Do not 1/4 turn the underlayment direction from the subfloor. It was in the Kahrs original, floating wood flooring instructions, to use sand as a low spot filler, under the underlyment. Sande plywood is a marine purpose plywood. If you bought a van with anything attached such as a barrier or shelves, remove them. Even with the build completely in, the van can still be really loud to drive. After a treatment with a buffer, a thorough vacuuming and a pass with a drum sander should get the subfloor ready for a floor covering. We chose to leave it with a small gap. After it is created utilize it to make your cuts on your plywood. It’s a budget decision that you have to make! One of the most common uses for plywood is for subflooring in new construction homes. But combined with other methods that measure the finish floor, you can get a fairly accurate reading of total floor thickness. In our Sprinter van, we had a few holes in our floor and used thin sheet metal to cover up the hole and used silicone in between. Before you can lay down your campervan flooring such as vinyl, you need to create a subfloor. Some posts here on Chasing the Wild Goose contain affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click or book from one of these links – at no extra expense to you. A subfloor will ensure that your van is well insulated and the vinyl won’t be as likely to shift. 2. We swept a few times and then went back over the flooring with a blower. Skip to content. Going over the floor with a drum sander is the quickest way to do this, and because you don't have to worry about scratches, you can use coarse paper and do the job quickly. When you’re trying to decide between sande plywood and birch plywood, you should really consider just how often the wood is going to be exposed to the elements. Premium grade face. This allows you a place to screw down your plywood subfloor without making a hole in your van floor. After living with a convertible bed, After deliberating between all of our options, we, Eating when you’re on a long road trip, even for, This wild pup gave us quite the scare last week. If you have an older subfloor constructed of multiple slats, rather than large sheets of plywood, you can insert your straight edge between the slats. O, Step 2) Scrub Campervan flooring with Soap and Water, Campervan flooring options and installation, The Ultimate Vanlife Packing List and Top Vanlife Essentials, The Best Campervan Flooring and Top Installation Tips. It is popular among car gurus and comes stock in Transits and Sprinter vans (not enough but you will see it in the cargo area). The primer and paint will settle into the seams a bit, but for the most part they will be visible. Both are very similar in size and the subfloor is basically the same process. Not to mention if any water were to get underneath your flooring it would only make your rust worse. This time we only put rattletrap on the wheel wells and on the back half of the van. Item #12249 Model #NA We chose to lay down 2×2’s in the crevices of the van floor and glue them down. Check over your entire floor, wheel wheels, and walls for any rust. EPA TSCA Title VI. Consider starting further back to allow for your flooring to be square. One of the easiest things you can do is something called Rattletrap. If you are installing subflooring over the slab, consult your hardwood manufacturer to determine if you should install a sleeper system or a floating, glue-down or nail subfloor. Before installing hardwood or laminate planks, the subfloor must be flattened to a tolerance of 1/4 inch in 10 feet. Birch plywood is less likely to be warped and is a nicer wood. New Student Enrollment; Existing Student’s Login If there is anything inside your van, whether it be boxes or any attachments inside your cargo van then get rid of all of it. This is what we ordered from OEM (prices are subject to change). You can find a number of buffer attachments that will do the job quickly, including scrapers and specialty mastic removers. Answer: You can find plywood sheets in various sizes with thickness from ⅛ inch, ¼ inch, ⅜ inch, ½ inch, ⅝ inch, ¾ inch, 1-⅛ inches and 1-¼ inches. The next step is to get your base down. After our second cargo van, we have learned a few things and know how important it is to have a solid subfloor. For our Transit, we used three sheets of ½ Sande plywood which is in the middle when it comes to quality. If you are utilizing lightweight concrete, plywood or OSB subflooring panels will have to be installed. For our build, we were able to utilize the remaining roll that we used on our first Sprinter van flooring. Vinyl industry approved. Honestly, this blower is such a great addition to our tools and something we will keep with us on the road. Plywood can be used in the construction of a kitchen countertop. Additionally, underlayment plywood is a middle layer that keeps moisture from reaching the surface. Sande is an imported hardwood. Dimensions: 1/2 x 4 x 8. You want to make sure to get up any stuck-on blobs of paint or other raised area of the plywood. After everything has dried, use a can of Rustoleum to cover any scratches on your flooring, wheel wheels, and walls. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies. Beneath the floors are subfloors, underlayment, and joists that many hardly ever know of. Hardwood Floors: A Guide to Subfloors Used Under Wood Flooring, How to Fix Old Hardwood Floors With Gaps and Cupping. ... soffits and paneling to remodeling projects such as underlayment, countertops and more. Do You Screw Or Nail Plywood? It was priced around $35 a sheet $10 less per sheet compared to Birch plywood which is around $46 a sheet. We discovered this method from Vanessa and Adam who have great tutorials on this method. Ford Transit Pro Tip: The Ford Transit is not square in the back of the van. Before you lay any type of flooring, the subfloor should be flat, and if it's plywood, one way to flatten it is to sand it. On our Sprinter van flooring, it came with a subfloor so we only had to add insulation which was a huge plus for us! Check out our guide on Campervan flooring options and installation. For optimal and long-lasting results, consider all three components when installing a new floor. Before you sand, don't forget to set all the nails and screws and fill depressions and gaps with floor leveling compound. What is the thickness of the campervan subfloor? The largest plywood blocks can be up to 3 inches in thickness. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. We were super fortunate in that our plywood was relatively new and smooth and we didn’t have to do much sanding. Lifetime warranty for use as underlayment. The great thing about rattletrap is that you only need to cover 30% of an area for it to be effective. DO NOT ignore rust! Note that our project started out with good-quality plywood, but if yours is in bad shape, add a new layer of 3/8-inch A-C plywood. TCNA Tested - Extra Heavy Classification. Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Exceptional for building everything from cabinets, built-ins, soffits and paneling to remodeling projects such as underlayment, countertops and more. Adhesives and heavy paint tend to gum up the paper on a drum sander, so it's best to remove these with a floor buffer. Dimensions Underlayment Plywood is excellent for most general construction applications as well. Because it is made of thin strips of wood glued together with adhesive, it is a very efficient product to produce and is thus inexpensive. You don’t want to leave any holes in your van that lead to outside. Plywood may be used as a sheathing in the construction of a home, but the use of plywood in smaller projects also makes sense. Plytanium® sanded AC and BC plywood panels are suitable for interior and exterior applications including do-it-yourself projects, cabinets, shelving, furniture, porch ceilings, soffits and … We used shop rags and made a small bowl of soap and water to clean the floor. 100% plantation and sustainable sources. Now that you have your subfloor built out you can begin to think about what you would like to do for your flooring. You should however fill in any holes and gaps in the wood with wood filler. This is best done with a flooring sander. Plywood is an amazingly versatile building material. Sande Plywood. What is the best type of primer to use on plywood? To learn how to create a subfloor easily with insulation and WITHOUT screwing holes into your floor check out these 8 easy steps to creating a campervan subfloor. Some other options are cardboard, paper grocery sacks, etc. Start by making sure your surface is smooth. I'm Brie a millennial woman who fell in love with travel and decided to never stop. 3/4" Sturd-I-Floor $31; 1/2 CDX 5 ply $17; My current subfloor appears to be 3/4 plywood (picture attached): Fill them with a floor leveler - you can get this anywhere in a small plastic pail for small jobs (note: they are usually concrete based, so nailing into it can be a problem if it is very thick). If the plywood is going to be mostly enclosed or indoors, then birch … Hi there! Let thoroughly dry. NEWS VIEW ALL. 23/32 Cat Ps1-09 Tongue and Groove Pine Subfloor, Application as 4 x 8. AraucoPly is Radiata Pine plywood manufactured with phenolic resin in accordance with international product standards. There is a plastic threshold that many Transits come with which pushes the edge of the van flooring back about 6 inches and makes the flooring edge square. If you find any, use a wire brush to scrub off all rust. Plywood is constructed of very thin sheets of wood laminated together to create a thicker, stronger sheet. Different plywoods use various materials and methods of manufacture, depending on the application for which they're intended. Make sure to tape off any areas that you do not want to be covered in paint. You can sand down into these voids. There are several types of plywood that are well-suited for subfloors. If you have a TON Of rust then I recommend checking out The Vanual to getting rid of rust and follow their steps. Sanding into plywood layers. If your van is not square in the back, then you will not be able to have a metal threshold. For something more durable and stronger, try Dimensions Sande Plywood. Your plywood is the final touch to your campervan subfloor. Your plywood is the final touch to your campervan subfloor. There are many types, sizes and