I was getting ready to buy an outdoor carpet in the pattern I like to lay down on the floor of my van to protect the factory carpet and to give the interior a more comfy look. My plan was to either get a 5'x8' or two 4'x5' carpets to place on the floor. Then I got thinking that there no doubt are countless other ways to do this and I immediately realized I need to be asking you guys for advice. One other idea I was considering was to buy a large sheet of rubber to custom fit into the profile of my van. Still haven't located a sheet the size I would need at a reasonable price. How did you cover the factory floor on your van?
What to use to lay over my van's carpet?
- Thread starter Oldwolf
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Try to be sure you can live with the smell of whatever you use. Some of that stuff is pretty bad.
B and C
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If you can remove and store your existing carpet would be the best. Whatever you put down, you will need to be able to remove easily so you can vacuum the carpet. Think front floor mats and how bad it gets under them.
I have a small 2' x 2' square of carpet in the back of my van that I wish I could take out. The bed and cabinets were installed on top of it by Roadtrek to make the appearance better where the two meet. I had to cut a short pile rubber backed rug to fit there. It does get dirt under there as well as my floor mats up front. I carry a vacuum just for these two places. I would probably carry it just for the front though.
I have a small 2' x 2' square of carpet in the back of my van that I wish I could take out. The bed and cabinets were installed on top of it by Roadtrek to make the appearance better where the two meet. I had to cut a short pile rubber backed rug to fit there. It does get dirt under there as well as my floor mats up front. I carry a vacuum just for these two places. I would probably carry it just for the front though.
nature lover
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My first rig had carpet and I used a clear plastic runner on top but as another said it is amazing how much dirt collects under there. In my new rig I am pulling the carpet which is in good condition out adding an osb sub floor and vinyl wall to wall with my cupboards and furniture on top and fastened to the floor. I hate carpet - I never had it in my homes and won't in my home on wheels - it is hard to clean, traps odors, moisture and if you are cooking and bathing and all the other things we have to do inside the vehicle I like an easily cleanable floor that will tolerated liquids. Carpet is warmer but that is why I have fuzzy slippers.
B and C
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BCX plywood or marine grade. OSB has a lot of glue that will off gas and can give you splinters on the flat part. I won't use OSB for anything anymore except underlayment for shingles with a shiny side.
So what you are planning to do is put a carpet over the original carpet? That will work and if you want it waterproofed between them you could use one of the thin hardwood floor underlayment products that are sold by the foot at stores such as Home Depot. Be sure you get one made with closed cell foam. Closed cell foam does not absorb water.
highdesertranger
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OSB? yuk. highdesertranger
nature lover
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I am not experienced like some of you guys and gals. So OSB has more off gassing than regular plywood? Bob did a video of a fantastic rig when all the plywood was formaldehyde free - the stuff is very expensive. What kind of underlayment would you all recommend? My budget is low so what underlayment do you all recommend? The mission I worked with in East KY used OSB by the truck load for many applications. My wife would say that I have off gassing problems myself.
Not to worry, there are liquid solutions to the issue of off gassing. Coat them with stain and odor sealing primers on all sides before you install the materials. Do not coat mdf with water based products. I really have no idea why people in van build forums go so crazy about OSB when the solution for preventing it from off gassing is so easy to do. You would think they had never heard of odor sealing primers before and yet they are widely available in every store that carries paints.
Sure it would be great if you could afford to purchase plywood made without formaldehyde but it is not widely available and it is at a premium price. By the way heat accelerates off gassing. So if it is winter time you can heat up the interior then open the windows and doors and let it air out. Then repeat the baking cycle several more times. Of course it is very easy to do bake and air out cycles in the summer time with the assistance of the hot sun.
Sure it would be great if you could afford to purchase plywood made without formaldehyde but it is not widely available and it is at a premium price. By the way heat accelerates off gassing. So if it is winter time you can heat up the interior then open the windows and doors and let it air out. Then repeat the baking cycle several more times. Of course it is very easy to do bake and air out cycles in the summer time with the assistance of the hot sun.
Modern structural plywood and OSB apparently have minimal off gassing, such that they are not regulated for formaldehyde emissions. This is in contrast to MDF, particle board, and hardwood plywood which may use a much more volatile adhesive.
