Owner guides
Campervan Flooring Ideas
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Laying the floor marks a significant milestone in your campervan conversion. All it takes is some simple groundwork and you’ll really start to bring your interior together! But with so many campervan flooring ideas on the market, it’s tricky choosing a style that is both functional and compatible with the vibe you’re going for.
From cosy cork flooring to retro vinyl tiles, you want to create a camper that feels just like home, without breaking the bank. So, don’t get out the jigsaw just yet.
Let’s first discuss the best flooring ideas for van owners wanting to travel around New Zealand’s rugged terrain and fluctuating climate. We’ll help you choose a flooring option that is durable, easy to clean, well insulated and perfectly suited to popular campervan interior ideas. Plus, we’ll warn you about which campervan flooring options to avoid!
After that, we’ll help you avoid delays and unnecessary costs by providing some simple instructions for laying your subfloor and choosing when to lay your flooring. By the end of this article, you’ll be a flooring aficionado! Let's get started.
As a van owner, you can earn over $10,000 each year by hiring out your campervan on Camplify. As a holidaymaker, Camplify helps you to find the perfect rental so that you can experience the joys of van life without having to own one yourself.
Interested? Learn more about Camplify at the end of this article.
Safety Disclaimer: We are not professional carpenters or builders. Performing structural work on your van is a safety hazard so you need to do your research, double (and triple) checking that the below information is correct and safe to apply to your build. Before you begin, always discuss your plans with a certified builder, who should also assess and approve the finished work.
The best campervan flooring ideas
Campervan example: Larry the Offgrid Hiace
Before you start ripping up the old flooring or laying your subfloor, let’s take a look at the most popular campervan flooring ideas and help you decide which is right for you.
Choosing the right flooring option for your van is a balancing act between:
Style - which type of flooring suits your van’s look and layout?
Functionality - which flooring idea is durable and easy to clean?
Price - how much do you want to spend on flooring?
Size - which flooring idea is both lightweight and thin?
There’s a heap of options on the market but only a few satisfy all the needs of life on the road. Here are a few of our favourite campervan flooring ideas:
1. Laminate wood flooring
Campervan example: Juno the Boutique Handmade Campervan
Want a long-lasting, life-proof floor that won’t drain your budget? Laminate wood is your answer.
Only a few years ago, laminate wouldn’t have been considered a good flooring idea for a campervan because it wasn’t waterproof. However, manufacturers have come leaps and bounds in recent years, with most laminate flooring products now being scratch-resistant, waterproof and extremely durable.
Cleaning laminate wood flooring is pretty simple. You can buy laminate floor cleaner or use dish soap when mopping, as this won’t leave streaks on the floor. Just be careful not to use too much water as it may seep between the panels and cause damage. And always read the manual beforehand!
Laminate wood flooring is highly affordable, with most options in New Zealand costing between $65 - $100 per sqm. It’s also available in a wide variety of designs, so you’re guaranteed to find a style that matches your interior.
Yes, laminate might be a little thicker and heavier than other options, making it more difficult to cut (you’ll have to use laminate blades to get the job done). And it’s not the most pet-friendly of floors either, as paws can slip and slide.
All in all, though, there’s really no better campervan flooring idea when it comes to delivering on quality, design and price. If you’re sold but don’t know how to lay laminate flooring, check out this handy video.
Where to buy laminate flooring in New Zealand:
2. Vinyl plank flooring
Campervan example: Retro Rusty on Camplify
Vinyl plank flooring is much thinner than laminate wood flooring. However, it’s also slightly more expensive, costing about $80 - $140 per sqm. Vinyl also comes in an impressive range of designs and textures, from ‘stone’ tiles to ‘wooden’ boards.
This is a great option for DIYers who want a floor that is easy to install. Vinyl plank flooring is usually peel-and-stick so you don’t need to use another adhesive. Simply wash the floor and leave it to dry before laying. The thinness of the planks makes them easy to cut with a standard utility knife. Should you need any help, check out this handy installation video.
Once installed, vinyl plank flooring can be easily cleaned with warm water and detergent.
Now for the catch. Made from synthetics like chlorine and ethylene, vinyl isn’t a very eco-friendly flooring option. For a greener footprint, you’d be better off going for sheet vinyl (aka lino flooring), which is made from natural, renewable materials. However, vinyl is significantly cheaper and doesn’t require the complex floor prep and fitting that lino demands!
All things considered, vinyl plank flooring is a quality campervan flooring idea if you want something lightweight and easy to install and clean.
Where to buy vinyl plank flooring in New Zealand:
3. Cork flooring
Speaking of being environmentally conscious: cork is an awesome sustainable flooring idea. It compresses lightly under pressure to offer unbeatable comfort and softness. Yet it is also tough, durable and resistant to mould!
Coming in heaps of styles and shades, cork flooring is perfect for DIYers looking to create a unique and cosy living space. Essentially tree bark, cork provides natural insulation and is not as cold on your feet as other campervan flooring options. Not to mention that it also serves as an effective sound barrier. Combine that with silent footfall and you can enjoy a peaceful retreat wherever the road takes you.
But these advantages come with a higher price tag. In New Zealand, cork flooring can cost up to ten times as much as vinyl or laminate floors, with prices ranging from about $150 - $200 per sqm. Most cork flooring is made to order and shipped in square tiles which can be stuck to the subfloor using adhesive.
Be aware that cork flooring also stains and scratches quite easily. It will require regular upkeep, which can take a little bit of the fun out of van life.
