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Old 08-06-2007, 05:37 PM   #1
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Piedmont, NC
Posts: 88
Year: 1981
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: International
Engine: 345
Rated Cap: 69
Re: build on the old vinyl floor or strip it and start fresh ?

I have 2 busses and handled both differently.

My first was a 1977 Thomas International. The vinyl and seams were all perfect. I put carpet right over top. Three times over the past 6 years I pulled up the carpet to replace, mopped up the floor, and recarpeted.

My 1982 Thomas International was a different story completely. Vinyl was bubbled, seams were short, and you could hear crackling under the vinyl when walking on it. I pulled it back and found rust and corrosion galore. I wire wheeled the entire floor, blew out the mess, and primed with Rustoleum Rusty metal primer (with a brush). Then I topped it with a coat of Rustoleum paint. Bought some cheap vinyl flooring, and laid the carpet over top. It's been a year now and so-far-so-good.

Both busses stay in a dirt parking spot.

I guess it depends on how far you intend to take your renovation. Mine's nice, not fancy. Carpet get's replaced often. It's a very comfortable and equiped party bus with bunks, sofas, storage, etc... Something that I don't have to worry about getting messed up. Industrial strength!!

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Old 08-06-2007, 10:27 PM   #2
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Savage, MN
Posts: 472
Year: 1992
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International
Engine: 7.3 diesel
Rated Cap: 14
Re: build on the old vinyl floor or strip it and start fresh ?

I got my bus from St. Louis Missouri area and it only had the vinyl floor covering and underneath it was clean and I'm sure I could have just laid down plywood right over it but I think a lot of the school bus smell comes from the floor anyways so that is a reason to pull it out. I'm sure a Tennessee bus would be very similar to a Missouri bus and the way you do it is up to you. Myself I would pull it up again just cause you never know what you will find, one spot would be good and another could be a bad nightmare waiting to happen on your first trip.
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Old 08-10-2007, 02:35 AM   #3
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Northeastern CO
Posts: 247
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International
Re: build on the old vinyl floor or strip it and start fresh ?

well we put in brand new carpet on the back (bedroom) section..as I'm a odd duck and like the smell of the floor (and I was still working on where the walls and floor meet) I noticed the next day I could again smell that nasty rubber oder..so before we glue the carpet down the rubber pad/mat will come out.
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Old 08-10-2007, 10:47 PM   #4
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern BC Canada
Posts: 538
Re: build on the old vinyl floor or strip it and start fresh ?

we ripped ours out and I think I would do it again. Just because of all the surprises we found underneith. It was rusty, mostly surface rust and some holes around wheelwells. The Vinyl came out pretty easy, just start pulling, a heat gun would help too. The floor boards havent given me to much trouble either since they where kind of rotten. Just loosend one corner of a board with a crowbar then pushed the crowbar or a longer steel piece underneed and liftet, the nails either poped out or pulled through the board. Used the crowbar to pull all remaining nails. Painted the floor with por-15 (of course after cleaning it) and then laid a new floor with some insulation. Great sound and smell improvement.

Have fun.....
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