Rust Prevention & Flooring Suggestions

[dbbldz]

Looking to put some flooring down in my mini-camper (currently gutted). It's a newer model 2015 Ram Promaster City so there's no rust in sight however the paint on the floor has been scratched quite a bit by the previous owner. Is it necessary for me to prep this floor prior to laying down some plywood subfloor? I'd like to keep things simple. Not really looking to insulate (might be the wrong section for this) or deaden the floor just lay some plywood followed by either cork or laminate flooring. 

Would love some suggestions on:

if necessary, what's the best way to prep the floor to prevent rust?
what thickness and kind of plywood to utilize for subfloor?
pros/cons to cork and/or laminate flooring?
suggestions on trusted flooring brands to use?
other considerations?

There are 6 d-bolts that are stock in my van. I was considering using the existing bolt holes to secure the plywood and possibly cut out some sections of the main floor to expose/utilize the d-bolts for potentially hauling things in the future. Is this overkill or is there any reason why I shouldn't do this?

Thanks in advance! I know it's a can of worms so please feel free to answer any or all of my questions

Photo of my van's floor. Should I treat it somehow or not?

 

[highdesertranger]

as far as the scratched up floor, paint it. highdesertranger

 

[BradKW]

Looking at that picture, I'm having a hard time getting my head around that floor design...is each of those openings a cavity?

Definitely paint it, no sense in hiding bare metal under flooring of any sort when it's as simple as rolling a coat or two of Rustoleum on it.  

1/2" plywood would be fine, but I'd probably go with 3/4" rigid polyIso foam board, 1/4" luan, and your flooring. Glue the Iso to floor with Sikaflex-221, then luan to Iso with same product + lots of weights to hold it down while drying. Then a floating floor system over that.

 

[MazdaGuy15]

I probably wouldn't do anything with the floor it don't look like its scratched down to the medal just into the primer. If your worried about the slightly scratched up floor wipe it down with some rubbing alcohol to remove any oils or dirt and paint it. I would get 5/8" or 3/4" plywood for your subfloor (not OSB or MDF) and whatever flooring you like best. I would probably use the D rings to secure the floor down too.

 

[TrainChaser]

Or paint it with some of that rubbery bedliner stuff?

 

[dbbldz]

Looking at that picture, I'm having a hard time getting my head around that floor design...is each of those openings a cavity?

... Then a floating floor system over that.

Roger that! Hmm not sure which openings you're referring to? But if you mean the black molded plastic near the sliding doors, well, that houses some sort of electrical sheath with wires etc (and yes it's below the main floor). It's pretty odd. Haven't decided whether to pull the plastic covers off and extend the floor to the edge of the door or cut the floor to somehow weave around these parts. I'll try to snap a picture with the plastic removed to share once I decide on materials and finalize things. Not sure I understand what a floating floor is so I guess I have more research to do ! Thanks for the suggestions !

 

[SternWake]

I'd paint the floor after properly prepping it. However regular rustoleum is the last paint product I would choose. Their marine yacht enamels are 50% more money and 200% more durable, but do not put on too thick in one coat, nor more than one coat in 24 hours and let it cure for a day or 3 before walking/working on it.

Cork flooring is nice stuff, as it is soft and insulative, but the seams swell horribly when it gets wet, and it will get wet. I've installed plenty in homes, and the feel under foot is nice, and it is quiet, but I;ve replaced young sections that got wet. Also it expands and contracts a lot with temperature, and is designed to float on top of the vapor barrier with 1/4 or more more gap around the room perimeter, to be covered with trim.

If used in a Van, i think I would glue the cork laminate flooring together with titebond3, and to the subfloor, which was sealed on all 6 sides with polyurethane.

I used regular fake laminate wood flooring a decade ago. I wish instead I used real tongue and groove hardwood flooring and on the diagonal to bridge the front to back valleys on my Van's floor.

 

[dbbldz]

I'd paint the floor after properly prepping it.  However regular rustoleum is the last paint product I would choose. Their marine yacht enamels are 50% more money and 200% more durable, but do not put on too thick in one coat, nor more than one coat in 24 hours and let it cure for a day or 3 before walking/working on it.

Thanks for the tips! I think, from your description, that going with cork might be slightly more work than I'm interested in. It sounds like fickle stuff. For my walls I am planning on putting up plywood and painting it white. Do you reckon the marine enamels would work well for that application as well? Sounds like good stuff from what I'm reading.

