I'm glad somebody took the time to design something that helps facilitated the easy installation of a headliner shelf.
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Need a hand? email support@vancillary.com
Need a hand? email support@vancillary.com
Made in the USA. Looking for a pre-built shelf? Check out our Aluminum Headliner Shelf.
A unique van must be built, not bought. Use our 3D-scanned template to craft a perfectly tailored headliner shelf out of plywood, then paint, stain, or fabric wrap it to perfectly match your van’s interior. Mount it with the included hardware and call it a day.
Stop looking at that unused space above the driver and passenger seat and turn it into functional storage. A headliner shelf means the end of shuffling around bags, jackets and personal items around the front cabin.
You'll save 70% compared to a generic metal shelf, which means investing that hard earned cash towards a lithium battery bank, van awning, or your next trip.
Detailed instructions walk you through the entire process, prompt service is one email away to get answers to your questions. Save yourself from the endless scrolling on YouTube or the Ford Transit forums and nail down a solution to this problem now.
Unlike other manufacturers who ran off to lower-cost overseas manufacturing (while pretending like you wouldn't notice), we've retained all our manufacturing in the US and partnered with suppliers who employ those with visual and learning disabilities.
And always remember how expensive divorces are. Your clever and forward thinking approach to van storage will win you the approval of your spouse and reduce the chances of a messy split.
Our Ford Transit Kit works with 2015 to current model years that have a factory overhead console, which accommodates our mounting brackets.
Overall rating: 4.8 / 5 from 166 reviews.
I'm glad somebody took the time to design something that helps facilitated the easy installation of a headliner shelf.
Greg D. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Nice one, Greg. Glad the kit made the headliner shelf install easier. Hope you enjoy the extra storage up there!
Easy to install if you have someone to cut the pattern on the wood or you.
Kimberly M. 4/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Hi Kimberly, thank you for your review! We're glad the installation went smoothly. Thank you for choosing Vancillary!
Fit the vehicle perfectly, and easily worked with a 16" laminated pine board I already had on-hand instead of the plywood panel called for in the kit. I painted the board with some Rustoleum PT2X "Satin Stone Grey" which is a f.airly good match for the original overhead console's plastics in my 2018 Transit
Harold S. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Thank you for the great feedback, Harold! We’re glad the fit worked perfectly for your Transit. If you have any photos of the completed install, we’d love to see them. Thanks again for your support!
Fits perfectly, template was, bang on.
Michael G. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Hi Michael, thank you for the feedback! We are glad to hear the fit was precise and the template worked well for your install. Your setup looks clean and well finished. We appreciate you sharing the photo. If you need anything further, please feel free to reach out.
The kit worked perfectly.
Dean C. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Hi Dean, thank you for your review. We are glad to hear the kit worked perfectly for your build. The setup looks clean and well done. We appreciate you sharing the photo. If you need anything further, please feel free to reach out.
One of the must haves for van life.
Michael E. 4/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are glad to hear the shelf has been a useful addition and appreciate you taking the time to leave a review.
Worked well, easy install, just needed to buy longer screws to hold it together. Wife loves it.
Richard S. 5/5 Verified
Thank you! Was easy to install! Also the temple was great we made the front lip higher!
Curtis K. 5/5 Verified
Very smooth install. Instead of making a dado in the face stiffener I choose to glue a stiffener along the top edge and then glue and brad nail a stiffener to that face. Round over on all the stiffener edges except where glued. Took about an hour including the cutting of the panel
Jack T. 5/5 Verified
The van build's purpose is for mountain bike racing. The addition of the overhead shelf has been very useful. It is the perfect place to store the window covers and other items. Installed very well and the template made it simple.
Jim C. 5/5 Verified
Very straightforward instructions and template. I covered mine with 1/8" foam and grey vinyl. Pretty easy install.
Gretchen M. 5/5 Verified
Just finished installing the Vancillary DIY overhead shelf kit in our 2023 Ford Transit. I chose to used 1/2” Sandeply and added upholstery cloth that we had used elsewhere in the van to the bottom and back lip of the shelf. Great added space to store things like window shades and the like. The provided pattern was great and easy to use. If you can handle a circular saw, jigsaw and a drill, this is an easy project. My only suggestion would be in regards to the screws used to attach the front of the factory grab handles. The stock screws are small and have very little engagement in the factory OHC. The Vancillary instructions are very clear and tell you to reinstall them carefully, however once the thickness of the brackets is added I feel it would be better to have the kit include replacement screws that are approximately 3/16” longer. I will probably replace these screws myself, just would be a nice add to the kit in the future.
Brian G. 5/5 Verified
The DIY shelf template and brackets were perfect for turning the space into a cabinet! Thanks Vancillary!