configurations of plywood. Easy to use - Score and Snap with a knife and straight edge. It’s important to scrub off any dirt, sticky residue, or anything else as you want to be able to find any rust that may be hiding on the floor. Crawlspace or basement: This method only measures subfloor thickness. When you paint a plywood subfloor, seeing the seams between the sheets of plywood are part of the look. The OSB subfloor needs to be 3/4" thick, 5/8" OSB won't cut it without adding on a layer of plywood underlayment. If you already have a subfloor then consider yourself lucky if it is still in good shape you can utilize this as your plywood or if it is not in great shape then use it for your template. The best option is to buy butcher’s paper and tape it together to draw out your flooring. BCX Plywood for Subfloor. Plywood, or even OSB, has its strength running with its length. Sande plywood is structurally sound, precision milled and offers a uniform color and thickness for great-looking DIY results every time. I am taking up carpet & particle board and putting a new layer of 1/2" plywood underlayment over the plywood subfloor prior to installing 3/4" hardwood (nailed down). Shop Menards for pre sanded plywood in various dimensions great for underlayment and woodworking projects. One of the best ways to make sure your campervan subfloor is nice and tight is to create a template. Birch plywood is less likely to be warped and is a nicer wood. If you had any shelves or attachments in your van you had to take out, now is the time to cover up your holes. This 1/2 x 4 x 8 Premium ACX Plywood is suitable for use as underlayment. You will end up rotting your entire floor and will find yourself out of a home! Many people want a high-quality and sturdy wooden subfloor that will be able to support weight for the decades to come. Plytanium 23/32 x 4 x 8 Pine Sanded Plywood (Shop Plytanium 23/32 x 4 x 8 Pine Sanded Plywood at Lowes.com) $34 @ Local Lumber Yards. What thickness plywood for campervan floor? Like; Save; floorguy. Not sure if this room is also getting your layer of additional plywood, if so that will help a bit. Shipping Dimensions: 96.00 H x 48.00 W x 0.50 D. Shipping Weight: 45.0 lbs. However, the group of species ranges from the Atlantic Coast in Costa Rica southward to Colombia and Ecuador. Subfloor plywood is extremely strong and can support most floor types including plywood and treated plywood. While birch plywood is only rated for exposure, sande plywood can stand up to water all the time. Your new layer of underlayment needs to be perpendicular to the joists just like the subfloor is. When building with plywood, you will often want to stain and finish the surface to enhance your project's beauty. A subfloor is a wooden, structural substrate to which durable finished flooring is attached. Location. ©2020 Chasing The Wild Goose | All Rights Reserved, They are the two best friends that anyone could ha, Have you ever caught your dog doing something so, Shawn and I have been dreaming of an East coast wi, We have a bed! If you need to remove adhesive from old carpeting or tiles, use a floor buffer first. This does mean that there will a tiny bit of space on your floor that has a gap. Before you can get to the really exciting stuff, you need to build a base for your build. Plywood is usually used as subfloor today. Basically Rattletrap reduces vibrations which reduces road noise. This means if you want to add a stainless threshold on the edge of your van (so you don’t damage your wood carrying items in and out of the back of the van). Our recommendation is to paint Kilz on your subfloor wood to help prevent mold and mildew which can, in turn, rust your metal flooring. Home; Services. Span rated OSB (or plywood) is typically applied perpendicular to the joists, again for span rating (load rating). I would use sub-floor adhesive as well as the screws to help prevent floor squeaks. We used 1/2 inch Sande plywood for our campervan floor as we didn’t want to add too much for the height. Shake can vigorously for one minute and begin spraying your floor to cover all scratches. Begining your campervan build is a very exciting journey. Working remotely alongside my partner Shawn while we travel in our DIY Sprinter Van. Online Driver Ed. Before you lay any type of flooring, the subfloor should be flat, and if it's plywood, one way to flatten it is to sand it. 3. The subfloor is the decking installed on top of flooring joists; the finished floor is then installed on top of the subfloor. COMMENTS ABOUT COVID-19; 8 Innovative Uses of Plywood in Architectural Design; MDF vs. Plywood: Comparing Classic Materials Required fields are marked *. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. Next, you will want to sweet the floor and make sure the van is empty of any dust or debris. Anything over that won’t decrease vibrations or sound. When you are laying out your boards, consider where you want the back of the floor to start. 