loading and Unloading

Curtain side is the fastest way to load and unload a commercial van. Because the entire side opens up, you can use a forklift to load pallets directly from the side instead of manoeuvring them in through the rear doors. This can cut loading times from 30 minutes to under 5 minutes for palletised goods.

Forklift Access from the Side

This is the main reason businesses choose curtain side. With a standard box van, you can only load from the rear, which means forklifts have to reach deep into the van to place pallets. With curtain side, the forklift approaches from the side and places each pallet exactly where it needs to go. No more shuffling pallets around inside the van.

Better Cargo Organisation

Side access means you can reach any part of the load without moving everything in front of it. This is a huge advantage for multi-drop deliveries where you need to pull out specific items at each stop. No more unloading half the van to get to the parcel at the back.

Weatherproofing

Modern PVC curtains are fully weatherproof when secured. The tensioning system and overlap design keep rain and wind out during transit, protecting your cargo just as well as solid panels.

Ideal Use Cases

Curtain side conversions are particularly popular with businesses that handle:

• Palletised goods — drinks, building materials, wholesale stock
• Construction materials — timber, plasterboard, scaffolding
• Multi-drop deliveries — where speed at each stop matters
• Event equipment — marquees, staging, furniture
• Agricultural supplies — feed bags, fencing, machinery parts

If your business involves regular loading with a forklift, or you're constantly fighting to get items in and out of a standard box van, curtain side is worth considering.

Why Businesses Are Booking Curtain Side Jobs

We've seen a big increase in demand for curtain side conversions at Bed&Barn. The reason is simple: businesses are realising how much time and money they waste on slow loading. A curtain side conversion pays for itself within months through faster turnaround and reduced labour at loading points.

Fleet operators in particular are converting their vehicles because the time savings compound across multiple vans and drivers. When every delivery is 10 minutes faster, that's hours saved across a fleet each week.