Cutting The Floor

Although we live out in the country, we are blessed by having a small trading estate just one mile away, on the trading estate are 2 timber merchants, 1 builders merchants (and one being built) and a Homebase. So a lot of the materials needed for the conversion are just a couple of minutes away.

You would think with the competition that prices would be similar, but after phoning each one for prices of 9mm and 4mm plywood I found a big difference in prices.

I just needed the 9mm for the floor today, but priced the 4mm at the same time, the prices were (Builders Merchants) 9mm £13.68 - 4mm £11.30 (Timber Merchant A) 9mm £15.84 - 4mm £7.68 (Timber Merchant B) 9mm £16.80 - 4mm £9.40.

So the builders merchants got my trade today for 3 sheets of 9mm for the floor, and timber merchant A will get my business for the 4mm for the roof and sides, timber merchant B loses out, but incidentally timber merchant B was the cheapest when I bought some decking last year.

 

 

 

The 3 sheets of plywood swallowed up in the back of the van, it is great to be able to buy this stuff knowing that you have no problem getting it home on a roof rack or similar as in the past.

 

The first board uses a full 8' x 4' sheet with a cut out for the wheel arch, the old piece of flooring was used as a template for the cut out.

 

The first piece in place and the second piece marked out for cutting, again using the old floor as a template for the wheel arch and side door pillar cut outs.

 

The second piece marked out and ready for sawing, the back of the van being used as a saw bench.

Both pieces in place and I am glad to say they fitted perfectly, now just the front piece, just a little too wide to take out of the previous sheet.

The last piece in place, I still used the old floor as a template even though no cut outs were needed as I knew it was a perfect fit.

All done, quite a bit left over, but I am sure it will be put to good use as the conversion proceeds. I just hope my insulation arrives Monday so that I can get the floor insulated and then the plywood screwed down and then a coat of sealer before the vinyl floor goes down.