Where to buy cork flooring in New Zealand:
Flooring options to consider avoiding
1. Hardwood flooring
There’s no denying the timeless beauty of a hardwood floor, but it’s generally just not the right fit for a van.
Heavier, thicker and more expensive than the options above, hardwood will take up more room than necessary in your already compact living space.
Hardwood is also more susceptible to scratches, staining and mould (even when sealed). Trading durability for aesthetics is not a wise move when on the move.
2. Carpet
Carpeting and camping have never been a good match for van life. Far from it, given that carpet traps dirt, retains moisture and absorbs odours - all the things you want to avoid when staying in a van! Bear in mind that you won’t have access to a vacuum, either, which makes cleaning a serious chore.
But if you love the look and feel of plush carpet beneath your feet, you can always buy a rug or floor mat to place on top of your flooring. That way, you’ll enjoy the style and softness of a carpet with minimal effort, simply throwing it in the wash every now and again to keep it fresh!
Laying your subfloor
Campervan Example: Bernie the Boutique Handmade Campervan
Once you’ve insulated your van, it’s time to install the subfloor. This plywood sheeting lies beneath your actual floor to provide increased stability and durability. A crucial component to your build, the cost to install a plywood subfloor is thankfully pretty low. That said, the thicker the subfloor, the more expensive it will be.
Essentially, you need to decide if a thick subfloor is a bonus or drawback to your build. Are you planning to mount fixtures to your subfloor or wall studs? If it’s the former, you can screw into a thicker subfloor more securely. Otherwise, we suggest using only a 7mm or so layer of plywood to save on valuable interior space.
How to install a plywood subfloor:
Clean your van’s floor (and we mean properly, with a vacuum, broom and wipes). This is because installing is messy work, often leaving tiny bits of dirt, material and sawdust that need to be removed before you lay anything down.
Get a big piece of cardboard and use it as a template to work out the exact dimensions needed to cover your space.
Trace the final template onto your plywood sheeting.
Use a jigsaw to cut along this tracing, creating either one whole piece or several pieces of custom-shaped plywood - whichever you think works best.
Install your subfloor, fastening it down with adhesive. Alternatively, you can make a floating subfloor that is secured by its own weight. Another option is to drill holes into the plywood from beneath the vehicle (up through its metal ribs to avoid any insulation).
The final - and optional - step is to add a waterproof barrier, such as a rubber mat or painter’s plastic. If you’re installing permeable flooring on top of the subfloor, an extra waterproof layer will prevent moisture from seeping through and causing mould.
And that’s your subfloor done and dusted!
When to lay your flooring
Campervan example: Bonzo
Once you’ve laid your subfloor and chosen your flooring material, you need to decide when you will install it. You’ve got two options:
A: Install your floor before your fixtures
Lay all of your flooring first, placing furniture on top and fixing to the wall studs.
Pros
Simple setup: no worrying about weaving your way around standing fixtures. The wheel wells will likely be your only obstacle, and tailoring to this should be easy if you’ve built boxes around them already.
Complete coverage: you won’t have any nooks and crannies around the edges of your fixtures. That means no dirt and moisture build-up!
Cons
Heavier weight: the more material you use, the more weight you’ll add to the build, some of which isn’t that necessary.
More expenses: a larger surface area to cover means more material to pay for.
Less stability: furnishings will have to be mounted to the wall studs, which are much less stable than the subfloor.
B: Install your fixtures before laying your floor
Fix your furniture directly to the subfloor and install the final flooring around it.
Pros
Greater stability: screwing your fixtures directly into the subfloor allows you to centre their weight to the floor instead of the walls.
Lighter weight: what you lose in weight, you’ll make in gas mileage!
Fewer materials: and a little more money will go a long way during your van conversion.
Cons
More difficult to install: expect to spend many hours cutting, trialling and recutting to make your floor fit the space like a puzzle piece.
Fewer options: plan B only works with easy-to-cut flooring, as you’ll be tailoring it to slot in between any standing fixtures.
Subfloor damage: you’ll need to use a tarp or some other form of coverage that keeps your subfloor dry and protected at all times.
Testing out campervan flooring ideas before you commit
It’s easy to get things wrong when choosing campervan flooring ideas. You don’t want to install a floor that you later find to be ugly, uncomfortable or unmanageable.
That’s why we always recommend that you ‘try before you buy’.
Use Camplify to search through heaps of privately-owned Kiwi campervans for hire - each one with unique flooring ideas. Then hire a camper that takes your fancy and test to see whether its flooring meets your needs before undertaking the changes in your own campervan.
Once you have your flooring sorted, rent out your campervan through Camplify and begin making back the money you’ve invested.
Earn a return on your campervan flooring ideas
You might be wondering about the average cost to convert a campervan?
No matter how big or small your budget, there’s a quick and easy way to start earning a return on your campervan - rent it out on Camplify when it’s not in use!
Instead of letting your campervan sit idly in the driveway, hire it out and make money from the comfort of your own home. Holidaymakers love campervan rentals that include creature comforts like nice flooring!
Why Camplify?
Each year, heaps of Kiwis earn up to $10,000 by hiring out their campervan through Camplify. It provides a quick and easy way to generate long-term passive income and earn a return on their investment.
And the best part is, Camplify takes care of many of the expenses involved in hiring out your vehicle, including:
Comprehensive hire insurance.
24/7 AA nationwide breakdown cover for hirers.
Dedicated customer support.
If you’re interested in joining Camplify as an owner, try our earnings calculator and see how much income you could generate each year by renting out your unused campervan!