Floor insulation for Element?

[LadyJo]

Hi, I am planning out my Element for full time. The floor has a "truck liner" type of flooring with no insulation. I don't think I can put anything heavy down and there isn't a great deal of height to work with. Thinking carpet padding and indoor/outdoor carpet.

I have gotten great advise and suggestions here, so thought I would ask.

 

[Almost There]

Hi, I am planning out my Element for full time. The floor has a "truck liner" type of flooring with no insulation. I don't think I can put anything heavy down and there isn't a great deal of height to work with. Thinking carpet padding and indoor/outdoor carpet.

I have gotten great advise and suggestions here, so thought I would ask.

Unless you're planning to park on asphalt in the heat for most of your days then insulation on the floor is probably a waste of good time, money and height reduction in the vehicle.There are better ways to reduce heat entering the vehicle than working on the floor.

IMO you're better off putting down a vinyl floor of some kind that will be easy to keep clean and then put in some loose mats that can be thrown in the washing machine or thrown out.

Either that or some of those snap together rubber mats that are used for kids play areas - the bright primary color ones come to mind.

Totes will slide out from under your bed easier if on vinyl or will stay put on the rubber mats. Carpet will get dirty, hold sand and dust and spills.

 

[highdesertranger]

if you are going to use carpet and want padding use closed cell foam. like Ensolite. regular carpet padding is open cell and will hold water like a sponge. highdesertranger

 

[TrainChaser]

Several of the van people online are using cork flooring. Home Depot: $2.64 per sf. They say it wears well and is easy to clean. All I could find was someone who said their Element cargo area (seats out or folded, etc) was 40x72"= 2880 sq in = 20 sqft. 20 sqft x 2.64/per sqft= $52.80 +tax.

Some people say you don't have to insulate the floor, because when you're parked, the vehicle is shading the pavement. Thinking it through a bit, I found info that says if the air temp is 95F and the sun is shining in the middle of the day, road asphalt temp zooms up to 140F, and if you're driving, the heat will be radiating up to the underparts of your vehicle. And once you arrive, it will take time to cool down. Also, cold radiates through a floor just like it goes through anything else that isn't insulated. If you can do it, insulation certainly isn't going to hurt anything.