Introducing... Yeti

[WanderingRonin]

Way to go on the new vehicle! Good on ya that it has head room. I also agree on the whole wood flooring thing. If I was doing my own conversion fully, I'd do it myself. As it is, I know my current vehicle will not be my last home so I decided just to keep the carpeting in.  I would recommend looking into the wood because it does even out the floor... you don't want to stub your toes on a slight ridge at night...

 

[Seraphim]

<P>Corrugated = wavy. not flat.<BR><BR>I think you will regret not putting a layer of plywood or something similar under the carpet. Whatever board you use will have some value as insulation: possibly more effective than the padding and carpet. With out the 'subfloor' (the plywood) the carpet will quickly conform to the shape of the metal floor: harder to vacuum in the dips. The padding will probably break down quicker (just a surmise) because its not laying flat and will most likely get dirtier underneath from the metal floor.&nbsp; <BR><BR>Just my thoughts.<BR></P><P>Surely there's some kind soul you know who can cut the plywood to shape for you.</P>

 

[MargaretA]

Thanks for all the info, everyone. This is great timing - yesterday I had a brief conversation with the manager's husband and he suggested 3/4" plywood - said he puts it in all his vans. (They have a couple of other businesses besides managing this apartment building.) I did some thinking about it, and that plus all the comments here - I'm going to Home Depot tomorrow.<br><br>Today I'm going to measure the back space but I'm pretty sure it's going to be about 6' x 12', which will hold a 4x8 with room to spare. The "room to spare" might be an issue because I'd like to cover that too but I have no way to cut anything down, and I don't know anyone who can do that for me. But I'll ask the HD people - maybe they do, or can do it for me. Worst case, I guess I can put pieces down. There are lots of those listed in the free section on Craigslist.<br><br>And speaking of Craigslist - I did find some ads for 4x8 plywood sheets but after reading HD's description of theirs, and doing a bit of research, I'm concerned about "unknown quantities" - apparently the glue being used for most plywood has formaldehyde which can "offgas" (I think that's the word) over time. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and I don't want to be around it. HD's plywood is made with a special glue that doesn't use formaldehyde. So unless I could be sure that what I was getting came from HD it might be worth paying the higher price at the store - especially if they'll put it in the van for me <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> .<br><br>I'm sort of rethinking the carpet thing too, if only for ease of handling. My neighbors last year bought an old RV (they were moving back to Tennessee with 4 cats) and re-covered the floor with tiles. I was talking to them while they did it and could see how easy it was; the tiles had adhesive on the back, they just pulled off the covering and stuck them down. But even better, tiles are small enough for me to lift; carpet isn't, I'd have to cut it down anyway and I'm not sure how easy that would be. I did discover a couple of days ago that carpet also comes in tiles, but what I found was not only poor quality (based on reviews) but also expensive. I think tiles might be cheaper overall, especially for the space I want to cover.<br><br>I have to admit, I don't like tiles all that much; they seem cold. But I can always cover them with rugs that I've made. I have a few now that I'm using for small spaces, like the kitchen and bathroom, that would work until I can make something bigger. I know *lots* of ways to make rugs. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>So, that's where I am now. I do have a couple of questions about this flooring stuff:<br>- If I go with tiles instead of carpet, I'd still want some kind of padding under them, wouldn't I? What thickness would I look for? I'm thinking if it's too thick the tiles wouldn't "sit" right.<br>- Can you stick tiles straight to the padding? I think they'd have to be fastened somehow to keep from moving around.<br><br>I'll do some research on this today but I bet I won't find much about doing this in vans (I've already tried a few searches about it), so your experience and tips will be much appreciated.<br><br>Meg<br>the reluctant DIYer<br><br>

 

[VanTramp]

