flooring

[bubbalowe]

I'm in the process of of removing the cheap conversion van carpet and replacing with a plywood floor topped with black/ white checkered flag style floor tile. Has anyone that has done this know if 1/2" plywood is adequate or does it need something heavier? I plan on using the van as a utilitarian tow vehicle, camper, and the cleaning ease of tile is appealing. The cheesy captain's seats and munchkin bed are getting tossed also because I want something removable and the munchkin bed is bolted straight through the floor and the conversion seat mounts are oddball, not GM

[Lumpy]

Leave the carpet (add more!). Put the plywood on top of that. You're driving a tin can. Without carpet and other layers of sound absorbant stuff, every bump and grind from the drivetrain and road are AMPlified through the tympanic metal floor.


Lump

[bubbalowe]

Roger on the tin can

[bubbalowe]

I planned on some heavy spray sound deadener/ rust proof sprayed down first and maybe some throw rugs if needed, just want to be able to mop out mud (mud comes after it rains)

[Lumpy]

My flooring layers -


Bare metal. Fill seat sockets with foam, caulk and screw down masonite covers -



Not shown -
Truck bed liner on bare metal floor


Not shown -
Rubber sheet on top of truck bed liner. Free contractor left-over


OEM padding and carpet. seat socket cutouts filled with carpet squares then duct taped -




Foam carpet padding, free from neighbor discard -




Foam rubber shop mats from HarborStink topped with some high nap carpet (free from same neighbor discard) -




It's a couple inches thick so far and I don't have the final, finish carpet on -




Final carpet, not yet edge trimmed or fastened down -





End result. Padded enough for my 220 lb butt to sleep on very comfortably. Difference in sound level between just stock and this is dramatic. Difference between bare metal and this is outrageous -




Total cost was somthing like $6 for the rubber mats from HF. Maybe a dollar's worth of self tapping screws, couple feet of duct tape, maybe 10 bucks in truck bed liner.


Lump

[catbones]

Awesome! now where's shaggy and scooby doo?

[bubbalowe]

The cheaply built conversion vans don't even have the OEM seat sockets but rather there own version of seat mounts bolted to 3/16" plate with 1/2" bolts through the floor to hold the ugly mess in. I hate to keep harping on the same thing but never ever even think of buying a conversion van. Nice job on the interior Lump and your singing my song with the budget.