Sealing up floor prior

[57ratrod]

Hello I’m looking for other options to sealing up the floor to my 2011 Ford E450 Collins 5 window. Manufacturer used thin metal flashing under plywood flooring. The bus has spent its entire life in Upsatate NY so it rusted over time as expected. I’m going to use Advantech composite sub flooring wood either attached directly to the framing box rails or over some sort of moisture barrier. As you can see in the pics, there is plenty of structural bracing. The flashing was only a barrier but water and moisture was able to penetrate and get in between the meal and plywood flooring causing rust. An option that I have been researching is lying down filon rv siding directly on the metal framing, screwing and using a waterproof adhesive. Then lying foam insulation and then the Advantech flooring. I’m 6’ and my ceiling height is about 77” from the floor. I have room to build the floor.. Looking for feedback. Thanks

[57ratrod]

Can’t figure out how to attach photos but I down loaded photos in an album.

[kazetsukai]

Go to make a reply:


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Click Upload:


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[57ratrod]

Collins 5window.

[57ratrod]

Flooring before and present

[kazetsukai]

You can attach multiple images for each post- just use each "browse" button for a different image.

Also, you can add images to an existing post by clicking Edit on the post and then the Go Advanced button that appears. Then you follow the steps above.

[57ratrod]

I’m a lil rusty with technology, thanks for the advise

[kazetsukai]

Originally Posted by 57ratrod

I’m a lil rusty with technology, thanks for the advise

No problem. Nice looking shorty! I'm about to pick up a similarly sized GMC at the end of the week. You did a great job with the floor remediation. If I was in the same situation, I'd be looking at sheet metal to lay directly on the floor. Cut to size and riveted in. Quite a bit of work.

As for RV siding/filon for use on the floor, do you know if it dries out at all or cracks over time? You want something that's going to last, for sure. If not, combined with butyl tape around the edges it might seal up the floor nicely, I just wouldn't want to walk directly on it. Maybe if its the same material/thickness used on the roof of an RV, you'd expect to be able to walk on it.

[Rochey6957]

that is crazy to me that there isn't a full floor pan from the factory.... Id personally lay sheet metal down and bend an "L" on the edges along the walls. Screw it into the walls and "factory floor" then lay your ply/ flooring. Moisture barrier between the metal and next layer.

[57ratrod]

Filon is very durable, it’s what is used to skin campers. It would only be a moisture barrier, 1” XP’s foam, then 3/4” sub flooring.

[musigenesis]

You can check out my build thread for full details on everything, but my bus ended up in a similar situation to yours (also a rusty NY bus, small world!). Here's a quicker summary of what I did to rebuild the floor around my wheel wells: https://imgur.com/a/Vp4Xpv6.

My bus was built differently than yours, but I ended up with the same situation of an open frame and needing to cover the openings with sheet metal and an insulated subfloor. I don't seriously think anybody else is ever going to do this same approach, but if I woke up owning your bus, it's definitely how I would do it (having had some practice with it).

You could also definitely just bolt plywood down to that frame and paint and seal everything on the underside - looks like you have relatively good open access to everything from underneath. Lots of buses have wooden floors exposed on the underside. Or build floor joist units with, say, 2" 2x4s and 2" (or 1" like you mentioned in another comment) foam board and thin sheet metal screwed into the bottom, then set these units inside and bolt them from below, with plenty of seam sealer all around.

[musigenesis]

Also, couldn't help but notice your windows only open 5", which is a NY thing - apparently, unlike in the other 49 states, NY children cannot be trusted to not climb out the window of a moving bus. It's easy to fix if the windows are out of the bus, or if you have a right-angle attachment for your drill.

[57ratrod]

Thanks for the info. The windows have stops that can be un screwed, just haven’t done it yet.

[Frochevy]

You have a great start to your flooring getting it all cleaned up and rust removed. I did the same with mine... Took out the flimsy sheet metal in my floor. It was 26ga! After treating top of frame and cross members, I used PL premium adhesive on tops of cross members then laid down 18 ga and 16ga sheet metal at the rear. I sealed all seams and edges with automotive seam sealer, then primed, then 3/4" polyiso insulation, then screwed down 3/4" plywood with trailer decking screws (similar what was in there originally).

https://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/m...d-22578-5.html

There's link if interested in pictures. Anyhow, good luck!!! It's a good looking bus you have!!

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by 57ratrod

Thanks for the info. The windows have stops that can be un screwed, just haven’t done it yet.

I'm jealous, my windows had stops that were riveted.

[57ratrod]

Thanks, it’s going slowly, trying to think things through before putting the floor in. I want to remove the fans and condenser for the rear ac as it’s taking up a lot of Realestate to mount tanks/storage.

[Frochevy]

Originally Posted by 57ratrod

Thanks, it’s going slowly, trying to think things through before putting the floor in. I want to remove the fans and condenser for the rear ac as it’s taking up a lot of Realestate to mount tanks/storage.

Don't get in a rush! I took the time and built a propane locker which I'm glad I did! But I also wished I would have put in a few more under floor outside storage compartments before I put my floor in. It is much easier working on stuff like that with the floor out! I did weld in some tank mounts before my floor went in also and I'm glad I did that as well...