Tj T. 5/5 Verified
Love how easy it was to bolt up the brackets. They are perfect. Thx Peace
Paul S. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Right on Paul. Glad to hear they worked for you. All the best with the rest of your build.
The brackets are substantial, and we installed them in minutes. Although we added a taller, padded shelf lip, the template is easy to follow. My wife also covered our shelf inside and out with the fabric we used in the rest of the van. We highly recommend this bracket. It was a huge time saver.
Jeff J. 5/5 Verified
Worked as advertised
David R. 4/5 Verified
Fairly easy DIY project. I routered the edges and wrapped with 1/8" foam and them fabric.
Jerry H. 5/5 Verified
Vancillary brackets and template, cloth-covered, added four low-profile puck lights (dimmable, swivel 75 degrees, red light feature). Black rectangle in center is Weboost cell signal transmitter. Template and brackets were easy to install. Quality product. Thanks.
Roy D. 5/5
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Nice work Roy. This is one of the top mid-roof builds that i've seen. Hope it serves you well in your travels.
Shelf brackets could not have gone on any easier. I have a Ford Transit, and made my shelf a little bigger all around on each side. I also planned to put a 12v light in for night time. It has a 4 dimmer setting (touch). Excellent Quality brackets. Holds all my window covers and a few other odds and ends. Love it.
Desmond H. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Desmond, that is one of the best uses i've seen of our kit. Looks like you worked hard on that and it really paid off. Thanks for sharing.
I was impressed with how well the pattern fit!
Timothy L. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: And we are impressed with your finishing skills... That looks awesome Tim!
Love it, great addition!
David M. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Outstanding, Dave, you've got the finishing touch!
Very easy to install. I was afraid I would hit my head when getting up and it’s not the case. Very please with it.
Patsy I. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: I'm glad to hear that you're satisfied Patsy. The quote is a nice touch. Hope you find that tranquility this fall.
Très satisfaite de mon achat! Tellement plus de rangement! Merci Je le recommande
Renee B. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Merci beaucoups renee. A tout al heur!
Great product that was delivered quickly and exactly as described! Very sturdy brackets, the kit was simple to build and the end result was great. I would definitely recommend this for other van builders!
Thomas N. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Great to hear that the kit met your expectations and will receive your recommendation Thomas! Thanks for taking the time to write a review. All the best - Sean.
Everything about this was simple. Clear instructions and perfectly sized template made this an easy and straightforward job. It's 100% worth it.
Jared R. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Hey Jared, that is an awesome looking setup you've got there. Appreciate the feedback. Wishing you grand travels in your van this summer - giddy up!
Hardware fit perfectly and the templates made it very easy to install and modify. Truly Vantastic!
William T. 5/5 Verified
Brackets and template worked as it should. I am very happy with the end result and the extra storage space! Thank you!
David R. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Styling hats and all - great flair David. We're glad that it worked out well for you. Safe travels this spring!
Fast shipping, helpful easy to follow instructions, and easy install.
Nicole V. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Nicole, glad to hear it worked out for you. Appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. Safe travels this spring.
Great Kit! Took me less than 1 hour to install incl cutting the wood and covering it with felt. Huge improvement without loosing headroom. 100% Happiness!
Axel M. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Axel, that shelf really melds with your interior. And in only one hour? Impressive. Apologies for the delay in shipping you experienced, but we are ultimately glad to see you are happy with the end result. Thanks for sharing the results!
Such a simple accessory but, wow is it useful. We thought it would be “nice to have” but, in minutes it was clearly more useful than we thought it would be, especially since we are building out our van. It also inspired our major wall covering with the tweed wrap we applied to it. Love it.
Pat C. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Hey Pat! Glad to hear it is working for you and inspired other parts of your build. It looks great, high fives. Safe travels this spring.
Great directions. Easy install. Fits perfectly.
Wells B. 5/5 Verified
This DIY headliner shelf kit was just what we needed in our high roof Ford Transit conversion. After our first van trip we quickly realized we needed more storage. The brackets and instructions provided were perfect. My husband had the shelf built in less than an hour and it was a perfect fit. We ended up covering the plywood with a matching fabric and now have storage for all of our window covers. Would recommend!
Kristen L. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Kristen! Fantastic to hear that your husband was able to whip up such an effective storage solution w/ the help of our kit. I read your review out loud to my wife, suggesting how helpful husbands can be, and she laughed out loud and said something inappropriate. Anyways, thanks for taking the time to share your experience. Happy trails!
My experience with Sean at Vancillary has been great…highly recommend. The overhead brackets for my new 2023 Ford Transit T250 was really easy to install and a huge time saver. The directions were perfect. After completing the platform I built a cover which will be carpeted. Underneath will be some thermal curtains. In summary … great product snd excellent service. Thank you Sean.
