Plywood Floor Direction

[Pops]

It is...I ended up re-configuring the bed to go side to side so the bad bits were covered up with a storage space under the bed. Prior to that it was smack in the middle between the side benches/beds

That's good to hear, still works and looks better to boot. Pops

 

[towhee]

I am wondering how do to the molding that holds the floor down especially on the side door which will get a lot of use. The molding currently on it held down a thin rubber mat. It won't be thick enough to hold down plywood. 

I am also wondering about putting some insulation under the floor. Seems like it could cut noise and also keep feet warmer. 

And while we are talking about floors it just occurred to me that a cork floor might feel good on the feet. Don't know if it would hold up. 

Something that feels good on the feet and sweeps easy would be nice. What do other folks like?

I hope I am not hijacking this thread. It seems like a related topic.  I changed the subject line and maybe that helps keep track of what post is about what topic.

 

[Pops]

I am wondering how do to the molding that holds the floor down especially on the side door which will get a lot of use. The molding currently on it held down a thin rubber mat. It won't be thick enough to hold down plywood. 

I am also wondering about putting some insulation under the floor. Seems like it could cut noise and also keep feet warmer. 

And while we are talking about floors it just occurred to me that a cork floor might feel good on the feet. Don't know if it would hold up. 

Something that feels good on the feet and sweeps easy would be nice. What do other folks like?

I hope I am not hijacking this thread. It seems like a related topic.  I changed the subject line and maybe that helps keep track of what post is about what topic.

Hello towhee. Thanks for your input. Here are my thoughts.
 
Re "Something that feels good on the feet and sweeps easy would be nice" In an earlier post I mentioned BedRug and in a later post put in a link to their website. I got this information from a post from peacetara to Hyperslug. As I mentioned in the earlier post the BedRug has the features you are looking for. If you read these and go to the link you will find quite detailed information. That's why I shared it.
I am sure there are many other options as well.

Re cork flooring. My opinion is it seems like it would look good and feel nice. For me however this is also a work vehicle and I roll around a lot in my chair. I don't think cork would have the durability I need but it's probably a good option for people with other requirements. That being said I am the furthest thing from an expert you could imagine.

Re Insulation. I agree, it seems it's almost universally agreed the more insulation the better, for heat and cold. I have 2 goals I am trying to achieve that will serve me until retirement- not too far away but far enough that by that time I'll probably replace this van with another and do a more comprehensive build. First is to make it a more comfortable environment for my wife to travel in for road trips up to 10 hours. Bed, toilet and washbasin.  Second is to make better storage for my work products. As we don't over night in it at this point I'm just trying to build a nicer way to travel and work.

Re moulding. I won't be using the plastic moulding. I am going let the plywood overhang slightly by the side door, attach a 1 or 2 inch strip underneath that and then cover with 90 degree metal moulding or rubber strips. The back molding is thinner but I'll do something similar. I may even remove the plastic altogether and seal the holes, if I need to to make the floor lay flusher.

Thanks again, Pops.

 

[masterplumber]

Hey Pops, cutting the floor to shape shouldn't be to difficult. What I do is use Rosin paper (it's the thicker red colored paper usually found in flooring or paint at the big home centers) and blue masking tape to make a template of the entire floor. At this stage if you make a bad cut, you just tape another piece of paper on it until you get it perfect. Then arrange your plywood on a large flat floor the way you want it to run - for me that would mean knocking the tongue and groove together temporarily without glue - then lay the paper template over it centered like you want. Tape it down a couple places so it doesn't move while running a pencil around it. Then it's just a matter of cutting it our with a circular saw, jig saw, or both as the case may be. I hope that helps - once you get started it will all fall in place fairly easily.

Just a side note - you can make your own tongue and groove with a router, or even a circular saw, but it is definitely more difficult than buying it premade. The width will be the same because they count the tongue in the 48'' width.

 

[Pops]

Hey Pops, cutting the floor to shape shouldn't be to difficult. What I do is use Rosin paper (it's the thicker red colored paper usually found in flooring or paint at the big home centers) and blue masking tape to make a template of the entire floor. At this stage if you make a bad cut, you just tape another piece of paper on it until you get it perfect. Then arrange your plywood on a large flat floor the way you want it to run - for me that would mean knocking the tongue and groove together temporarily without glue - then lay the paper template over it centered like you want. Tape it down a couple places so it doesn't move while running a pencil around it. Then it's just a matter of cutting it our with a circular saw, jig saw, or both as the case may be. I hope that helps - once you get started it will all fall in place fairly easily.

Just a side note - you can make your own tongue and groove with a router, or even a circular saw, but it is definitely more difficult than buying it premade. The width will be the same because they count the tongue in the 48'' width.

Thanks masterplumber! Great information. I had an epiphany that overcame my brain-lock regarding the floor. More in a moment. The Rosin paper is going to be great for my interior cabinets, table etcetera. A big load off my mind. The answer to my floor template was literally right there to see. My van is a 2007 Ford E350 passenger van. Apparently the default floor covering is a thin rubber mat which is , yes that's right...cut to fit. All I have to do is take the seat bracket bolts out, take out the rubber mat and put it on my wood and trace away. I am often too stupid to live. I'm going to replace it in the van before I put the floor in as it's waterproof. It doesn't seal tightly but it is some protection between the metal and wood.

 
Good stuff about the tongue and groove. I have two options for covering the plywood. First a premade to fit carpet- like polypropylene with a pressure washer capability, ( I think I'll be able to resist the temptation to use a power washer in my van but.....?)  The second option is what my wife said she would like which is the artificial tongue and groove laminate. I had a friend that used it and tested it by leaving it in a bucket of water overnight. Came out un-warped and just fine. I think this should work as long as I make sure the edges are sealed. I'd really like to try and make my own tongue and groove, however I think it would be more sensible to use the premade for the floor and save my learning for another project. Getting the floor, bed and toilet done are my first priorities. Doing the tongue and groove myself later should be fun and satisfying even with expected learning curve. Part of what makes it satisfying of course.

By the way are you sure you didn't stutter type when you entered your name? I could swear it should be mastercarpenter.
Thanks so much for your help, Pops.

 

[highdesertranger]

just keep in mind not all laminate is equal. the more water resistance it is the more it's going to off gas. I hope you are aware of the laminate flooring lawsuits and settlements that happened recently. just saying do your research. I would not use laminate, I would use solid wood, after all how many square feet are we talking? what's the price difference? highdesertranger

 

[Pops]

just keep in mind not all laminate is equal.  the more water resistance it is the more it's going to off gas.  I hope you are aware of the laminate flooring lawsuits and settlements that happened recently.  just saying do your research.  I would not use laminate,  I would use solid wood,  after all how many square feet are we talking?  what's the price difference?  highdesertranger

So glad for this information! I went to great lengths to get formaldehyde free plywood and wasn't smart enough to make the ,obvious now, correlation. I might have discovered this on my own as I started shopping but your post saved me a lot of aggravation and time.
Thanks so much highdesertranger, Pops.