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Old 03-10-2011, 01:33 PM   #1
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cabinet or finish floor first?

Looking through everyone's threads, I see it being done both ways. Carpet wall to wall, then install cabinets over the top of that. This makes a cleaner transition for sure, but I'm thinking that securely mounting the cabinets to the plywood subfloor and then running the finish floor (rubber, carpet, whatever) up to the cabinet edge would give you the easier option to remove and replace down the road. Any thoughts?

It also appears that most wiring is being done after cabinets are in, is that correct? Simply running wires through a loom at the rear interior of the cabinet? I'm fairly certain if I stop thinking and just start building the process will establish itself.

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Old 03-10-2011, 04:45 PM   #2
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

I would think that the order would be:
1) insulate floor and walls and roof
2) install plywood floor
3) build cabinet and walls, using floor as attachment points
4) cover floor with carpet, rubber or laminate last

side bar
i had laminate in my Westy
and now in Wilson

i would do the same again
easy to clean
looks good IMHO
can easily be covered "wall to wall" if desired with carpet or rubber mat
we use one small doormat

winter camping with snow and rain it worked great
we could wipe floor w/ paper towels and it was dry
with carpet, we would have retained wet spots.....
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Old 03-11-2011, 04:53 AM   #3
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

I put a thick floor down so I could rely heavily on it for cabinet support. Then put cabinets on top of it (has yet to happen but thats my plan). My base cabinets have flat backs which leave a void behind due to the curved van wall. This is an easy place to chase wires. I also don't mind the idea of wires inside the back of the cabinets either so they are accessible.

I'm with you on the "less thinking more doing" theory. Sometimes I stare at the van after work for long periods and never touch a tool or part. Then I daydream for days about it, and when I have time to get my hands dirty, I have a plan of sorts.
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Old 03-11-2011, 08:55 AM   #4
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

The biggest change I would make that I cannot would be to go back and put a 3/4 inch ply floor down instead of the 1/2. I did the 1/2" to save weight and I have not noticed any problems with it, but it is much less secure to anchor things into.

That being said, my own two bits would be to get the floor down, then do all of your cabinet work, THEN put the floor covering down. I have a multiple insulation sandwich, the 1/2" ply and then my cabinet work. The last thing I did was put down my vinyl hockey rink material. I needed far less of it this way, was able to get at the floor for anchoring and leveling, and can change the floor covering easily now.

As for cabinet work, I lived and rode with this, version 1.5, for the last year and am about to do a major re-jigger, which will be work, but it'll be fun and satisfying, too. I am learning the hard lesson that every cubic inch is precious and I cannot be a space spendthrift, as I was with my first design and re-design. It's time to get ruthless.

The lessons I am learning now I hope to one day apply to an EB or a Sprinter or whatever is happening at that poing.
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Old 03-11-2011, 11:03 AM   #5
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

Great information guys - thanks!

Nomadcat - interesting observation on the thin floor. I copied others and went with a thinner section myself (1/2" foam under 3/8" ply) so I may rethink the sections under the cabinets and/or the way the cabinets are secured. I may glue and screw a bottom plate (of sorts) down to provide for a more solid attachment point.

Hopefully I'll only have a few more evenings of staring aimlessly before I actually start cutting some wood!
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Old 03-19-2011, 06:00 PM   #6
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

Doing the same myself.

Here is what I just did:

I used 2 4x8 pieces of 3/4 Birch for the floor. Since I am using nice vinyl stick-on squares as my floor (easy to replace as needed), I needed to make sure there was ZERO plywood edge-seam bumps.

So, I cut out a trace of the whole floor with cardboard paper from Target, and put it on top of the 2 plywood pieces, lengthwise to eachother. I placed the template so the plywoods' edge seam would be farthest away from the side door. I used about 8 small hinges and made sure they would be seating along a recessed pocket on the van floor (quite ingenious if I dont say myself).

Also, by hinging the floor, I was able to simply drop it in place and it unfolded under those PIA ledges, which are present on ford vans. It worked perfectly.

Still having a large portion of one of the birch sheets left, I then put the remainder of the original template, and cut what will now be a hinged trunk door.

Since my van was a passenger van, I simply bolted the floor using the old bench seat star-head bolts. It also enables me to mount custom seatbelts, after my sofabed is in.





I then measured from the passenger edge of the wall along the floor, until i came to a dip
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Old 04-09-2011, 09:43 PM   #7
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

Here are some pics:

The plywood seem is in the middle of the picture. Only needed a few screws to securely fasten certain edges. Nothe PERFECT plywood seem, which is secured via underneath hinges, laying along the natural recesses in the metal floor. I wanted the seem to land near the the middle of each tile, so I measured/cut accordingly.

Additionally, these tiles STICK. I did a test with using vinyl prep solution, and no solution. Neither wanted to come undone, so Im choosing not use the prep, so it will be easier to replace any damaged ones in the future.



Good thing about vinyl tiles, is that you can build one complete section at the time. I'm building a slide out rack for my engel freezer, so I want to be able to see nice flooring behind it. The other good thing about these tiles is that I can replace each one es needed for damage. The colors match and the ridges built in to the tiles give my german shepherd grip. Did I mention it only cost me 40 bucks for 2 boxes? lol





Ive built a 3/4 wall that houses a 12-inch sub at the bottom (facing drivers seat), and a Crunch 1000 watt amp built in to the wall, also on the drivers seat side. I upholstered the wall and incorporated sub box, which I plan on installing tomorrow.

With the wall in place, I can then mount my 150lb rated sliders (and accompanying matching upholstered 5/16 birch plywood Engel platform) on the kitchen side of the wall. This is why do tile-by-wire comes in handy. Next to the freezer will be a Costco oven/grill, which will be removable if needed



GLTA!
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Old 04-11-2011, 08:55 AM   #8
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

Note to self (and others):

Don't use a razor-cut edge seem to but-up to the next tile (as seen in upper right of the pic with all the tiles). The seem just doesnt disappear as with the others. This blunder is hidden under the fridge, so it wasnt worth chipping up the old one.

Also, I didnt know they were directional... (faint blue arrows show on the sticky side).

For people who fear using/cutting formica, I think tiles like this would work well as a kitchen countertop. Ive never used formica, but Im going try it. Harbor freight had their plunge router on sale, along with the proper bits
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Old 04-11-2011, 09:16 AM   #9
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

thanks for the tips - the floor is looking great!

I've decided to put in the cabinets and then butt up laminate floor to them. Because the laminate will help bridge over my subfloor, I think it was probably a little less important for me to have a 100% solid / rigid subfloor. For your system with the tiles I'd say going with the thicker subfloor was imperitive. Nice templating around the fuel filler hump.

Formica is on my list in the coming weeks too... teeots made it look easy.
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Old 04-11-2011, 09:35 AM   #10
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Re: cabinet or finish floor first?

I was just thinking that pvc pipe styrofoam would wedge in nicely under the lip, and can also run wire inside it, if needed..lol

By butting up the floor to the cabinets, are you concerned about "creaking"? Any flexing of the body (and there will be), I would think it would create a slight "V" and cause annoying noises. By doing the entire floor, tying in cabinets on top, and tying them into the top of the van serves to make it more rigid, IMHO.
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