I’ve spent the last few days wrestling sheets of 3/4" plywood, cutting foamboard and playing with fire, all to get the floor installed.
The edges of the 1x4 are routed out so it fits as snugly as possible against the wall and provides uniform support for the plywood floor, which is otherwise attached only at the sides and floats almost entirely on the foamboard subfloor.
I’m using a propane blowtorch to burn the wood. Doesn’t take long- just a few quick passes.
The plywood is screwed down to the lower rails, which are 1/2" below the level of the foam board. Once screwed down, the plywood sandwiches the foam tightly against the floor. I’d originally planned on gluing foam to the floor and plywood to the foam, but I found that glue was completely unnecessary and quit using it after the second sheet. The plywood sheets are all tongue-in-groove and are glued together, so I don’t anticipate any issues with squeaks due to movement.
I intentionally burned the panels around the steps darker than the rest in order to better blend with the black plastic and paint around the dash. I actually like the feel of the heavily burned wood better than the lightly burned wood, but it remains to be seen which will finish better with oil and wax.
As I write this, the bus is sealed up with a dehumidifier inside to drop the RH to approximately 55% in preparation for sanding and the first coat of oil. I’ll finish the darkest wood first thing tomorrow and then I’ll consult with Hannah to see if its advisable to do a second pass on the installed wood or leave it as is. After that, its time to put ceiling panels back in and begin framing the interior!
Oh, and finish the electrical cabinet and get that installed. I keep meaning to write about the solar electric system and it keeps slipping down the list of priorities. At this rate I’ll probably just write about it once its finished.