DIY Campervan Cork Flooring Installation - On A Budget
What flooring is best for a camper van? After two months of living in our van I can easily say that cork flooring was the best decision for our campervan floor! It is super simple to install, affordable (by using the right tiles), eco friendly, long lasting and sustainable - and not to mention beautiful!
Is cork flooring good for RV/Campervan?
Yes, cork floor is the absolute best option for a campervan, because cork flooring is:
super easy to install - follow my step-by-step instruction for easy installation
affordable - when done right
easy to clean and maintain - waterproof when sealed
long lasting - can last for 40+ years
works as an extra layer of natural insulation - cork has excellent insulation properties
is non toxic and sustainable - cork is a 100% natural material
makes your campervan look more homely - add campervan floor edging for a super cosy result
it adds a softness to your floor - nicer to walk on
One of the best parts about using cork tiles in your RV is that it adds extra insulation. Campervans are notoriously difficult to insulate, so to be able to add an extra layer of insulation to our floor made a huge difference. We decided to use 6mm cork tiles for extra insulation, but we also had the option to use 4.8mm for the same price.
With cork tiles your floor will be less cold, and you can walk barefoot in your campervan - even in the colder months.
We noticed a huge difference from using just our 10mm plywood subfloor with wool insulation underneath, to adding an extra layer of cork tiles. It made our van so much more cosy to be in, and it really made it look more like a home - and less like a wooden box. The dark cork tiles with wooden edging was the perfect finishing touch to make our campervan our home.
Is cork flooring expensive?
Our DIY cork flooring for our campervan cost us a total of $230 USD (366.84 NZD, approximately $232 USD as of 16 Dec 2022), so it was really affordable and budget friendly. We managed to keep the costs down by buying cork tiles from the hardware store. And this is the most important tip for keeping the costs down!
We asked several cork tile companies here in New Zealand what the cost would be for tiles for our approximately 6 square meter big campervan. But, the quotes we got were absolutely ridiculous, with the cheapest option being around $1000 NZD(!).
The tiles from the cork flooring companies are often larger than the ones from the hardware stores, and sometimes come pre-finished, but you will still have to install them yourself and cut them to size. And once they are installed they look exactly the same as the tiles from the hardware store!
Tip! Buy cork tiles from the hardware store to get the cheapest price. Avoid the cork flooring companies.
So, save yourself time and money, and get cork tiles from your local hardware store. We got these 6mm cork tiles from Bunnings, and ended up using 5 packages in total. We could’ve gotten away with using 4 packages but more on that later…
Price per m2
Hardware store: $45.65 per m2
Cork tiling companies: +$110 per m2
Cork floor tiles with wooden edging for a perfect result.
What is one downside of cork flooring?
In my opinion there aren’t many downsides of cork flooring, especially compared to the other campervan flooring options. But, the biggest downside to cork flooring is if you need access to your subfloor or underfloor insulation, you will have to remove the cork floor, and this can be quite tricky. But this is the same issue for all glued on floors such as vinyl flooring or other laminate floors.
The other problem with cork flooring is that although cork is completely natural, you have to use polyurethane to seal it, and polyurethane is not natural. We used water based polyurethane to avoid harmful solvents.
The 2 downsides of cork flooring
Difficult to remove if you need to access subfloor.
Need polyurethane finish, so not completely natural.
Water based polyurethane is a bit more expensive, but given the health benefits it was definitely the best option. We also used water based glue and primer to make sure our van is as eco friendly and safe as possible.
The best eco friendly floor for your campervan
Cork is the best flooring option for camper vans since it is completely natural, non toxic and sustainable. When you live in a van, which is basically a small metal box, it is even more important to use natural materials.
Especially in summer, our van gets really warm, and I don’t want to risk any off-gassing from the materials used in our campervan. Natural materials is the best way to prevent toxic air in your van, and to create a healthy indoor climate that is safe to be in.
How to install cork flooring in your campervan
It took me about two and a half days to completely finish our DIY cork flooring, including drying time for the primer, glue and finish. It was super easy to install, and easy to do by myself. Use my material list to make sure you have everything you need within reach, and get going!
Materials needed
Wood filler ($12.95)
Kwik Grip Water Based Glue $49.95
6mm Cork Tiles $184.90 (total)
Fine sandpaper (I had some already)
Tools needed
Step 1 (optional) - Fill any holes/cracks in your subfloor using a wood filler.
Screw holes filled with wood filler in our plywood subfloor.
Since our plywood subfloor was screwed into battens on the van floor we had plenty of screw holes that needed to be filled. I used a regular wood filler to fill the screw holes, and I also made sure to fill any cracks in the plywood.
I used a putty knife to apply the wood filler, but you could use a regular knife in a pinch. I’m all for DIY solutions that saves money and resources!
