Carpet In Cargo Van - Mold Risk?

[visitorfromsomewhere]

Hi. I recently bought a van and the back it all metal or steel type surfaces with no carpet. I’m thinking of getting carpet for the floor and on some online stores I see carpet made to fit the space is available.

But considering the moisture build up on the metal or steel type surfaces wouldn’t mold/mildew accumulate underneath?

What do you think? Thank you.

 

[user 423]

As long as you have good ventilation and you keep spills down, should be no problem.

That's my experience with the van being mostly in the Midwest and Southwestern states.

 

[GntlStone]

I would consider doing some kind of waterproof rubber flooring as your bottom layer directly against the metal. You can always top it with throw rugs or indoor/outdoor carpet. The rubber would add a bit of thermal break as will as protection from spills.

Those same stores may sell the fitted rubber flooring as well.

This is assuming you dont plan to insulate and do a wooden subfloor. If you plan to insulate/subfloor and then lay a pre-purchased floor you can use the purchased floor as a template for the insulation/subfloor.

 

[visitorfromsomewhere]

Thank you GntlStone and slow2day. I'm a minimalist and am fine keeping it simple. With rubber-type mats I would worry if that’s safe the breathe in.

 

[user 423]

Off-gassing from the mats would only be temporary. Ventilation again figures in.

Exhaust fumes given off by other vehicles you are around in traffic would be more harmful.

 

[desert_sailing]

Vehicles have had carpeting and fabric installed for decades. They even put it in vehicles used in snowy and rainy climates.

I recently installed fabric on my van walls and love it.. Helps to make warner, softer and much quieter interior. I did not put it on the floor... As I prefer throw rugs and a broom over having to vacuum tho my cab area does have floor carpet..

I'm a believer in carpet and fabric .. I've not had any issues with condensation even without a roof fan... A window cracked open has been just fine.

 

[maki2]

If you van does not leak and you use a naturally mold resistant carpet that is rated for indoor as well as outdoor use it should work.

 

[highdesertranger]

I myself I vote for rubber for the floor, much easier upkeep. most factory type carpet has that jute backing for insulation that stuff absorbs moisture like a sponge. plus with carpet you almost have to have a vacuum, a broom ain't going to cut it.

to deal with off gassing from a rubber floor leave it out in the sun for a few days before installing. FYI carpet is going to off gas too.

now throw rugs that can easily be removed is a different ball game. actually Hull liner works good up high like the ceiling and maybe the walls, but for the floor I vote for a hard surface.

highdesertranger

 

[visitorfromsomewhere]

Thank you all for the insights.

 

[Sofisintown]

I glued insulation on the metal and  then glued the carpet on the insulation. It works very well. I used automotive carpet.
All car have automotive carpet installed and I haven't heard of it molding.
Ventilation is key.
Don't keep the van closed and and without fresh air circulating.

 

[Dingfelder]

I use inch-thick rubber gym mats, more like puzzle pieces, of the type you link together to form a floor. Over those, I use ordinary mats from Grocery Outlet. The rubber mats don't cover everything. But I got a fair amount of crap on the floor that covers a lot of it.

At any rate, I recently checked again. Last year I had a big mold problem. My dog was a sloppy drinker splashing and dripping water everywhere, and the water bowl was right by the bathroom. The bathroom wallpaper got full of mold. A spot under a window or two out in the main body of my trailer too.

I got a dehumidifier, LOTS of dehumidifying temporary measures(the crystals and all) hung and placed everywhere, and after treatment with spray-on mold-killer, things appear fine again. Dog passed away, no threat of liquid splashing everywhere anymore. No water bowl leaking humidity into the air either. Nor all the dear fellow's constant panting fogging up the place.

Since then, put a fan in the confined little bathroom my small trailer has, plus the dehumidifier and plenty crystal-based stuff. Been going almost two years now. Checked a few times under the inch-thick rubber mats with the carpets on top ... nothing. Mold/fungus gone.

If you are going to lay out carpet and carpet alone, I would suggest using one or two layers of the sort of material that is meant to keep it from skidding. First -- it keeps it from skidding. Hey-oh! But also, it promotes air circulation. Condensation always accumulates, so if you can get some air in there, fantastic. What you want is a system that breathes, from your windows to your bedding to your cabinets to your flooring. Otherwise, every time things cool off, condensate forms and infiltrates everything. It's truly the curse of small-scale, poorly-insulated living. And it's never something you can afford to brush off casually.

 

[Matlock]

Where will you be located during cold months?
Moisture from your breath or from a heat source like propane, (heating or cooking). Cool outside temperatures and a warmer inside will create water droplets on exposed metal surfaces.
So if minimalist means you and a sleeping bag your breath without a window cracked will condense on any exposed metal surface and your windows. And that's what makes the mold grow.
So live in warm temps year-round, always ventilate regardless and your good.

 

[visitorfromsomewhere]

I was thinking of a full carpet like BedRug VanRug Cargo Mat Bed Rug Van Rug as seen here https://www.autoanything.com/cargo-...=10394-5557-7880132&utm_term=4580359289070988

But if mildew or mold get underneath it would be a pain to remove after arranging things about it

 

[jonyjoe303]

dont do it. If you plan on heavily insulating the back of your van, you drop water on the carpet it will never dry out. Especially if you run a swampcooler, where you might drop water from time to time.
I once drop water while draining a swampcooler on the oem carpet and after a week of pointing fans on the wet spot it wasn't drying out even with the sun out every day. The van wasn't getting hot enough due to the insulation to evaporate the water. I removed all the vans oem carpet and never been happier. And carpet in areas far away from the spill was moldy from previous spills from years before.
Whatever you decide to use make sure it is waterproof and easy to wipe up. No matter how careful you are eventually you are going to drop liquid on the carpet. You don't want to be sleeping for days or weeks near a wet carpet.
If you don't plan on insulating your van, then its no big deal, at 140 degrees interior temperature the carpet will dry out quickly, just like in a cars carpeting.

 

[MrNoodly]

My van came with jute-backed rubber flooring. After trying several variations on carpeting, I now just use 24"x36" rubber-backed carpeted commercial door mats on top of the rubber floor. I can take them out to shake and sweep, and when they get too dirty they're cheap enough to toss and replace.

I also discovered some 16"x24" rubber-backed carpet pieces at Dollar Tree. They're almost like carpet tiles. And they're super cheap.

 

[Camper]

I choose this mat floor from Amazon.... it looks like a hardwood floor on top but the foam backing is soft and made out of material like flip flops, which are pretty tough. The floor helps insulate in the winter too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003R2LFEI/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1

 

[Scott3569]

The caret areas I just tore up in my Dodge caravan was just carpet with a little bit of cheap foam under it..

with what you have, I would certainly consider laying some foam down first.

I put this stuff down on my floor, and I will lay a carpet over it..

https://www.amazon.com/Car-Insulati...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==