what to put down a cork floor, need ideas

[JaneSpacely]

Hi All

I want to put down a cork floor in Jane (1985 full westy 1.9 with 4 sp trans)
I have to have a soft floor when I'm on the floor i have very bad knees. has anyone done this? how do you keep cork from soaking up water, dirt, etc
anybody have a cork floor in their Van?

[WAgrower]

I'm in the proses of putting in cork flooring!

It's odd that more people haven't put them in, so maybe we are missing something....

I was talking with a flooring guy and he was saying as long as the cork is sealed well, water and grime aren't an issue. He installs cork floors in beach houses on the water so I'm trusting him.

You can seal the cork with almost anything but he was recommending a polyurethane product used to seal gymnasium floors
http://www.duraseal.com/sections/products/ss/pen-trea.htm

If it's good enough for a high school gym I bet it will hold up pretty good in our vans

Post some pics if you decide to do a cork floor, I'm a month or so from starting to re-install my interior...
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82' Westy running on WVO!

"We have created a market that socializes losses and privatizes gains"

[teej]

On the eco-groovy side, this product gets rave reviews:

http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/product.asp?s...t_id=60000

I have used it with good results, but not on cork floors, which is one of its target markets.

Be sure to put up pics when you do the cork floor.

Just FWIW, we kneel alot into the van and found we also wanted some more cushioning. We used some of those interlocking anti-fatigue mats that are available at the home improvement stores, cut to fit (weekender layout) underneath our carpet. It works well, softer, quieter, warmer.
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1986+ Wolfsburg Weekender Pop-Top 2.3 WBX Manual Trans

[Crankey]

I know people use cork on floors, but to me it seems really weird, I don't think of cork being very durable at all. all I can think of is eroding crumbs of cork and condensation/water underneath.

[NEUTEILE]

In the day, it was used in schools if that says anything about durability.
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Joel
84 Westfalia
http://www.md-machinist.com/vw-products.html

[1621]

I put down cork flooring in my Westy in 2007 and it's very durable. After the install I added a couple coats of the rub on poly. It's been thoroughly used and abused with three sons, a St. Bernard, and countless trips to the hardware and lumber yards. The only drawback I can see is some slight fading with the sunlight - but most natural products will do that. It does not soak up water if sealed properly, and is indeed "gentle" on the knees when digging through cabinets. If I had another van I would definitely consider using cork again. Check my Samba gallery for some photos of the finished product, as well as the install.
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'85 Westy

[WAgrower]

[insyncro]

I have used cork in many of the custom homes I have built.
Having a strong and flat subfloor is essential.
PL construction adheasive can be applied and rolled evenly over both the subfloor and cork.
Place the cork where it will go and than carefully pull it up.
The adhesive will form peaks.
Let both sit 20 minutes and than put the cork down permanantly.
You will be able to slightly move each piece to get them perfect, but letting the adhesive tack up will make this more difficult, but give much stronger adhesion.

Good luck.
Post some pictures.
I would like to see your finished floor.

[Wolfphotos]

Since my van has a cork floor, I thought I'd chime in here.

The PO had installed this floor, doing a very nice job, and it has held up well for the 2 years I've owned it. While undoubtably it looks very nice, and gotten a lot of compliments for it, to me it is more about the show than the go.

I have bad knees as well, and I do not know where the impression that this is a "soft" material comes from- kneeling on it feels as hard as any other wooden floor.

As well, it can be quite slippery when wet, and the sand and dirt that you will undoubtably track on it will act as an abrasive- if you walk barefoot on it, not so comfortable, unless you are a clean freak, and keep it constantly swept. Not my thing.

What we've wound up doing, is covering the floor with a heavy door matt that we got at Costco, which we give a shake now and then, and every couple of weeks, remove to give the floor a good sweeping. It's a pretty expensive flooring to have to keep covered with a carpet.

If it had been my call, I would not have done the floor with cork, but rather used industrial rubber tiles, like the ones I've used for the door of the fridge, and the cover of the Propex box. I've had this tiling on my kitchen floor for the past 25 years, and the stuff is virtually indestructible, having survived events unspeakable in polite company.

A quick cleaning with any tire cleaner brings it back to new. It's Rottweiler proof, got a good grip when wet, and actually softer on the knees, and feet, than the cork. And MUCH cheaper.

Just my 2cents.

[scottjk]

I'm currently sound proofing my Westy and installing a cork floor. I decided to use a pre-finished product that locks together and is designed as a floating floor.

http://www.homedepot.com/Flooring-Cork-Flooring/h_...reId=10051

I'm building up the ridges in the floor with RAAMAT, not sure if I'm going to then RAAMAT the whole floor section before placing a 1/4 ply down or not. On top of the ply I'm going to use 1/8 flooring foam then place the cork on top.

It isn't the most durable floor on the market but the pattern should hide most future damage and I'll have left over boards in case of severe damage.
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1985 Westfalia 2.5L EJ

[schoonerman]

My friend put cork flooring in his motor boat, he had to let it sit for 3 days in his boat to acclimatise before installing. He did not glue it to the floor as it needs to expand and a 1/4" space was needed around the edges.
It looks great and he really likes it, although pads have to be placed under furnature legs and stileto heels are banned.
It's certainly not soft on the knees.

I used the soft interlocking squares for kids play area for my camper floor, $10, been in now 2 years, easy on the knees, easy to clean, insulates and the 4 colours brighten up the joint.
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87 Westy/Vanagon