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Sun May 20, 2012 7:57 am

I installed marmoleum after my cat was locked in the van overnight and peed on the nasty carpet. While the jarmo is great, it is too slippery for the dog while driving. I suspect the woodis slippery too, so I think I am going to follow 1621's cork solution. The cork is less slippery than wood or sheet good and still very durable. Cork click panels are usually sealed to protect from water, but some companies only treat the top surface, while others treat the edges as well. It really shouldn't matter since only large amounts of standing water should warp the cork, not small amounts from rain, shoes, dogs, etc.

Sun May 20, 2012 8:06 am

http://nwflooringoutlet.com/index.cfm

Sun May 20, 2012 9:27 am

Kopasz wrote: http://nwflooringoutlet.com/index.cfm

Heyo Adam,

Thanks for the link to the local flooring outlet place. Their selection looks impressive. I had not heard of that place before.

-CJ

Sun May 20, 2012 10:52 am

Quote: Kopasz - The cork is less slippery than wood or sheet good and still very durable

I installed cork tiles. It looks nice but it's still too slippery and also hard to kneel on (something I do alot when camping and I need to reach in and get something). Currently my floor is covered with HD outdoor carpeting on 1/2" closed cell foam tiles. Next time I take my cupboards out I will probably remove the cork floor. It's a nice idea but for me it is not as practical as carpet.

Sun May 20, 2012 3:11 pm

shepherdsond wrote: Quote: Kopasz - The cork is less slippery than wood or sheet good and still very durable

I installed cork tiles. It looks nice but it's still too slippery and also hard to kneel on (something I do alot when camping and I need to reach in and get something). Currently my floor is covered with HD outdoor carpeting on 1/2" closed cell foam tiles. Next time I take my cupboards out I will probably remove the cork floor. It's a nice idea but for me it is not as practical as carpet.

Thanks Shepherdsond, good input.

Mon May 21, 2012 9:30 am

climberjohn wrote: Kopasz wrote: http://nwflooringoutlet.com/index.cfm

Heyo Adam,

Thanks for the link to the local flooring outlet place. Their selection looks impressive. I had not heard of that place before.

-CJ

Hey John,

I never heard of it either until I did a quick search with Google. I'm going to check out the showroom sometime later this week.

Hopefully I'll have the van complete by the next PDX gathering so I can show it off. I live in your neck of SW now I think.....

Tue May 29, 2012 2:34 pm

So for those of you who are using click-together boards from Home Depot, do you remove the carpet before installing, or do you put it right on top?

If you remove the carpet, how far down do you strip it and do you lay any padding under the boards?

The PO of my van installed a cream-colored shag carpet over the top of the original stuff. It looks kind-of OK right now but I know I'm going to destroy when I take it camping.

I have enough trouble keeping poop from my back yard chickens off my carpet in the house, I don't want to have to worry about poop in the van too. :P

Tue May 29, 2012 8:17 pm

berkeleyjack wrote: So for those of you who are using click-together boards from Home Depot, do you remove the carpet before installing, or do you put it right on top?

If you remove the carpet, how far down do you strip it and do you lay any padding under the boards?

The PO of my van installed a cream-colored shag carpet over the top of the original stuff. It looks kind-of OK right now but I know I'm going to destroy when I take it camping.

I have enough trouble keeping poop from my back yard chickens off my carpet in the house, I don't want to have to worry about poop in the van too. :P

I would definitely remove the old carpet. maybe keep the original insulation if it is in good shape, but I ripped mine out.

I installed sound deadening over the metal floor. I had the idea of filling the low points in the floor with material to make a level surface but didn't. I regret not doing that. I noticed others have done that and I wish I had. I suppose I still could.....

I think a good solution to a clean floor is a wood, cork, bamboo, or marmoleum floor for easy clean up with a removable area rug for comfort.

Tue May 29, 2012 8:31 pm

Brazilian walnut, dense wood will sink if you drop it in a pool. Indestructible my 3 kids have not scratched it yet. http://www.vwvid.com/m/photos/view/DSC06546

Tue May 29, 2012 9:24 pm

we got a close out of pergo type wood floor from home depot. at first, I was very careful of it. now, not so much.

we scraped up the old foam pad and carpet, that was the hardest part.

we live where it feels good to have a cool floor for bare feet. but in the winter, use a rug.

I hated the carpet, love the hard surface floor. food, dog hair, dirt, it all sweeps out.

I'd post a pic, but it looks pretty much the same as all the other pergo type floors. nice and clean.

Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:11 am

If you have taken out the OE insulation under your carpet prior to this install, what have you used to fill the low points of the ribbed floor? Or have you filled the low points out all?

Thanks.

Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:27 am

I don't think I ever showed my bamboo flooring in this thread, so here it is :

Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:22 pm

Sort of a "Thread from the Dead", but I wanted to show mine. I am VERY happy with this mod. It's super easy to sweep dirt out of the the van, it looks great, and it's fast and inexpensive. I did add a strip of quarter-round molding around 3 sides, stained to a near match. No photos of that.

Floor after lifting the rear rubber mat that was on there and removing the seat channels

Halfway along, about 30 minutes into the job

Done, but dusty. . .

I had to rip cut a narrow strip to fill the front edge.

This is what i bought from a flooring outlet in Hillsboro OR, about $45 for 1 box. (I had 2 pieces left over.) 21.3 square feet in the box. http://nwflooringoutlet.com/index.cfm

and onto the ceiling. 1/8" Baltic birch, polyurathane spray can, stainless steel truss head screws.

and the same on the rear hatch:

Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:30 pm

That does look nice... Wish my van had the seat tracks and removable seat, or rear facing seat, for those days when people actually ride back there...

Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:48 pm

I've thought, rather hard, about getting one of these:

That's the Rocky Mountain Westy locking storage box. I'd probably also get a locking drawer under Winston's passenger seat. As I understand the thing, and Mike's show me one, the top of the storage box sits even with the back of the passenger's seat.

Would the wooden floor (Winston has Pergo) interfere with that, I wonder? Would I need to shorten it? I'd consider covering it with brown carpet to make it match the rest of Winston's interior, perhaps held in place with screws...

Anyone have an idea? Thank you!

Best!

Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:03 pm

I too thought about getting one of those rmw boxes. Ultimately I ended up with a go westy euro repop porta potty box. It holds my ghettoes and essentials great, can be emptied to hold other things when toilet is not needed, and is easily removable when more interior space is needed!

That being said I might get some of their drawers for under the seat!

Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:55 pm

So the question was posted earlier, but I never saw an answer -- Do most of you just add the wood flooring WITHOUT removing the cabinets?

Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:24 am

shizzon wrote: So the question was posted earlier, but I never saw an answer -- Do most of you just add the wood flooring WITHOUT removing the cabinets?

I did not remove my cabinets. There is a nice lip under them and the back bench for the laminated floor to slide under.

Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:44 am

we didn't remove cabinets either.

Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:40 am

I did not remove my cabinets.

As I mentioned, adding a strip of "quarter round" molding hides the slight mismatch of the board ends as they butt up against the cabinets. This molding (made from hemlock wood, I think) is sold by the foot at Home Despot, and the five feet so you need to do the Van will cost you just a few bucks. Add a five dollar can of matching stain and you're good to go.