 

[SternWake]

I am not sure how marine enamels work on bare wood. Usually bare wood is quite thirsty. Perhaps a regular primer would be more economical, but research that more.

 

[dbbldz]

Also it expands and contracts a lot with temperature, and is designed to float on top of the vapor barrier with 1/4 or more more gap around the room perimeter, to be covered with trim.

If used in a Van, i think I would glue the cork laminate flooring together with titebond3, and to the subfloor, which was sealed on all 6 sides with polyurethane.

Doing some more research and have a question about vapor barriers. You mentioned cork flooring is designed to float on top of a vapor barrier with space and trim. Is a vapor barrier always necessary for installing flooring such as cork or vinyl plank in a van? If I'm understanding you correctly you are suggesting that subfloor itself function as the vapor barrier by coating it entirely in polyurethane? Is it also necessary to silicon caulk around the poly urethaned subfloor to keep water from reaching the metal floor (have seen several people do this in tutorials)? And would a gap still be left for cork expansion on the edges in this case? Sorry for all the questions! I've heard different accounts about whether it's wise to use vapor barriers since they can possibly cause condensation to get trapped.

 

[SternWake]

There are different degrees of overkill.

Anybody who has ripped wood out of an older van conversion knows it is not a fun job, especially where it has gotten really wet. Any preventiomn which keeps the wood from absorbing water is a good thing. I know of one guy who mixes a fungi and mildewcide into his polyurethaned wood that is going inside his conversion

Not sure about the vapor barrier in a Van vs a stick and brick house.

I wish i glued my laminate snap together flooring together, and laid some of the seams a bit more wisely.

I;ve not looked under it since. I do not know the status of what i cannot see.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I personally think sheet vinyl is far and away superior to laminate flooring. You can buy the wood look vinyl flooring by the foot at Lowes or Home Depot and then you won't have any seams that dirt and water will eventually work their way into. It's easy to install by making a template with thick paper or cardboard, trace it onto the vinyl, cut it out, glue it down and you're done.

I've installed literally hundreds of vinyl and laminate floors over the years and I can count on one hand how many of the vinyl floors i've gone back to replace ten years later compared to the dozens of laminate floors I've since replaced. My other gripe with laminate flooring is it can be extremely slippery.

 

[dbbldz]

I personally think sheet vinyl is far and away superior to laminate flooring.  You can buy the wood look vinyl flooring by the foot at Lowes or Home Depot and then you won't have any seams that dirt and water will eventually work their way into.

I don't have much experience with sheet vinyl. Is it textured to look/feel like wood? How about chips or scratches?

 

[CautionToTheWind]

For rust or protection, RAPTOR LINER TINTABLE STANDARD KIT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002M0S9A...TF8&colid=3STU5UCVK04CD&coliid=I1EWHR5G3IUT40

The floor (laminate/vinyl etc) will be very cold if not insulated well. Here is a recent re-model on an Astro (Into the Mystery 13)

 

[StarDestroyer]

1/2" plywood would be fine, but I'd probably go with 3/4" rigid polyIso foam board, 1/4" luan, and your flooring.

OP, I know you mentioned you've got pretty good sound insulation already, but curious as to whether anyone happens to know how much sound deadening polyiso actually offers? I've had a few people voice concerns about polyiso falling apart after being walked around on long enough. Is polyiso really that effective for sound deadening? Presuming there are better options within a similar price bracket?

Also, someone mentioned bedliner. That's safe to go over rusty areas? Because the foot of the driver's and passenger's seat are pretty rusty. Not putting the denim insulation/plastic mat back in, so I figured bed liner would be suitable to leave uncovered.

 

[SternWake]

I would use steel wool saturated with Ospho to scrub rusty areas, then give it time to work( turn rust from brown to black, then scrape/ scrub again.

One can do this again and again until they get to bare pitted steel. Using a hair drier to heat the steel covered with Ospho turns brown to black much faster. Ospho will lift paint only over areas where rust has crept under the paint. It can slightly change the color of paint near the rusted metal, but this is ususlly a non issue as the whole area gets painted again.

Paint sticks to surfaces etched with Ospho, paint or bare steel or rusted steed converted to black extremely well.

i'd not apply paint directly over rusted steel without some sort of phosphoric acid based priduct used first, and Ospho is my favorite, thugh I have not used them all. I saw no need to try any others.

As far as sound deadening, usually blocking sound waves requires a product with some weight and density, which is not a good description of foamboard insulation