Hi all! Im installing my subfloor and its crazy how many different perspectives there are out there! Thanks in advance for your input.
I’m using treated subfloor and was thinking of NOT priming and sealing it, in the hopes it would breathe better when it inevitably gets moisture in it.
*will post pics later, currently not allowed
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Why do people use regular plywood and treat it with mold preventative and primer instead of just using treated plywood subfloor that is made for that? I just saw that van life academy also recomends plywood, mold treat and prime. I dont understand. Houses dont have it, and I think it would make it worse for a van with all the temp, humidity changes?
I also did the floor install first, and still have to install walls and ceiling. Why does van life academy recomend the opposite? I couldnt find why, just instructions. -
I’m also being very careful to use flexible sealants and flexible foam insulating spray where wood is involved. Am I overthinking this? It seems like it would expand and contract a lot and cause issues and cracks later.
On top of the subfloor I plant to:
- sand, fill seams with wood epoxy (also not flexible?)
- lay down Eco cork Foam underlayment with plastic vapor barrier
- Then I have the new lifeproof 22mil “waterproof” LVP rated for pets.
I was hesitant to do LVP since ive heard bad stories about cracks between boards, but I’m feeling confidant with the new thicker mil wear layer and better click technology, I will definitely ensure there is the 1/4" gap around the edges for expansion and contarction. I’m still worried about liquids seeping around edges so I will - Caulk edges of LVP with color matching silicone. I’m hopeful this is flexible enough to allow it to expand and contract while giving some extra water proofing.
- I’m going to be living in it for a while before my cabinets are built, so I’m installing the LVP on the whole floor. Lifeproof does not recomend cabinets be built on top of it, so I will painstakingly cut the LVP around the cabinets to give a 1/4" clearance, then install cabinets directly on the subfloor.
Moment of silence for the heated floor I cant install because I cant find a small enough size to go around my passenger seat leg 
I also wish I cut the subfloor closer to the legs since it has enough clearance over the seat hardware bolted to the van floor, so thats why you see some cut-out plugs by the legs. Btw, thats a ford transit passenger van seat I got installed, back doesnt adjust, but it is quick-release. Love it.
In case anyone wants to know the other parts:
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I left about a half inch gap around the edges of the subfloor for the wood to be able to expand and contract, and filled with “gaps n cracks windows and doors” (the flexible kind)
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for the very bottom layer, I filled the metal van floor corrugations with 1/2" thick foam board strips and laid another solid 1/2" foam board across the whole thing (used air duct reflective tape on the seams for separate pieces, and siliconed everything liberally in place to prevent squeaks from the foamboard.