Van floor
- Thread starter hossman2011
- Start date
danthewolf00
Veteran Expediter
Screw down some good pine 2 by 6.
Plywood is what I used. Every year or so I'd clean it off and put down a couple of coats of Minwax Polycrylic.
I used a 4x8 sheet of 3/4 plywood cut into a 20" x 8' and two 14" x 8' segments. The 20" x 8' went straight down the center of the van. Then a row of e-track on both sides of it. Then the 14" segments, notched to go around the wheel well on the left. I also had a row of e-track crossways at the very back for when the freight covered the entire plywood. The 3/4" plywood was just the right height to be level with the e-track so anything would slide in and out easily and could be secured to hold even upside down. Thankfully I never got to test that.
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I put down 3/4 in plywood. Then the e track in the middle 32 in to the outside of each one. Lasted years. I recommend you put a 2x4 on either side like I did so if freight is loaded in on an incorrect angle it won't catch on the wheel well. Use self tapping screws to attach it. Of course beveled out the holes for the screws on the plywood so they wouldn't stick up.
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If it gets gouged or ripped, you can fill it with Bondo and sand it down using a little palm sander. But I highly recommend giving it 2 or 3 coats of Polycrylic.
2x6 would seem overkill and on the heavy side, doncha think? I always found 3/8 thick plywood to match the height of the etrack perfectly. But my new van I'm really trying to keep it lightweight as possible, so I removed 2 of the 12' long planks and put a 1x6 in it's place, with the etrack on top of that, caulked the seams along the sides of that, and used stainless bolts and stop nuts bolted through it all to the cargo box frame. Matched the floor almost perfectly.
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Since I'm used to seeing a metal floor under the wood in a Sprinter. I was surprised to see the ground
Is this normal for cube vans not to have a metal floor underneath?
Yes, a shiplap floor in a cube/cutaway is standard. Just over an inch thick. Right before the Pandemic, I was ready to sign the papers on a new 2020 Econoline E350 cutaway. Fully loaded, built the way I wanted it, with a 14' aluminum box, but a wood floor. But the Pandemic scared me out of that..so after awhile I bought a used one.Since I'm used to seeing a metal floor under the wood in a Sprinter. I was surprised to see the ground
That was helpful information for me too! I've been scratching my head on this for awhile... making it seem more difficult then it needed to be....
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What about maybe using Rino Liner on the plywood instead?
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What did you use to attach the E-Track to the Van floor?
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I think that Rhino liner wouldn't be the best choice. Constantly dragging freight across it would be a pain, IMO. A lot of friction. There has to be a happy medium where it can't be too slippery, but not to rough, either. I love the look of a shiny smooth floor, as it is easier to wipe/mop down. But can be a challenge when wet to not do a Michael Jackson impersonation...I am going to coat my replacement van floor with varathane commercial floor clear gloss, 2 coats. The 2nd coat i will be adding "shark grip" to the varathane. I bought it on Amazon for $20 for the small bottle. It is a powder. My brother in Florida swears by this stuff around his pool. Says when wet you won't slip, but is not overly rough, either.
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Here is that anti slip additive that I bought to put in the varathane.
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That's why polyurethane works so well for the cargo deck. It's very hard when cured, so it protects the floor better, but is just grippy enough not to let things slide around. Any high quality polyurethane works fine. I know someone who even used spar polyurethane, which isn't as durable but it's been plenty durable enough. A spar is long pole such as is used for a mast or yard on a ship. Spar polyurethane is designed to bend without cracking, which makes it softer and less durable, but his has held up nicely for several years, with an annual re-coating.
The hardest finish you can get is from General Finishes, but it's pricey and can be hard to find.
Great valuable information that I wasn't aware of. After staring and reading for too long in Menards at labels, I chose what I did. Hopefully it performs well. Thanks for the info.
Yeah sometimes when trying to figure things out the brain gets fried
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