Help With Plywood Floor

tumbleweeds

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
Plywood and E-track attached with self tapping screws has worked great for me. Make sure you pre drill the holes first and put a bit stop on the drill bit so you don't drill into something like a fuel line or wiring.

Also, don't know how anyone lives without the board pockets that pop into the E-track. I use them on every load.
 

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tumbleweeds

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
Wouldn't it be better to mount the e track on the sidewalls? I would do 2, one above the wheel wells and another 3 feet high. Then you would have a smooth floor to slide the skids across and the splinters and broken pieces on the bottom of the skids wouldn't get hung up in the e track.
A friend just gave me this tip yesterday. Take a 3 foot by 3 foot piece of carpet, spray it heavily with silicone and turn it upside down on your sealed floor. Have the fork lift driver set the skid on the upside down carpet and then slide it on in.

The plywood I used is taller than the E-track by about 1/4 inch so the skids don't usually come in contact with it. I have had a metal tote slide onto it and I just slid it out the back door with no damage to the E-track. It's tough stuff.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
E-Track is 7/16" high, or .4375"
1/2" plywood is 15/32 (or .46875" - a difference of .03125, or 1/32")
3/4" plywood is 23/32 (or .71875" - a difference of .28125, or 1/4")

I have 1/2" plywood and skids rarely touch the E-Track, and have never gotten hung up in it. The original powder coating on the E-Track is unscathed. I also have several coats of Minwax Polycrylic (satin finish) on the deck, which adds a 32nd or two. A couple of times a year I give the deck a good scrubbing and apply 3 or 4 coats of the Polycrylic. Same deck, six years, only a couple of minor Bondo repairs from forklift damage. Deep scrapes just get filled in with the Polycrylic.

I use a 2x8 instead of a 2x4 in the Wood Beam Sockets (board pockets). A 2x4 is only as high as the skid itself, and freight that's not secured to the skid can slide off the skid (if it's not strapped with ratchet straps, that is, but if it's strapped with ratchet straps, you don't need the 2x4 ;) ). A 2x8 prevents freight from sliding forward off the skid.
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
why not? ...... Have you used it?

Protect your investment from scratches and rust with this affordable alternative to plastic drop in liners. The Herculiner Brush-on Bedliner Kit is a skid-resistant coating of polyurethane and rubber granules that you brush on yourself.
 

Rocketman

Veteran Expediter
I saw that and it's why I asked if anyone had used it. My brother had a sprayed in liner in a pickup once and I don't remember it being too resistant to skidding.
 

Rocketman

Veteran Expediter
buy a mercedes sprinter, you will not have that problem plus your fuel mileage will get much better.

What problem are you speaking of that the Sprinter would eliminate? There are 2 reasons that I know of for plywood flooring:
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1. To have a repairable floor.
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2. Most seem to prefer E-track on the floor for securement, thus requiring the plywood to level the floor out with the E-track. The Sprinter doesn't eliminate the need for either of those things. In fact, many Sprinter owners use the exact same setup as we are discussing here.Turtle even has pictures posted of his Sprinter van...in THIS discussion.

My guess? You sell Sprinters?
 

RMPM01

Seasoned Expediter
Since our weather got so nice, I was thinking of replacing my plywood floor in my cv. The question that I got for you is this. Would it be OK to screw E-Track on top of a plywood ?

I wounder if pallets would slide easily on E-Track?

Did any of you tried covering a whole floor with plywood ?

There is someone options that I cant decide :confused:
 

ebsprintin

Veteran Expediter
Since our weather got so nice, I was thinking of replacing my plywood floor in my cv. The question that I got for you is this. Would it be OK to screw E-Track on top of a plywood ?

I wounder if pallets would slide easily on E-Track?

Did any of you tried covering a whole floor with plywood ?

There is someone options that I cant decide :confused:
Pallets will slide on e-track, and some pieces will slide off the track, and some pieces are so heavy it would be a pain to straighten the load.

More links in my signature line.

eb
 

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Protect your investment from scratches and rust with this affordable alternative to plastic drop in liners. The Herculiner Brush-on Bedliner Kit is a skid-resistant coating of polyurethane and rubber granules that you brush on yourself.

Are you that creepy Sham Wow guy?
 

RMPM01

Seasoned Expediter
Pallets will slide on e-track, and some pieces will slide off the track, and some pieces are so heavy it would be a pain to straighten the load.

More links in my signature line.

eb

Make sense.

I'll look in to difference options.

EDIT; I'm going to my local Home Depot to see what my options are with plywood.
 
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Jumbuck

Seasoned Expediter
I used large self-tapping screws, about a foot apart, around the perimeter and down the middle. I laid out e-track on the floor so that the outer edged of the e-track were 48 inches, and then installed them with screws about every foot, as well. Then measured the interior between the inside edged of the e-track, and cut the 4x8 foot plywood to fit in between the e-track. I have 9 feet of cargo space, which meant I had to add another foot of plywood to the deck, added farthest from the rear doors, then filled and sanded the seam.

Decks in cargo vans are subject to a lot of skids being scooted and dragged, so the decking can take quite a beating with all the scars and scrapes. Many people flip theirs after 6 months, then after another 6 months they replace the plywood. I gave mine 3 or 4 coats of Minwax Polycrylic, which not only protects it, but makes cleaning it very easy. Oil and other stuff won't seep into th wood. Instead of flipping mine every six months, I add another 2 or 3 coats of Polycrylic. Mine is still going strong after more than 3 years. I did have a forklift operator somehow manage to slide a fork into the edge of the plywood and take out a chunk the size of a dinner plate, but regular ol' automotive Bondo, a power sander and some more Polycrylic fixed 'er right up.



The old Ford E-350


The new-ish Sprinter

Turtle: How did you get that Reflecting foil to mold into place like you did?
Thanks.
 

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
You should see it with the strobe light and disco ball turned on.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using EO Forums
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
what brand did you use for the insulation inside the ford van?

I'm not sure who you were asking or which insulation you were questioning but the silver foil insulation called Reflectix. It is sold at Home Depot and other home improvement stores but it seems to be harder to find in the south. When I was driving a van I had the Reflectix over sheets of foam insulation that I attached with a multi-purpose adhesive for foam since not all adhesive will work.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums
 
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