BEST DIY Insulated Subfloor - Van Build Tutorial

Interested in a van build? Go to www.kokomovans...
Products used / Affiliate Links if you want to support Kokomo:
3 sheets 3/4" Birch Plywood
1"x2"s
Foam Insulation Board: low.es/3OzqhVe
Construction Adhesive: amzn.to/3YdepLX
Ram Board for templates: bit.ly/452jnNH
Jig Saw: amzn.to/3rIXRPP
Countersink Drill Bit Set: amzn.to/3DzVD7W
Japanese Pull Saw: amzn.to/43LQILO
My Favorite Battery System: bit.ly/3OXNPnj
Van Build Financing: bit.ly/3KiW22n
Disclosure: Above links included are affiliate links and I may be compensated for promoting them.

[@sarahzhao7564]

this was super helpful, thanks!!!!

[@kokomovans]

You’re welcome! Good luck on your build :)

[@sarahzhao7564]

@@kokomovans thanks! i'd love to see videos about electric and plumbing too

[@kokomovans]

You got it. Electric definitely coming up soon!

[@shaunnoah6436]

you deserve way more subscribers. best explained subfloor video ive seen on youtube.

[@baneeyboy]

Amazing video! Keep em coming

[@omartrufflez5305]

That's some solid adhesive

[@kokomovans]

You’d better believe it!

[@guittadabe5214]

That was super helpful. Thank you so much!

[@scottdarroch9003]

Good information. I've looked at lots of van builds but this in-depth on the floor is just what I needed. Great job.

[@stingerboardsfoilswings739]

Well done, thanks :)

[@jamespolucha8790]

This is the first time I’ve seen someone put space in the flooring, everyone else makes sure everything in flat ,so which is it no space or air space ?

[@soloelisa]

This is helpful!

[@Roadghost88]

I'm using Owens Corning extruded NGX polystyrene foam for the floor, R3. It's designed for floors so less wood support is needed, resulting in less weight in the van. Can use 1/2" or even 3/8" ply without worrying about compression, except in the high traffic areas. Otherwise, I think the above example is a good way to do a floor. Leaving the slats clear for air circulation is very important.

[@rray3630]

use Owens 25 psi foam and you wont ever have to worry about it . Framing the floor is stupid and the fact that a "pro builder " is doing this is a clear indicator that he is clueless......

[@christopherhaak9824]

Absolutely, there is zero need for sleepers under the floor. Even the regular DPS or polyiso has a compressive strength of 15-16 psi. With plywood on top, there are never any loads that would come close to that.. He is excelling in wasting time and money.

[@brokenspokeadventures2125]

Do you seal the Baltic Birch?

[@odo678]

awesome dude, curious though could you glue down the subfloor instead of screws?

[@kokomovans]

Sure you could do that I just feel like it’s easier to glue down those whole sheets of plywood using the screws to clamp it evenly all around. Just want to make sure you don’t screw through the metal floor of the van

[@staffordandy]

Every other van builder puts the silver side facing up! Now I'm confused

[@fienno1]

Should you first install water tanks and make holes for the connections into the van if you put them underneath the van? Or can you just drill holes through the isolation and wood of an already-installed floor? Also - can you first insulate the whole van and then look where you will put electricity lines etc or do those lines need to be in the isolation?

[@kokomovans]

Yes I drill through the subfloor to run drain lines after it's installed and I know right where the water tanks need them. And yes I generally do insulation first then run the electrical. It might be helpful to watch my full build video I recently posted

[@fienno1]

@@kokomovans Thank you!

[@alcormier7197]

I noticed your t-shirt. Are u from Worcester,Ma.?

[@HumpaLumpaBiriBam]

wood bars will be 'thermal bridges' in this setup. Why don't you use XPS instead of EPS. XPS have at least 2x compression rating, no 'skeleton, / bars' are needed. That's how I did mine: XPS 1inch + 1/8 ply + 1/8 ply 90' orienation to smooth out floor. everything was wood glued. easy peasy ;)

[@riskybusiness5]

Overall, I like many things about your design for air flow and support and insulation. In your build, the two rear boards you laid down, the right seam was screwed into the lower wood slat, but the left one had the seam laying over the foam unsecured. I would think that seam would move up and down when weight applied. I have seen many other builds cut the plywood sheets so they lay front to back so the seams run from side to side of the van, which would seem to eliminate this problem as you could screw plywood down on both sides near the seam. Curious your thoughts?

[@kokomovans]

Thanks for the comment! No, the left piece of ply wasn’t floating only over the insulation. It landed also on the same support slat that the right one did

[@DaveGalligher]

I've seen some builds where they cover the entire floor in Kilmat. Would you happen to know of any issues gluing the wood strips to a surface covered with Kilmat? Very helpful, thanks.

[@The10Cole20]

im under the impression you should cut the killmat to fit in thew dips where as the wood sits on the raised potions of the original floor

[@peishawilliams427]

you dont need to put kilomat on the floors. everyone puts way too much on their build. (its a tendency when in doubt to overdue things.) you only need about 20 sheets of kilomt to cover an entire van. put two sheets of kilomat in the middle of each metal panel and then some closed cell foam with aluminum backing on your wheel wells and you're all good on sound deadening.

[@kokomovans]

I'm not a fan of overdoing Kilmat. When the van is full of insulation and furniture, I doubt a bunch of Kilmat makes much of a difference.

[@CynicalDad81]

You’re 30, take the piercings out…😐

[@rray3630]

a professional van builder that still frames the floor . geez.......just stop