You may consider the Cork snap-lock flooring at Home Depot for almost half the cost of that roll of vinyl. It provides insulation and sound damping properties. And looks pretty good as well.

 

Durability will be its weak point, compared to vinyl. I plan to have a carpet runner or other makeshift layer put down when hauling things that might gouge it. I hauled a couple of sheet of plywood the other day, putting some carpet down to protect the floor.

As for finish, I think mine is the Heritage Mill Macadamia. IIRC, they recommend using a polyurethane floor finish on it annually, but I have yet to do so.

If the van will be mostly for tossing things in, the vinyl might be more durable, though you may find a vinyl flooring runner, scrap, or sold by the yard that could be cut to fit over the cork for when you need that.

In the long run the other benefits swayed me toward cork, even though I will be rolling in a dirty MTB regularly (though I use flats, so don't have shoes with cleats), and will continue to occasionally carry building materials and such. I like the performance and looks of cork and can pretty easily protect it when necessary.

 

Thanks @Travlin

Your build thread has been very helpful.

I've thought about cork, but initially discarded the idea because I didn't think it would be durable enough. I'm worried about ski edges, ski boots, bike shoe cleats, general wear and tear from having heavy, hard gear moving around. I had the same worry about residential vinyl, hence looking at the commercial grade garage vinyl. Also worried about water seeping between cork tile click joints. You've motivated me to give it a second look though. I'm leaning towards at least incorporating cork underlayment somewhere in the flooring.

What kind of finish is your cork, and what are your impressions on durability so far?

 

Has anyone used polyvinyl garage flooring for the floor of a van? I saw it used here: https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/2017/08/06/diy-sprinter-van-vinyl-flooring/

Looks more durable than a lot of the typical vinyl flooring I've seen used in vans. They have both diamond and coinmat patterns, but unlike most coinmat flooring, it's not rubber, so in theory it shouldn't have the same thermal expansion problems.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/G-Floor...ommercial-Grade-Vinyl-Garage-Flooring-Cover-and-Protector-GF75CN717MB/203450685

I just installed coin mat garage floor tiles in my enclosed trailer. Bought the 18"x18" tiles at Home Depot.

 

Vinyl will warmer to bare feet than some other types of flooring.

 

That was one of the significant reasons I went with cork. Never a chill stepping on a cold floor. It adjust immediately to the temp of your foot as it is a very poor thermal conductor. (which makes it a great insulator)

 

yup, i used coin style in my build. bought the roll from a big box store. can't remember the size of the roll but it was about 12'x12'. it has worked well. it cleans up very nice. it is durable but not indestructible. i have put some scratches in it from dragging excessively heavy stuff.

the one downside i have discovered in this specific product is the thermal expansion/contraction. when in direct sunlight it will expand a ton (and it has through the widows or when doors are open). it seems that the expansion remains to some extent. i guess it may be some sort of stress relief.

if i was to do it again i'd unroll it in the sun for a day and let it equalize. then cut to size. i was leery of using a spreadable adhesive to install so i just used good quality double sided carpet tape. tape has worked well too.



i really like it.

 

yup, i used coin style in my build. bought the roll from a big box store. can't remember the size of the roll but it was about 12'x12'. it has worked well. it cleans up very nice. it is durable but not indestructible. i have put some scratches in it from dragging excessively heavy stuff.

the one downside i have discovered in this specific product is the thermal expansion/contraction. when in direct sunlight it will expand a ton (and it has through the widows or when doors are open). it seems that the expansion remains to some extent. i guess it may be some sort of stress relief.

if i was to do it again i'd unroll it in the sun for a day and let it equalize. then cut to size. i was leery of using a spreadable adhesive to install so i just used good quality double sided carpet tape. tape has worked well too.



i really like it.

Expansion is the reason I made my floor float. Even on the ramp I made it float. Had to cover the seams on the ramp with aluminum strips and edges with aluminum angle. Now it can expand and contract without bulging or showing bare wood at the edges.

 

I wonder if chatbots are going to ruin forums? Imagine an army of them operating 24/7 ...

 

Can't be worse than .... nevermind.