Wood floor is in...and done!

[jadppe]

OK, I put in my wood floor. My dad had this leftover after redoing part of his house so free is good. Also, it matches pretty good. It's Cherry hardwood which has some orange in it that matches my Panama Brown.

Wanted to pick yer guys brains tho...

Here's the floor. Nothing is glued or fastened in yet. I put down this sound deadening stuff from HD it's a fiberboard and only 10 bucks for a 4x8 sheet. Definitely noticed a difference in cabin noise and radio sounds much better.
Question: Should I put some kind of waterproof barrier between the wood and the subfloor? and between the subfloor and the metal? That fiberboard looks like it could absorb lots of fluid.

Question: What should I do along this edge? I was thinking just trimming the old panel to fit but I dunno what would hold the panel at the bottom. Trim?

Question: I would dig some storage space under the seats. Thinking about fabricating a cabinet under there....suggestions? pics?

Question: What about the vent that comes out between the 2 front seats? It's about half blocked. Should I just put a cap over it? or leave it open?

Thanx, Josh
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Currently trying to fix up a 78 sunroof bus. 3rd bus in my life...2 late bay westies previously.

[wheelhorse]

It may already be sealed. I just installed a fiberboard 'wood' floor in my bus as well. It came from our basement when it flooded. If it's a good wood kit, it should be as simple as glueing it together. Of course, a good coat of polyurethane for floors wouldn't hurt. BEWARE, if it gets wet underneith the wood (you spill lots of water, or your basement floods) it curls up and ruins your floor.
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1970 Beetle

[busdaddy]

Looks great, not too sure about that underlay though, looks like it would hold water forever.

Consider trimming the left edge a hair short of the interior panel so you can lift the floor up easily incase it needs to dry out.
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Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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Слава Україні!

[twinfalls]

I think you need more trimming.
About home floors, the rule is 1/4 " space at ( concrete ) walls.
Otherwise you might get bulging from temperature and humidity variations.

I recently worked on my VW Golf 2 floor.
VW uses rock wool in 20 mm thickness ( 3/4" ) under the floor mats.
I replaced some with 15 mm rock wool home insulation. This is a safety approved material.
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Stock 1974 US Westy, AW-A 1800cc dual carbs. Twin Falls is my favorite site on the Churchill river in Manitoba.

[jadppe]

Here's what I ended up doing...

I did one long board on the drivers side wall. Probably should have done one long one on the front edge of the floor but it looks decent.

Cut a piece of plywood and wedged it between the bench and the flooring then put some shims between the bench supports and the plywood to make it all snug. Nothing was nailed or glued down for easy removal.

This edge is held in by corner molding that can be easily removed for sweeping and floor removal. The molding spans the length of the sliding door opening.

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Currently trying to fix up a 78 sunroof bus. 3rd bus in my life...2 late bay westies previously.

[bmartinek]

Ahhh tis' the season.

I am hoping to do the same thing to mine this month while the wife is out of town. Looks good man. I would definately fabricate a cover for the bench seat IMHO.

Keep up the good work!

[itlives]

I did mine in solid 3/4"bamboo. I ran the wood the other way and put the side panel in first.

That's a good fix at the door. I like it. I still need to do it.
Here's mine

And, finished

[BensBlueBus]

when doing the wood floor in a 78 westy is it better to just butt it up to the edge of the cabinet or completely R&I then reinstall over the wood floor?

What is the prefered combo of underlayments? I was thinking like a dynomat style sound deadner a hardboard layer, then that thin foam they make to put under the floor then the "wood" I am using Ikea pergo style
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78 Auto FI Westy Deluxe - Newest bus
78 manual FI Westy - Stopped running so sold to some one who said it was going to England.
78 Manual FI transporter - Rarely drive it but starts everytime.

[Cptn. Calzone]

The door area needs a threshold.You can purchase an aluminum 90deg. bent one that will fit over the hardwood and hide/protect the vertical edge of plywood and the flooring itsef.Screw it down with 1/2 stainless and your'e done.The floor looks great by the way!
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71 westfalia
67 912 Porsche Quintilla
67 Single Cab aka my work horse

[theizzardking]

here`s my plan

1. aluminum foil type insulation
2.plastic vapor barrier
3.10mm rock wall
4.wood flooring


in that order.

what do you guys think?

[jah_B]

rock wall? like sheet rock? will you be putting in a crawl space, or a full basement? (later) ...oh...oh...I get it. silly me. I was thinking when I read that. Yeah......THICK
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1984 CABRIOLET 6spd, quaife diff, Neuspeed springs, sway bars, tie bar, short shift kit, bilstein shocks, 16X7 RSE 3pc wheels, BFG TA 205 40s

1972 tintop P30 CAMPMOBILE: M/T, 1.7L, dual kadrons, 019 diz. Sunny the S'kool Bus


You gotta know what you don't know. That's the key to wisdom. man.

[east_coast_beat]

I'm more of a carpet man myself. Shag, to be precise.

[TheTominator]

Put a Z-bed in where that sofa is now. Frame under the bottom front. Put speakers in the framing. That space then becomes accessible, a storage area behind the speakers. Go camping!
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"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth" Albert Einstein - 1901

If I can't curse, I can't fix it.
71 Bus
78 HD FXS Lowrider 1200cc
An Oldsmobile for crying out loud.

[zxylon]

I've got both wood and shag floor!!! About to redo the wood though. I want a darker color to match the inside changes.

[fisheggs]

I still need to finish the edges but

I also cover it with this carpet. Which I can take out and shake off. Vacuuming it does nothing.

[hurst_dave]

Hey Fisheggs, where did you get that black carpet and did you have to cut it to fit your floor plan? If you did cut it, does it fray much? I want to get a rubber-backed rug to put over the factory carpet so I can hose it off and not have to worry about sap/jelly/etc, yours looks like it would work great.

Thanks,
-Dave
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1978 Deluxe Campmobile Westy, 2.0L w/ FI.
Don't believe everything you think.

[fisheggs]

The carpet was at Canaidian tire for like $70. It is rubber backed so it doesn't slide or fray. It also came with enough to carpet the front cab section, between the seats and for a large mat to put on the ground in front of door.

I just used my old carpet to trace the new ones

[visibleink]

[Rubber Duck]

[fisheggs]

Not sure we are thinking the same thing. I just took out the old carpet. Put it up the new carpet. and cut. Nothing rocket science about it. The reason I did it this way is so when it gets all dirty and sandy. You can just take it out and shake it. A vacuum cannot get as much as a good old fashioned shake