You’ve seen your friend’s Instagram post who’s travelling the outback and having the time of their life, and you’re finally ready to pack your bags and live the van life!  The open road is calling your name and you're ready to embrace the beautiful scenery and fresh air that awaits you...

You’ve bought a van, spent hours on Pinterest creating different interior mood boards, and now you’re finally ready to choose your floor. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. The floor in your van is super important. After all, it’s one of the main factors that will keep you warm and make your van feel like a home!

Inside of a renovated van, wood panelling, guitar leaning against bed

Credit: Unsplash

Ready, Set... Go!

First things first, you need to make sure that your van is level. You can do this by using a foam-based material that fills gaps and grooves from the base of your van.

You want to be warm, right? So, make sure you add some insulation. Try and pick a material that has the thinnest amount of space. We recommend XPS; it’s dense, lightweight and affordable.

Before you lay your floor, you need to make sure it has a base underneath it. We recommend using plywood as it’s thin, strong and reliable to use. It will also act as a base for your floor, taking away any unevenness from your insulation. Oh, and make sure you remember to glue everything down with a reliable floor adhesive.

And now… the fun part, choosing your flooring. Everybody has different tastes and budgets so let us break down the key elements of choosing your perfect floor.

Hardwood

Although hardwood flooring is incredibly stunning it probably isn’t the best option for your van. Its thickness and weight will take up more space, which is the opposite of what you want. Spills and leaks will probably occur while you’re driving, and you won’t have the time to stop and clean it up so you wouldn’t want your floor to warp!

Laminate

An all-rounder for van life, laminate looks great and is also extremely durable. Not to mention, it imitates the beauty of natural wood. This makes it an affordable option, and low maintenance, saving you time and money! We recommend parquet laminate flooring, it will add a touch of sophistication to your van, making it the best one on the road!

LVT

In our opinion, LVT is the best flooring material for your van as it’s affordable and reliable. A special coating is laid on top of each tile, making it highly durable and water-resistant. Vinyl flooring is great for all the bumps you’ll encounter while on the road and is incredibly strong so you won’t have to worry about pots and pans damaging it after they’ve all fallen off. Did we mention it’s also pet-friendly? LVT is the perfect choice to avoid those scratches if you’re bringing a furry friend as your travel companion. It’s also easy to clean too! Just mop up your spills then you’re good to go.

Inside of a van showing wood panelling and a stove    Credit: Unsplash

Finishing Touches

After you have laid the flooring and installed the furniture and appliances, it’s time for the fun part… shopping! Adding a rug will make your space feel homely and snug, so why not get one that’s textured and fluffy? Lots of cushions will be needed too - you want to feel cosy, right? Wall hangings such as dreamcatchers and quirky signs will look amazing above your newly installed bed. And don’t forget your mum’s vintage tea and coffee pots, they will give your new space heaps of character!

Are you thinking of renovating an old or new van? We hope this information has given you some useful tips. And if you’re ready to take the plunge you can order some free samples here!