P K. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Look at that! You've gone above and beyond here Kevin. I'm glad the kit could help out with your vision. Can't wait to see how it integrates with the rest of your build.
This kit is awesome! We tweaked it a little by using pine (cheaper) and we made the shelf an inch longer. Now it line up directly with the headliner seam. It’s awesome. Very easy to follow and even easier to install. We used the shelf as a stencil and put a piece of thin outdoor carpeting on the top (to keep the wood safe) and bottom (for patches). We intend on installing some L brackets to the shelf edge and putting an L track on the front of it for light things like jackets and towels. Overall very happy with this kit!!
Christina 5/5
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Christina, that's a fine looking shelf you've made yourself there. A track system will level up the functionality, as well. Many thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
The product is top notch!! This is going in my 2023 Transit service van with a cargo partition. Due to my work schedule, I have only made it as far as making a custom template from 1/2" insulation board using the included paper template. I need to create cutouts and form for cutting the shelf. I plan to update the review with pictures once the shelf is installed.
Scott W. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Hey Scott, Love the shelf! Really creative alteration, thanks for the photos.
We love our new headliner shelf! We were so eager to get it installed before our two week trip, unsure if we would have the time to make it happen. Sean was great at rushing the order to us when he realized how quickly we needed it, and it really WAS easy to install, aside from the fact that we ended up mistakenly using 3/4 in ply instead of 1/2 inch, so we had to take more time to find different hardware that fit. But it so beautifully and simply stores our window coverings and some books, which makes it so much more convenient to cover our windows far more often than we used to.
Tamara M. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Great that you were able to pivot to the thicker ply despite the mistake, Tamara. We were happy to make the expedited shipment to make it work for your schedule. Safe travels.
So far it appears be well made we are going to try and install it tomorrow Sunday the August 20th and will let you know how it all goes
Jon S. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Thanks for the vote, Jon. Do hit us back with a photo once you've got it dialed so we can showcase your work. *UPDATE*: Looking great Jon! Hope the storage is useful in your travels this fall.
Easy install and quite spacious for what appears as a small space.
Tammy V. 5/5 Verified
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Tammy, it's great to hear from you and see the fruit of your labor. Shelf looks great. We appreciate you sharing your experience. Safe travels this summer.
2023 mid roof Transit. Directions were easy to follow. Template was spot on, although I added 3 " onto mine so I had more room to fit all my qindow/windshield accessories I have. I torched then stained the wood instead of covering. Love it!
Melissa G. 5/5
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: Melissa, the shou sugi looks great. Glad to hear you've got something that will make your van travels more organized. Best of luck with the remainder of your build!
This kit was well designed and easy to install! This kit was easy to install. Trace, cut and drill the plywood, bolt the brackets and Bob's your uncle!
Michael J. 5/5
Ford Transit Headliner Shelf DIY Kit
Store owner replied: You make it sound so easy Michael. Glad you're happy with how the install went. Send us a photo if you can!
Shop premium van conversion accessories for Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, and Promaster vans. Explore headliner shelves, storage systems, and DIY van build products.
Unfortunately, no. Our 2015+ Ford Transit DIY Kit only works on vans with factory overhead shelves for mounting the brackets.
A model-year specific 1-1 scale paper template, mounting brackets and fasteners, and a postcard with important details on the next steps of your shelf build
Basic woodworking skills: You're already building out a van - this is easy in comparison!
Required tools: Jigsaw with a wood-cutting blade, drill with 9/32” and 7/32” bit, wood glue, scissors, clear packing tape, ⅜” (14 mm) wrench, 7 mm socket, Philips screwdriver, and pencil.
We recommend 1/2" Baltic Birch if staining or painting, or 1/2" bamboo plywood if leaving it untreated. But ¾” plywood can work too! More details on working with the plywood are foundhere.
We suggest a maximum load of 50 lbs.
Our understanding is that the airbags deploy downwards from the plastic trim above the windows. This particular zone is mounted lower than the shelf would be. We have left an inch spacing on each side for a little bit of expansion, and our brackets slide into the existing console mounts. We've been cognizant to not interfere with any of the vehicle systems, but please note that we haven't done a live test or claim any safety guarantee.
Yes, our 2015+ Ford Transit DIY Kit works on both mid and high-roof vans with factory overhead shelf. On mid-roof vans, it has an opening of roughly 8" from the ceiling center to the top of the shelf without the front flange, while on high-roof, it has an opening of roughly 12" from the ceiling center to the top of the shelf without the front flange.






