No big surprise here I am sure, but I am going to go different with my suggestions than others. As Jerry said, carpet holds dirt. It is very difficult to keep a van interior free of dirt on a daily basis and it accumulates and gets under the carpet.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>I personally will always recommend cork flooring for the many reasons I listed on our blog. It is amazingly comfortable and doesn't need throw rugs the way a hardwood floor might seem to require for comfort. It insulates very well, is anti-bacterial and pretty much waterproof. Ours came in the form of 17"x22"x7/16" rectangles that have a locking edge that connect them without glue or other fasteners. Made it very easy to manage and install. I did glue ours, but I seriously don't think it was necessary and was told I didn't have to. Just how I am. I wrote a couple blogs on the cork floor, one of them is here --&gt;</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.vantramps.com/2010/06/why-cork-for-tajs-floor.html" target="_blank">http://www.vantramps.com/2010/06/why-cork-for-tajs-floor.html</a></div><div><br></div><div>The other thought is that you don't really need 3/4" plywood. Roadtrek uses 1/2" under their carpet and it has worked fine for many years. Combined with cork, it is really very rigid and almost an inch thick as is. Nothing is under the plywood in the corrugations BTW. You could put a cell foam type stuff under it easily and even a foil over that if you wanted of course, but I doubt it is necessary.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Anything you choose to use for the flooring, just keep in mind that paper patterns will make the job easier. You can layout and cut each little area till it is perfect and just keep taping it the the next till you have the entire floor laid out in a pattern if you want. Then just trace it on to the plywood and cut with a jig saw carefully.</div><div><br></div><div>Whatever route you take, I am sure it will come out wonderfully! Enjoy the process and remember, the investment of time and money you put in now may be paying off for many years to come.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">

 

[MargaretA]

Mike, I remember your blog post about the cork flooring, and I did find some when I was doing a bit of online "window shopping" after my last post. It sounds ideal except for one thing - price. I can't afford it. But maybe someday...<br><br>Question: what is "cell foam" and what kind of foil are you talking about?<br><br>Another question: About the paper pattern, are you talking about just laying paper down in the tricky areas and cutting it in the shape that's needed - kind of like a template - and then cutting the tile to match it?<br><br>In my "window shopping" I think I found the same kind of tile my neighbors used - it's called "vinyl self-adhesive." I can actually sort of picture it. I couldn't find a lot of places that sell it locally but I'm sure there are; it's just getting really hard to find anything online these days. Why can't these search engines read my mind? <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> Anyway, I'm wondering if this would be easier to cut. You said to use a jigsaw but I don't have one or know anyone who does. If I'm remembering correctly my neighbors' tiles were fairly flexible. Could I use a utility knife? That's about as close to a serious cutting tool as I have.<br><br>I did find some vinyl that I really like. I was originally thinking of getting blue to go with the interior (not that you can see that much of it), but then when I saw the wood lookalikes they seemed like an even better idea, because I can make the rugs whatever colors I want and change them out as they wear or when I want new ones. Just a thought for anyone else doing this...<br><br>And besides the dirt accumulation I just thought of another reason to use tile instead of carpet in a van: You don't need a vacuum, just a broom, so there's less electricity to use. Even if I put rugs down, the size I make will go in a heavy-duty washer and dryer - the kind you'd find in a laundromat.<br><br>Now I'm going to brave the 37-degree weather to go measure the van. Brrr...<br><br>Meg<br><br>

 

[MargaretA]

OK, for anyone who is interested in how much space these big vans have - there's just a little less than 12 feet from the back door to the back of the front seats. (Mike, I think this van is longer than Taj.) Between the side walls it measures 68", which is a little over 5 and a half feet, and between the wheel wells there's 48" (4 feet). That's the space I have to work with.<br><br>The rubber covering over the wheel wells - which is the same as what's on the floor - is broken and ripped off in many places (you can see it in the inside pic). I was going to just remove it all with my trusty utility knife <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> but now I'm not so sure; I don't know how it's fastened, if at all. On or off, the wheel wells will definitely need to be covered, if only for insulation. Maybe carpet tiles would work there, or - what else? What do those of you converting cargo vans do for the wheel wells?<br><br>Actually, a general question about that old rubber floor covering - should I remove it (especially the oily pieces) and put the plywood over what's underneath it (I don't know what's there) or just leave it and put the plywood on top? I'm pretty sure cargo vans are just bare metal; this one was a passenger van so there may be some old padding under there too.<br><br>And to all of you who said the floor is corrugated - I think you're right. Maybe whatever they put down for the passengers made it less obvious, but now that I'm not walking so carefully (first day without the Ace bandage, yay!) I can feel it a bit. And it definitely needs to be smoother...<br><br>Meg<br><br>

