Date:         Thu, 9 May 2002 14:08:32 EDT
Reply-To:     CMathis227@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chuck Mathis <CMathis227@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: unique Westy floor covering?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Pergo is a formica faced composite wood product that is generally printed to
look like wood (they also do imitation tile and stone).  I used some in a
kitchen I remodeled and have contemplated using it in the middle of my '85
Wolfsburg Westy.  Since it is a manufactured product it is not subject to the
same expansion and contraction factors as wood but it does have some unique
characteristics that may be problematic in a van.  The manufacturer intends
for this stuff to be full floating -- it just sits on a pad topping the
subfloor and does not touch the surrounding walls or moldings.  Not bad in
kitchens since houses generally don't move too dramatically (except in
California when the ground shakes or Florida in huricane season).  Vehicles
tend to move a lot and dramatically.  Keeping the Pergo in one place and the
glue joints intact would be a challenge.  As far as sound deadening this
stuff is not what you want.   It is quite noisy when anything is dropped on
it or when it is walked on.  In the Westy, a lot of stuff (trim panels for
the rear facing seat and kick panel for the rear seat) is screwed into the
vinyl faced plywood that came from the factory and I'm not too sure about
Pergo's screw holding abilities.

I've come to like the funky polk-a-dot pattern of the factory vinyl so I
think I'll keep it for as long as it lasts.

Chuck
'85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'

In a message dated 5/9/02 11:14:37 AM, LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

<< Date:    Thu, 9 May 2002 11:48:59 EDT
From:    Jeff Sibley <Sibleyjm@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: unique Westy floor covering?

In a message dated 5/8/02 11:36:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
dave@SPARKPLUG.COM writes:


> Who will be the first, to brag of "Hardwood floors" in their Westy?
>
>

not sue what pergo is , but acoustically,  wood is actually a good
transmitter of sound and vibration, i would stick with rubber, cork, and
synthetic sound dampners.  use dynomat, q-pads, rubberized sealant, r-13
isulation, thick felt backing on your panels and you should have good
results.  wood in a car just seems like trouble waiting to occur.  good luck,
jeff >>