[EddieZ]

I'm planning for flooring, probably a modest 1/2 inch of plywood. (No, can't do a fancy raised floor, or more layers of insulation, since I'm in a MR, and can't afford the space.) 3/4 inch would give better bite for screwing into, but, at a cost of more weight and another 1/4 inch of height.

So, what gets done at the side door step well, and rear door step cover? My floor already has the factory vinyl floor cover, which goes under the step well and step cover, so, Ford left 1/4 inch, or whatever, for that clearance.

It seems like I've seen pics where the step well sat over a fairly thick floor, but, I'm not sure exactly how that was achieved. Now, with a floor of only 1/2 inch, I think I could possibly cut a piece of the plywood to put on the step -- under the step well plastic -- probably with part of its edge showing. That kind of adjustment would then assume that the factory floor cover, or something of equal thickness, would continue to be used over the plywood.

I have not yet had the rear step cover off, to see what's under there.

Thanks

 

[ultane]

There is a company that is making steel or aluminum pieces to replace the plastic, or use in place of it for those who have a van without the OEM plastic pieces. Someone has already posted up a link to them. I do not know what the metal ones allow for for floor thickness.

I've added 1/2" styrofoam in all the valleys of the floor, and 1/2" styrofoam on top of that. Then I used 3/8" 7 ply 5' X 5' Baltic Birch from Woodcraft to fabricate a monolithic floating floor joined at all seams by epoxied 2" half lap joints. It is much, much quieter now!!! So I'm real close to the thickness of the OEM rubber matt with recycled fabric underneath it. I haven't tried to refit the plastic pieces. The Ford BEMM says to use 3/8" marine plywood for flooring. (Good luck finding marine plywood unless you are lucky enough to live in close to a boat building hub). If I need to attach anything to my floor, I plan on using epoxy to attach a suitably sized hardwood cleat, and screw to it. I'll do most of my 'attaching' to the 8 X 1.25 pretapped holes in the walls of the Beast. I plan on using oak stair treads from a big box store and fabricating my own doorway inserts that will mate to my custom floor to replace the OEM plastic ones.

 

[PeterR]

Eddie, in my old Club Wagon Econoline, I put 3/4" veneer core maple ply (good quality, no voids) right on the carpet and screwed cleats to it, as you intend to do. IMO 1/2" is not thick enough unless you plan on using lots of short screws for your cleats. You might consider aluminum angle for the cleats, which would permit better control of screwing it down into the 1/2" ply with pan head sheet metal screws, and through-bolting the cleats to any plywood verticals.

I am planning on doing the same 3/4" ply floor in my new Transit Wagon:

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/dealers-purchases-orders/5274-xlt-wagon-ordered.html#post149930

Another benefit is that the 3/4" thickness makes it easier to spline the misc. floor pieces together.

Good luck!

 

[EddieZ]

I've added 1/2" styrofoam in all the valleys of the floor, and 1/2" styrofoam on top of that. Then I used 3/8" 7 ply 5' X 5' Baltic Birch from Woodcraft to fabricate a monolithic floating floor joined at all seams by epoxied 2" half lap joints. It is much, much quieter now!!! So I'm real close to the thickness of the OEM rubber matt with recycled fabric underneath it. I haven't tried to refit the plastic pieces. The Ford BEMM says to use 3/8" marine plywood for flooring. (Good luck finding marine plywood unless you are lucky enough to live in close to a boat building hub). If I need to attach anything to my floor, I plan on using epoxy to attach a suitably sized hardwood cleat, and screw to it.

Cleats epoxied to floor ply -- yes, good idea. Interesting BEMM suggestion. I wonder if that's because 3/8" is close to the rubber matt... that I have (your 1/2 + 3/8 "close to matt" reference doesn't match what I'm seeing.

You mention 5x5 ft BBirch at Woodcraft. I checked online, and don't see any that big. I see they have a store 100 miles away, Atlanta area. Maybe the sell bigger pieces in store, only. I may have to drive up there, especially if I could pick up some wall panel material (maybe Celtec sign stuff in gray) on the same trip. That drive might also give me the option of a shop that sells marine ply.

How did you cut such wide laps in such thin material?

Eddie, in my old Club Wagon Econoline, I put 3/4" veneer core maple ply (good quality, no voids) right on the carpet and screwed cleats to it, as you intend to do. IMO 1/2" is not thick enough unless you plan on using lots of short screws for your cleats. You might consider aluminum angle for the cleats, which would permit better control of screwing it down into the 1/2" ply with pan head sheet metal screws, and through-bolting the cleats to any plywood verticals.
Good luck!

Well, I WAS planning on screwing direct, possibly only above valleys in the floor, for full screw penetration through the plywood. But, I do like the epoxied cleat suggestion by Ultane.

Might do butt joints with fiberglass laid over, in several feathered layers... it's surprisingly strong.

Floor size is just all wrong for efficient use of standard sized plywood, with fewest joints. For a 148" WB, you've gotta use 3 sheets of plywood running across, to get just 2 joints. SOMEWHERE, I believe, there is 12 foot plywood available... then, Shazam, just 1 joint up the middle.

 

[orton]

I will have a 1/2" plywood floor held down by aluminum angles bolted to the D-ring bolt holes, a couple of existing through the floor holes that I found under the slider door step cover and two more drilled holes above the spare tire.

What might be of interest is how I will bolt the floor 80/20 framework to the 1/2" plywood. I will use 5/16" SS elevator bolts. The head of a elevator bolt is flat and about 1" diameter. Put holes through the plywood above the low part of the corrugated floor and put head under the plywood with the treads sticking up through the plywood to use to bolt things down. Elevator bolts have a square shank just like a carriage bolt to prevent turning. You have to put floor in temporarily and mark where you want the studs. Remove plywood , drill the holes and install the elevator bolts. Then put floor back in.