 

[Les H]

Meg,
my bus has 3/4 plywood with the factory rubber flooring- it still even has the " aisle" that was original. Yes, I loose some insulating factor, but cleanup is a breeze, sweep it out every now and then. ( I'm kinda a low maintenance guy, anyway) I have left mine this way as my bus is not a dedicated " dwelling" , it is dual purpose, as it is my heavy duty work vehicle too. I may have to haul a kitchen, or a dozzen sheets of Sheetrock for work, clean it out, stock the pantry , and take off for a week in the woods.
It works for me.
Nice find on the van, btw.
Les

 

[myvangoghs]

I put a sheet of foam insulation down on my floor, then plywood, then I have cork to go on top of that.&nbsp; I've got it all done except the cork.&nbsp; I need a warm day with some good light and a bit of time off work.&nbsp; I look forward to seeing how you do yours.&nbsp; It seems that we learn from each other around here, that's pretty cool if you ask me!&nbsp; =)<br>

 

[Journeyman]

Since I am a Home Depot Flooring Specialist, here's a few ideas. Carpet: insulation, Plywood, padding and then carpet. Vinyl: insulation, Hardibacker board (since it is very light weight, not Wonderboard, it is concrete and very heavy), vinyl glue and then vinyl. Your van is fantastic. Wish I could find one that size for cheap. Not likely though. Good luck with the conversion. You've got a good start.

 

[Journeyman]

You will also be able to use the plywood base flooring to screw the bed and cabinets down to, so they don't move.<div><br></div>

 

[Journeyman]

Ok Meg,<div>Here goes. This may get long. I feel like I'm back at work and I left 3 hrs. ago.&nbsp;</div><div>Peel and stick tiles, which are 1 ft. squares are the cheapest route you can go, since they run $ .36/sq ft. But you will need to put a vinyl adhesive additive down on the plywood before you lay the tiles.</div><div>Living in Florida and working at HD, I talk to a lot of RV owners who are removing their carpets and replacing them with vinyl flooring. The best result we've had is with Allure vinyl planks. The only tools you need are a utility knife and a straight edge. They do not glue down, they stick to each other. They are hard to damage and can be replaced one plank at a time without taking up all of them. They are waterproof. And they are easy to install.</div><div>I had a 72 yr. old woman put it down in her 15x24 ft living room in 6 hrs. with lots of breaks.</div><div>They are more expensive, $ 1.49 - 2.09/sq ft, but well worth the expense since they'll last you for the life of your van.</div><div>I have had nothing but great responses from the RV owners who have put it in, and this would be my suggestion for you to use. It IS what I will be using on my conversion.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<b>Thanks Journeyman.&nbsp; I am putting a floor down on a little vintage compact I picked up for my daughter and I am not happy with what I put down in Little Sanitee.&nbsp; I will look at the Allure brand.</b><br><FONT color=#ff00ff size=3><b>Dragonfly</b></FONT><br>

 

[Roniit]

Hey Meg!&nbsp;<div>I just opened your thread and my jaw dropped. &nbsp;I literally drive past your van every day on my way to work! &nbsp;For the last few weeks I've been wondering about it because I see the temp tags and hope someone bought it up to convert it. &nbsp;It's an awesome van! &nbsp;Anyway small world!&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Your van looks a lot like my van, high top, extended. &nbsp;Lots of potential there. &nbsp;I can't wait to see your progress. &nbsp;</div>

 

[Seraphim]

<P>a quick thought on carpet vs tiles: carpet tiles?<BR><BR>Best of both worlds - ease of application and insulation value.<BR>$1 to 1.50 a square foot, and you can mix and match colors to get creative.&nbsp; Seen some as low as $.86 square foot. </P><BR>Might find discontinued stuff even cheaper at carpet stores, where they only have a few pieces left: not enough for a home project but enough for a van.<BR>

 

[WanderingRonin]

My vote would go with tile. Easy to clean. Cover some spots with temporary carpets for insulation... if they get too dirty... toss.&nbsp;<div>Home Depot also on occasion would sell you carpet squares they use for samples. They are doormat sized and may come cheap if they are getting rid of them (if that style is discontinued).</div><div>Good luck and stay warm!</div>