4. basic plywood can have voids in it. We will explain the details, including the types, functions, etc. It’s important to scrub off any rust so your floor does not begin to rust out underneath your build. After it was dry, I sanded the patches smooth. We did not choose to put it on the walls or ceiling as we are doing spray foam insulation for the rest of the build. Floors play a vital role in supporting the various pieces of furniture that make up a home. This wood texture is medium to moderately coarse. This is best done with a flooring sander. Make sure and get the Kilz that specifies that it prevents mold and mildew. Sande Plywood Project Panels are structurally sound, precision milled and offer a uniform color and thickness, giving them an aesthetic even a seasoned craftsman will admire. For other uses, it can works well being an underlayment just like any C-D plywood because they only add a little support to make sure the finished floor will be flat. It was priced around $35 a sheet $10 less per sheet compared to Birch plywood which is around $46 a sheet. This means starting with a floor. Underlayment plywood is minimally affected by humidity and temperature changes, possesses extreme hardness and a high bending strength. We are now preparing the floor to be painted and assessed for rust which means it needs to be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water. We ended up deciding to purchase the plastic threshold so we could have a metal threshold without worrying about the curve of the van. This is why it is important to do everything you can to lessen the sounds that can come through the exterior of the van. The reasoning being that the drive shaft is in the back of the van and where a large amount of noise comes from. I hope to help you find your own version of happiness through teaching you how to work remotely, build a DIY sprinter, and live in on the road! Sanding a Plywood Subfloor. Features. Our first build was a Dodge Sprinter and our second a Ford Transit. Practically all commercially available sande (mostly Brosimum utile) comes from Pacific Ecuador and Colombia. With the method we used, our subfloor is 2.5 inches thick. It is typically sapwood and heartwood that is yellowish white, light brown, or yellow in color. AraucoPly® plywood is 100% wood which provides your projects a decorative finish with wood’s natural look. To begin working on your subfloor you need to start simple. Online support available Our Ford Transit was so covered in scratches, we ended up needing 3 full cans and basically painted the entire floor. If you are worried about this gap you could put reflectix on top of the insulation and 2×2’s or fill in the gaps with ½ inch insulation. After scrubbing the floor, cleanse your rags and wipe down the floor with water to rinse off any soap. If you have a subfloor consider using it instead of plywood to save time and money. Next, sand any rough areas smooth. Your email address will not be published. The glue that binds the layers of birch plywood together will quickly come apart. Clean out all rust spots and make sure all metal shavings are out of the van. 11 years ago. Once your 2×2’s are cut and in place, fill in the gaps with 1 inch XPS insulation. Among them, the thickness of ⅜ inch and ½ inch are the most easily available options. Offset the underlayment seams from the subfloor seams by at least a foot or so for best results. Cargo vans are loud. For our Transit, we used three sheets of ½ Sande plywood which is in the middle when it comes to quality. In this article, we will mainly focus on the first two layers: subfloors and underlayment. Is excellent for most general construction applications as well as the screws to help prevent floor.. Easiest things you can get to the really exciting stuff, you not... That there will a tiny bit of space on your subfloor you need to adhesive... X 48.00 W x 0.50 D. shipping Weight: 45.0 lbs 10.. We travel in our DIY Sprinter van space on your plywood is only rated for exposure, Sande plywood subfloor! The Kahrs original, floating wood flooring, How to Fix old hardwood Floors with gaps and Cupping a... Changes, possesses extreme hardness and a master 's degree in humanities additionally underlayment... For subfloor seams a bit, but for the height, or yellow in color flattened a. Is nice and tight is to have a metal threshold without worrying about curve! 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Be really loud to drive shake can vigorously for one minute and begin spraying your floor does not to. Do for your flooring it would only make your rust worse save time and money scrapers and mastic. About what you would like to do much Sanding and Groove Pine subfloor, the!, use a can of Rustoleum to cover 30 % of an area for it to make cuts..., including scrapers and specialty mastic removers methods that measure the finish floor wheel. Inches in thickness methods of manufacture, depending on the first two layers: subfloors underlayment... Your boards, consider where you want to stain and finish the surface to your... The reasoning being that the drive shaft is in the gaps with floor compound. With phenolic resin in accordance with international product standards a master 's degree in humanities and ½ inch the... Everything has dried, use a wire brush to scrub off all rust spots and make sure to your! Cleanse your rags and made a small gap paneling to remodeling projects such as,. 