 

[Brad]

>>> I plan on using epoxy to attach a suitably sized hardwood cleat, and screw to it.

Excellent idea, thanks for the tip!

 

[EddieZ]

I will have a 1/2" plywood floor held down by aluminum angles bolted to the D-ring bolt holes, a couple of existing through the floor holes that I found under the slider door step cover and two more drilled holes above the spare tire.

What might be of interest is how I will bolt the floor 80/20 framework to the 1/2" plywood. I will use 5/16" SS elevator bolts. The head of a elevator bolt is flat and about 1" diameter. Put holes through the plywood above the low part of the corrugated floor and put head under the plywood with the threads sticking up through the plywood to use to bolt things down. Elevator bolts have a square shank just like a carriage bolt to prevent turning. You have to put floor in temporarily and mark where you want the studs. Remove plywood , drill the holes and install the elevator bolts. Then put floor back in.

Good ideas and info. I thought you were an "elevated floor" guy?

 

[ultane]

Cleats epoxied to floor ply -- yes, good idea. Interesting BEMM suggestion. I wonder if that's because 3/8" is close to the rubber matt... that I have (your 1/2 + 3/8 "close to matt" reference doesn't match what I'm seeing.



You mention 5x5 ft BBirch at Woodcraft. I checked online, and don't see any that big.

That drive might also give me the option of a shop that sells marine ply.



How did you cut such wide laps in such thin material?

The OEM rubber matt with its funky shredded cloth underneath that came in my cargo van is pretty thick, though I haven't measured it yet.

The 5x5 Baltic birch may have been locally (Boise) sourced by the store owner. He's pretty resourceful.

Marine plywood is hard to find. I'd call first.

The material was 7 ply, so it was very sturdy to begin with. The 2" laps were made by using a router with a guide, and carefully making multiple passes, with a 3/4" bit. PITA, but it worked. I used West System epoxy, first wetting out the joints, then applying thickened epoxy before screwing the joints together until the epoxy cured. Then I removed the screws. After making all the laps, I laid the 5x6 plywood pieces (with their lap joints made, but not yet epoxied) on the driveway, and put the OEM rubber floor upside down on top of the plywood to trace the exact shape of the floor onto the plywood, before cutting it out using an appropriate blade in my saber saw.

 

[orton]

Good ideas and info. I thought you were an "elevated floor" guy?

I am. But thought the method of bolting the plywood to the floor might be useful to others without a "elevated" floor.

For my floor I removed the OEM vinyl floor cover with pad and the sliding door plastic step cover. Kept the wheel housing covers and rear threshold. The reasons for the replacing the original floor are to add 1" insulation, allow electrical cables to cross from one side of van to the other and to give me a framework to securely bolt the benches, table,refrigerator/microwave/shower enclosure and sink cabinet down to the floor.

The floor is 2 1/8" thick. Will fill between the corrugations with 1/2" closed cell foam. Then cover full floor with 1/8" loaded vinyl. Next layer is 1/2" plywood with edges bolted to the D-ring tapped holes and 4 holes through the floor (two existing and two drilled). Then a 1 1/2" thick 80/20 frame built to sit on top of plywood. Frame is bolted to the plywood with the elevator bolts. In between the 80/20 framework there are layers of 3 materials. On top of the plywood is 1" thick rigid insulation, next 1/8" Masonite and on top a 3/8" thick gym mat flush with top of the 80/20. I cut slots in the rigid insulation to get the rubber electrical cords from one side to the other. The top slot in the 80/20 is available to bolt down cabinets and to be used to tie down cargo.

Did the same thing in the sold Sprinter except will add the 1/8" loaded vinyl for the Transit. Cheap painted ADX Plywood is in 4 pieces and the edges are not glued together. Use a fabricated aluminum angle at the D-ring holes. Did not want the 80/20 directly bolted to the steel body. Wanted 80/20 thermally isolated from van body. Plywood bolts to body and 80/20 bolts to plywood so there is always a piece of plywood between 80/20 and van steel. My 80/20 framework in the Sprinter was always cold or hot because I made the mistake of bolting it directly to the steel.

Floor and framework are not simple but all the conversion parts will be one large structure bolted together. Once I get the floor done, it is very easy to build up from it.

I am about done with the floor and will post pictures if I have not used up all my data allotment on this site. When I use up the data allotment I will have to register a second tome with a new name to get a new allotment. Kind of stupid but that is the only way I see to continue to post the build. Odd that the site owners do not want useful information posted on their site to increase the number of hits to increase their income.

 

[ncblueridge]

Have you considered a site like Flickr or Photobucket for images Orton, they both have a pretty liberal image allowance and you can also post directly here.

 

[orton]

Have you considered a site like Flickr or Photobucket for images Orton, they both have a pretty liberal image allowance and you can also post directly here.

What I will probably do is start a blog so I do not have any data limitations. Then refer to the blog on this site. Dumb for the site owners to limit the data to prevent useful information from being posted. Reduces the hits on their site which reduces their income. Whatever!

 

[ncblueridge]

I agree, data storage is very inexpensive these days and they should up the limit.

If you decide to do a blog you should check out WordPress, very easy to setup and manage.

What I will probably do is start a blog so I do not have any data limitations. Then refer to the blog on this site. Dumb for the site owners to limit the data to prevent useful information from being posted. Reduces the hits on their site which reduces their income. Whatever!

 

[PeterR]

FYI:

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/off-topic/5138-blog-creation.html