How I Installed Laminate Flooring in my Cargo Van

C L I C K T O S U B S C R I B E:

▬▬▬▬▬VIDEO CONTENTS▬▬▬▬▬▬

0:00 - Intro
2:16 - Starting Point
2:32 - Step 1: The Frame
4:15 - Step 2: Sub Floor
6:33 - Step 3: Insulation
7:51 - Step 4: Laminate Flooring
10:50 - Final Installation
12:35 - FAQs
13:34 - Ending

How I Installed Laminate Flooring in my Cargo Van

When installing flooring in a cargo van for a camper, you have to keep in mind that none of these materials were intended to be installed into a vehicle. All flooring types that are available for purchase were intended to be put into houses or apartments, which means that there is no perfect set in stone way to install a floor in a camper van.

There are several options of materials to use as flooring when building a camper van, but some of the most common are laminate and vinyl. Vinyl flooring can be purchased in sheets, flooring planks, or as peel and stick tiles. Laminate flooring only comes in the form of flooring planks. My personal favorite type of flooring to use is water resistant laminate flooring planks. Laminate flooring is the second most lightweight option next to peel and stick tiles, but is much more durable than peel and stick and is very inexpensive.

Waterproof vinyl flooring planks are definitely the best as far as durability goes, but these flooring planks are extremely heavy when compared to the other options, and are by far the most expensive option available.

I like to do my flooring at the beginning of the van build right after the deep cleaning is done. I would rather have the floor completely done while I build the furniture that sits on top of the floor afterwards because the furniture will help hold the flooring together once it is installed.

Another option is building your furniture first and then adding flooring afterwards to save money on flooring material. If I were building a house, I would definitely be doing this option; However, in a tiny space like a van (especially in a Ford Transit Connect), I won't be saving any money because I'm not buying multiple boxes of flooring.

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[Dualex_Builds]

▬▬▬▬▬VIDEO CONTENTS▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
2:16 - Starting Point
2:32 - Step 1: The Frame
4:15 - Step 2: Sub Floor
6:33 - Step 3: Insulation
7:51 - Step 4: Laminate Flooring
10:50 - Final Installation
12:35 - FAQs
13:34 - Ending

[guywittamic]

I'm a flooring guy and for a van build THIS IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA!! Too many keyboard warriors with closed minds that have NEVER built out a van and don't know the chaos that ensues when you try to build in a van like you would in a home. Super good idea to trace out the flooring with the subfloor...this is why your channel is SOOO helpful for so many of us! You actually solve problems and come up with brilliant ideas! :)

[josegutierrez]

I've been doing flooring for about 14 years and bro I promise you I would have done it the same way you did for something that small good job it looks great 👍

[blackjackenterprises]

Good afternoon. It's Saturday at 1130am on July 13th. My friend bought a sonoma. He wants to convert it to living space. We will be working on the flooring part soon. I'm watching your video to have an idea how we can do it. I'll fo a YouTube video as well. Yay. I'll watch your other videos too.

[gblakev]

Besides lots of useful tips and a clear explanation, this is a really good video. I didn't think floor installation would be interesting but this video was.

[avrilkelly]

I love this way of doing the floor, no sticking anything to the actual van floor so it's easily removed if you want to resell. Great idea with tracing out the laminate then installing. Thanks for the great ideas.

[victoriaveeart]

I like the way you think, smart. Work smarter not harder and who likes to be crouched in the van your thought process makes total sense

[jackblack]

@DualEx the only possible issue I see is the floor. it's called a floating floor not only because it's not physically attached to the sub floor but also because the material expands and contracts and needs to be able to move. when installing a floating floor you need to have a quarter inch gap between the edge of the flooring and the wall. this gap is then covered by quarter round trim or baseboards in a house. this is to allow the flooring to expand. without that expansion gap, the flooring will expand with nowhere to go so it will buckle. similarly, installing the floor first and screwing things down on top of it will also cause buckling issues as well as the planks trying to pull apart when they contract in cold weather. floating flooring is sensitive to temperature and moisture changes. whenever it's installed in a house you typically have to let the material acclimate in the home for 24 to 48 hours before installing it. the reason for this is because when you buy the flooring, it might have been kept in a warehouse that may be temperature controlled to a certain extent but not the same as in your home. say for instance it's winter and you buy some flooring and the warehouse it's kept in is 15° cooler than the temperature in your house. you go home and install it right away. a day or so later as the flooring starts to expand because of the temperature difference it buckles because it expanded beyond the quarter inch gap you have around the perimeter of the flooring. personally I would use cedar tongue and groove planks, screw them down and finish with tongue oil. the reason for cedar is that it naturally resist moisture and is used in a lot of outdoor applications which would be better suited for a van than a product designed for indoor use. tung oil because it's relatively inexpensive and easy to work with and a good product. while the cedar may be a little on the pricey side it wouldn't be too bad considering that the area you're working with is small. and when you screw it down, use a quarter inch spade drill bit and drill an 1/8" deep hole everywhere you want to put a screw. then you can get a 1/4" cedar dowel and cut into 3/8" long pieces. using wood glue, install one in each of the screw holes. may need to tap in place with a hammer. let glue dry. once glue is dry. use a palm sander to sand dowels flush with the flooring. you could also sand the entire floor which would make all the joints flush with each other.

[nancyjohnson]

I've been a fan for a while, I'm always so impressed at what you do & how you do it. That's why I keep on watchin'.

[AGilbert_]

Thanks for plain and simple instructions so that a first timer can do it.

[sarayuki]

I appreciate the different parts of the build videos. Def more detailed than other vids out there. Showing the process makes it seem more doable for ppl like me that feel overwhelmed to tackle a project like this.

[ericgamming]

Saw the Timelapse everytime I see it I get inspired

[annabellecalypso]

Dude, you’re editing is immaculate. Everything about this video was perfect the way you described. Everything was so simple. This is the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

[selfcarebeautyandbodyllc]

I enjoy watching your videos! Good stuff! I always feel like I can renovate, diy and install just like you🤣

[flyinhawaiian]

I have been doing flooring for O years and this is an excellent way of doing flooring! Lol. Thanks, I start my floor on January 3rd.

[ejay]

This man is giving a master class on how to build a a van

[joeybivo]

Looks good.. I don’t see any issues with ur flooring technique.. if it seems crazy, but it works, it ain’t crazy 🤷‍♂️

[Jake-nqlr]

Great videos, ive got a van that im slowly working on, may take a few months to finish, im learning a lot about how to do this stuff the correct way, I like how you take your time and get everything right.

[taterkaze]

Excellent choice of music. Good build. Helpful tips. Solid all around.

[daviscrt]

Great information. Good looking work and great video editing. Thanks Don