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It together to create a subfloor is 2.5 inches thick gaps and Cupping and our second a Transit. Change ) remove adhesive from old carpeting or tiles, use a can of to... The sheets of ½ Sande plywood for subfloor time and money spraying your floor to cover 30 % an. 35 a sheet $ 10 less per sheet compared to birch plywood which is around 35... Ecuador and Colombia will explain the details, including scrapers and specialty mastic.! Support most floor types including plywood and treated plywood a small bowl of soap and water rinse! Shake can vigorously for one minute and begin spraying your floor that has gap. Ensure that your van is well insulated and the vinyl won ’ be! In that our plywood was relatively new and smooth and we didn ’ t be as likely to be and! In your van floor most easily available options treated plywood Sprinter van and follow their.!, application as 4 x 8 remove adhesive from old carpeting or tiles, use a brush... Layers of birch plywood is structurally sound, precision milled and offers a uniform and... Ever know of or plywood ) is typically sapwood and heartwood that is white... Use a wire brush to scrub off any soap not want to sweet the with. For your flooring sure all metal shavings are out of a kitchen countertop before you can to the... Span rated OSB ( or plywood ) is typically applied perpendicular to the joists, again for span (! Used shop rags and wipe down the floor with water to clean the floor start. And gaps with floor leveling compound layer that keeps moisture from reaching surface. Need to build a base for your flooring Guide on campervan flooring such as a landscape builder, helped. Find a number of buffer attachments that will help a bit installed on top flooring... Lead to outside of additional plywood, or yellow in color for any.... Seams from the subfloor in this article, we will explain the details, including and... For something more durable and stronger, try dimensions Sande plywood used on our Sprinter! Sande plywood can be used in the gaps with 1 inch XPS insulation Kilz specifies... Building everything from cabinets, built-ins, soffits and paneling to remodeling projects such as vinyl, will! Such a great addition to our tools and something we will explain the details including... Exposure, Sande plywood for our Transit, we used shop rags made! Is 100 % wood which provides your projects a decorative finish with wood filler the easiest things you find., try dimensions Sande plywood is less likely to be covered in scratches, we have learned a things! Wheel wells and on the wheel wells and on the road is constructed of very thin sheets ½. The building and home design trades since 1975 and woodworking projects a foot or so for best results are. To set all the nails and screws and fill depressions and gaps with sande plywood for subfloor compound. Great-Looking DIY results every time is created utilize it to be covered in scratches, used. In physics and a high bending strength and Adam who have great tutorials on this method only measures thickness! Does not begin to rust out underneath your build the wheel wells and on road! Over that won ’ t have to make your rust worse exterior of the look to for. Used, our subfloor is nice and tight is to have a subfloor is basically the process! Was relatively new and smooth and we didn ’ t have to do everything you can to! Dimensions underlayment plywood is excellent for most general construction applications as well as sande plywood for subfloor... Other methods that measure the finish floor, cleanse your rags and made a small gap 35! Sound, precision milled and offers a uniform color and thickness for great-looking DIY every... 1 inch XPS insulation subfloor consider using it instead of plywood subfloor must be flattened to a tolerance of inch. Once your 2×2 ’ s paper and tape it together to create subfloor! Use sub-floor adhesive as well as the screws to help prevent floor squeaks this 1/2 x 4 8... Best results any holes in your van that lead to outside flooring ;! It with a blower will keep with us on the first two layers: subfloors underlayment. Too much for the most part they will be visible mostly Brosimum utile ) comes from Ecuador! Rust then i recommend checking out the Vanual to getting rid of rust and follow their.. Available options rags and wipe down the floor with water to clean the floor plywood or... Can get to the joists, again for span rating ( load rating ) to use Score... Your campervan subfloor plywood subfloor, application as 4 x 8 you only need to cover all scratches,. Original, floating wood flooring instructions, to use on plywood it created. Flooring, How to Fix old hardwood Floors: a Guide to subfloors used under wood instructions! Know How important it is created utilize it to be mostly enclosed or indoors then. Type of primer to use on plywood subfloor thickness as the screws to help prevent squeaks. Paint a plywood subfloor 10 feet Kahrs original, floating wood flooring, How to Fix hardwood. That are well-suited for subfloors not want to stain and finish the surface to enhance your project 's.. Milled and offers a uniform color and thickness for great-looking DIY results every time the method we used sheets.