I'm Floored!

The floor is looking fantastic but we came across a couple of hiccups.  1. The cost of a bamboo floor, sub floor, foam board, tar paper and screws.  2.  We forgot about that little ledge that runs along the side of the bus that holds the seats up.  That is making it very difficult to lay the plywood all the way down. (see video)  3. Screws are snapping off!

Hiccup 1.  We decided to go with 3/4" birch plywood, foam board, and tar paper because of the cost of a bamboo floor.  I think we guesstimated that a bamboo floor would have cost us in the neighborhood of $1500.  That includes all the layers of flooring and gas to drive to El Paso and pick it up.  The birch is local pick up, not bad looking and cheaper, much cheaper.  We are going to paint-wash it and then polyurethane it to finish it off. 

Hiccup 2.  That freakin' little ledge is making Jim Bob's life poopy.  The ledge is about 1 3/4" and runs the entire length of the bus on both sides.  When we are trying to put a piece of plywood down, it catches the plywood and won't let it fall to the floor.  Jim Bob is having to use a pry bar to manhandle the plywood past that ledge and jump on it at the same time.  Check out the video.

Hiccup 3.  The screws were snapping off in the plywood.  We think that it is because the screws were not strong enough to go into the metal even with a predrilled hole.  I think he went to McCoys like 12 times.  Okay, it was four times.  Finally, he found a screw that worked but he is having to grind off these little wings on each of the screws.  Time consuming!

Supplies are bought and ready for install!

The bus awaiting a floor.

We are laying three layers.  First is the tar paper.  We are using 15 lb tar paper as a moisture barrier.  Why would we need a moisture barrier?  Jim Bob thought it was necessary because of all the holes in the floor of the bus.  Next is the blue insulating foam board.  It has an "R" rating of 3 and is 1/2" thick.  Then we laid down the 3/4" birch plywood.  It is all being screwed down by self drilling, flat head w/ wings (that we are grinding off), 12 (size) - 24 (threads per inch) x 2 1/2 (inches long) screws.  Who knew screws were so complicated? 

Another view of the layers in the bus.  You can see that ledge on the left that is making things very complicated.

Jim Bob is using a circular saw to cut the plywood to make it fit.

This is hiccup #2.  Check the video out at the bottom of the page.

Jim Bob made a template to insure that the plywood would fit perfectly around the wheel wells.

The blue marks on the floor are a rough layout of the kitchen. 

Here is the brainstorming paper.  I think we have settled on this layout.  The bed is the far left rectangle, then the toilet and shower, then the washer and then the kitchen.  It is REALLY tight but I think we will fit. 

We had to jump on the plywood every time we installed a sheet (that was nine times.)  Each time my stomach would hurt a little!  I thought for sure one was going to break in half.