The EPA worked with California Air Resources Board to regulate products using the more volatile formaldehyde. This excerpt helped clarify things for me. It's from the EPA's Dec 2016 "Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products", from the Federal Register:
[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]In 2003, CARB also surveyed composite wood product manufacturers across the U.S., asking them for a variety of information including formaldehyde emissions data from products. This research led CARB to conclude that formaldehyde emission control measures for hardwood plywood, medium-density fiberboard, and particleboard were warranted, because these three products were primarily being made with urea-formaldehyde resins that “have the highest formaldehyde emission rates.” (Ref. 27). According to CARB, formaldehyde emission rates from other composite wood products, products used primarily in exterior applications, such as oriented strand board, hardboard, and peg board, were about 90% lower and contributed far less to formaldehyde concentrations in California. CARB went on to note that the primary composite wood products using phenol-formaldehyde resins were oriented strand board and softwood, or structural plywood, which were mainly used for exterior sidings. Thus, many of the products excluded from the CARB ATCM, and later from TSCA title VI, such as hardboard, oriented strand board, structural plywood, structural panels, and structural composite lumber, were so excluded because CARB determined that they were already being made with resins with limited formaldehyde emissions potential. Based on the available information that EPA has reviewed as part of this rulemaking, EPA agrees with CARB's determination that composite wood products made with phenol-formaldehyde resins are much less likely to emit formaldehyde than products made with urea-formaldehyde resins.[/font]
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0461-0001
The EPA worked with California Air Resources Board to regulate products using the more volatile formaldehyde. This excerpt helped clarify things for me. It's from the EPA's Dec 2016 "Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products", from the Federal Register:
[font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]In 2003, CARB also surveyed composite wood product manufacturers across the U.S., asking them for a variety of information including formaldehyde emissions data from products. This research led CARB to conclude that formaldehyde emission control measures for hardwood plywood, medium-density fiberboard, and particleboard were warranted, because these three products were primarily being made with urea-formaldehyde resins that “have the highest formaldehyde emission rates.” (Ref. 27). According to CARB, formaldehyde emission rates from other composite wood products, products used primarily in exterior applications, such as oriented strand board, hardboard, and peg board, were about 90% lower and contributed far less to formaldehyde concentrations in California. CARB went on to note that the primary composite wood products using phenol-formaldehyde resins were oriented strand board and softwood, or structural plywood, which were mainly used for exterior sidings. Thus, many of the products excluded from the CARB ATCM, and later from TSCA title VI, such as hardboard, oriented strand board, structural plywood, structural panels, and structural composite lumber, were so excluded because CARB determined that they were already being made with resins with limited formaldehyde emissions potential. Based on the available information that EPA has reviewed as part of this rulemaking, EPA agrees with CARB's determination that composite wood products made with phenol-formaldehyde resins are much less likely to emit formaldehyde than products made with urea-formaldehyde resins.[/font]
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0461-0001
HotSpringsCyclist
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I like to use inexpensive area rugs to put over the factory carpet. That way, if they get something spilled on them I can hose them off and hang them over a fence on a hot day.
Area rugs are also nice to create outdoor space for chairs or laying in the sun.
The walk-off space keeps the dust from feet out of the van.
Area rugs are also nice to create outdoor space for chairs or laying in the sun.
The walk-off space keeps the dust from feet out of the van.
I failed to mention that the van in question is a Toyota Sienna mini-van. I do want to keep the factory carpet in because I will need to convert the van back to grand-children transporting from time to time. I am still leaning towards a couple of throw rugs (thanks HotSpringsCyclisit) but would still consider a cut-to-fit rubber mat if I could locate the material.
B and C
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I don't think the grandkids would care if the carpet was there or not.
LOL! Very true. To get the seats back in though I would need to remove the bed platform, rear storage, and bolt back in the fold-away seating and pop in the middle captain's seating. Might as well just remove any lay-in carpets I have at the same time and marvel at the factory look of my van.
just go to any flooring store or places such as Lowes and Home Depot and purchase by-the-foot vinyl flooring. Rubber mats are not the only option and the vinyl flooring is easy to clean and comes in lots of colors. The foam backed kind is good. Make sure what you get lays down flat rather than curling up at the edges.
Or you could use puzzle mat flooring. It comes in a variety of thickness and is easy to trim to size. It can ever be glued together at the joints with acrylic caulk in a similar color. Just brush some caulk on the interlocking edges. You don't need 100% glue coverage, just enough to keep the pieces in alignment will do.
Or you could use puzzle mat flooring. It comes in a variety of thickness and is easy to trim to size. It can ever be glued together at the joints with acrylic caulk in a similar color. Just brush some caulk on the interlocking edges. You don't need 100% glue coverage, just enough to keep the pieces in alignment will do.
Another option would be loose-lay vinyl. As the name suggests, it's designed to not be glued down. You should be able to pick up a remnant pretty cheap at a flooring store (I used to work at one), then cut it to fit the contours of your van.
grandpa pete
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If you do end up with carpet over carpet ; check around at auto interior shops and see if one will edge band the carpet to prevent fraying
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