Hi guys, need some advise here. I am transforming my van, and need to know a good material to insulate the floor of the van. Been to bunnings and they had no clue of what I was talking about. Basically, I need to cover the floor of the van with some material that will both insulate the noise and also give some uniform surface where I can screw the plywood sheets.
Does any one know about a good material to do that, and where can I buy it?
Thanks
Miguel
For serious sound insulation and or sealing the floor pan in the rear of a van goto auto shop for 'sound deadener/bitumen paint?' could be $$ and best sprayed on. Its not designed to even out the hi/lows just reduce noise and seal, use timber packers for that if support for the ply floor is needed.
If your putting ply down with rubber backed carpet or rubber mat I wouldnt bother, it should be enough to reduce road noise if fixed down, just put 'Fish oil' on the floor pan first then your ~8mm ply/carpet floor. This will seal the pan and help inhibit rust.
Re Van floors not having uniform surface, the high ribs should be at the same height, thats where you want to tech screw your ply down, just check below first and use the right length screw to do the job. Besides its the plys job to provide the uniform surface. Depending on the thickness of the ply it will flex in one direction more than the other, so run it perpendicular to the ribs to reduce flex. Idea is to use the lightest ply to do the job, no point lugging extra dead weight around save that for your gear.
If your routing cabling below the floor make sure you don't pinch/crush it.
cheers
Windsurfing kit is a good sound deadener.The more i put in my van the quieter it is.
Seariously i wouldn't go putting down a false floor.Just creates a place for sand and moisture to sit.Better off spraying some sound deadner on (the stuff that dries hard).and have a light mat in there.Then you can just hose it out every now and then.Fish oil is ok but it attracts sand....
there is a roof and wall insulation material called "air cell" a strip of this cut to the correct size, maybe doubled up will add protection, (its a foam rubber backed silver foil) and could easily be removed. You maybe able to pick up a piece the size you require from the local building site bin.
for a cheep job go back to bunnings and get some packers, there 10mmx2,400x1,200 chip board for about $5 each, and use some rubber flooring, i have 5ply on mine, they allso have craftwod or mdf they use them on there palets for protection during transportation so they sell them cheep rather than shiping them back
Hey Miguel I may be able to get some conveyor belt rubber that is good for flooring in utes.I'll ask at work for some used stuff.
Cheers Nigel
I am also needing to do the floor of my van , being a car stereo nut i know of a product called DYNAMAT its used to reduce road noise and absorb vibration ,
its like a sheet of aly foil with a black tar like stuff on the back so it sticks to the surface and stays there.
it will not let any road noise thru and because its stuck to the floor it should protect it from rust aswell.
as for the floor, make it in 2 or 3 pieces separated laterally so you can remove them for washing and rust inspection.
the only downside i can see with this is that its quite expensive at about $500 for the back floor of a lwb hiace its also a bit on the heavy side because it is rather dense.
but i guess if it stops the rust then its cheap insurance for your van 
Hi Miguel,
Check out some Aussie made automotive sound absorbing materials at the following link:
www.spec-net.com.au/pyrotek/sound.htm
I used a similar material many years ago to insulate a highly modified and noisy Ford Transit van. I used it on the floor under the carpet and on both sides of the firewall and engine cover. Made a big difference noise wise and didn't stink like some of the bitumen based matting I've tried.
Also try auto accessory shops or auto upholstery shops, they may have similar products.
I had the whole floor, wheel arches and sides up to about 300mm done with Rhino polyurethane in my new VW LWB transporter. This is the stuff they do utes with, completely waterproof layer about 6mm thick that also really helps cut the noise. Cost about $1200 but they had to sand the whole area to make sure it adheres properly, three years on it is still perfect. http://www.rhinolinings.com.au/automotive_ute.asp
Hi guys
I end up going to a local rubber and foam store where they recommend me some type of rubber/foam/mat kind da stuff (which I don’t know the name). They ensure that it’s good for noise and temperature insulation, tough not the best if water gets in. But since I am putting a 3mm layer of plywood on top of that plus a marine carpet on top of everything I hope little water reaches the mat.. Not being perfect it should be good for some years. The good point is that it was rather cheap 39.95sm.
Anyway thanks for all the advices
Miguel