Let dry following manufacturer’s instruction - for me this was about 2 hours.
Note! I think I could’ve avoided this step since I used 2 layers of primer/filler, and that was quite effective. But there’s really no downside to using the wood filler, so since I had some on hand I decided to go for it.
Step 2 - Sand the subfloor to remove excess wood filler and create an even surface.
Sanding the subfloor to remove any excess wood filler and unevenness.
Even if you didn’t do step 1 I would recommend sanding the subfloor. Make sure to sand lightly to not remove too much of the plywood, but simply to create an even layer that the cork tiles and glue can adhere to.
I used an orbital sander with fine grit sand paper, but you can easily sand by hand if you don’t have an orbital sander.
Vacuum to remove any sanding dust. I also swept the floor with a broom to make sure there was no dust left on the floor.
Step 3 - Prep the floor by applying the primer.
Applying the first coat of primer using a roller brush.
Apply a floor primer & filler using a brush or roller. I used the water based Deluxe 1 Step Prep which I really liked. I applied two coats to make sure that all the gaps in between the plywood boards were filled.
Let dry following manufacturer’s instruction.
Second coat of primer to fill in the edges between the plywood subfloor. Can you see that they’re almost invisible?
Vacuum once dry (because a camper van gets dusty quickly haha)
Step 4 - Lay the cork tiles.
Laying a row of cork tiles once the glue is tacky.
I started by making a rough plan of the layout of the floor. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, I decided to not lay a thin row of tiles along one side, but instead lay the tiles so that the end rows were wider than 10cm.
I did one row at a time, since you have to wait for the glue to get tacky, which takes approx. 20 minutes. Cut the tiles to fit using a Stanley knife and ruler, and then apply glue to the tiles and to one row’s length of the floor. Once the glue is transparent you can start laying the tiles, one by one.
Start by laying the tiles and firmly press it down with your hands. I then used a cork block and a hammer to tap the cork to the glue and to remove any air bubbles. You can also use a roller for this step. Continue this step until the whole floor is done.
Using a hammer and a cork block to firmly attach the cork tiles to the subfloor.
Note! Lay the tiles as close to each other as you can, but make sure they don’t bend on the edges. You can always fill any small gaps using polyurethane later.
This was definitely the most fun part!
Vacuum again…
Step 5 - Apply the first coat of polyurethane.
Applying the first layer of polyurethane with a foam roller.
Apply the first coat of water based polyurethane using a roller and a brush (for the corners). I used a the CPF Floor water based polyurethane, which is (a lot) more expensive, but much healthier and safer for a small, enclosed space such as a van!
Let dry following manufacturer’s instruction - for me this was about 3 hours.
First coat of polyurethane dry and ready to sand.
Step 6 (optional) - Sand the tiles.
Sanding the tiles after applying the first coat of polyurethane.
Gently sand the tiles using fine sand paper and an orbital sander to remove any unevenness. Be careful to not over sand and remove any of the cork tile itself.
You only want to sand after the first coat of polyurethane. This step is optional but was recommended to me for a smooth finish, and it turned out great!
Remember to vacuum throughly once you’re done.
Step 7 - Apply the final coats of polyurethane.
Final coat of polyurethane applied, waiting to dry. This is four coats in total.
Apply another 2-3 coats of polyurethane, letting it dry in between each coat. You don’t need to sand between these coats.
Follow the drying times of the manufacturer, for me this was 3 hours in between each coat. This meant it took me quite some time to get all the layers done, but I decided to use up all the polyurethane I had purchased and ended up applying three coats - so four coats in total.
More coats means a smoother and shinier finish, and a long lasting result. Once the polyurethane is dry your floor will be water resistant, smooth, and shiny.
Note! You can choose between matte, satin and glossy finish. Make sure you choose the right one for you in the hardware store! I decided to go with a satin finish and the result is beautiful.
Step 8 - Let the polyurethane dry completely.
Let the polyurethane cure to fully dry. For me this was 72 hours following the manufacture’s instructions. Although tempting, don’t step on the floor during this time. This makes sure you get a beautifully smooth finish on your floor. You won’t regret it!
The finished result! This is after about 2 months of using the camper van!
And you’re done! Easy, huh? Let me know how it goes!
DIY cork tiles flooring with pine edging for a neat finish.
If you have any questions let me know. If you want to see our DIY cork flooring installation you can see the full video here!
In hindsight, I should’ve planned this better so I could work on other things in the van that didn’t require me to use the floor, but well... I had to get my wisdom teeth out and we had decided to move into our campervan that same week, so whilst I was recovering we were basically jumping from the bed to the front of the campervan and not using the kitchen…
BONUS! DIY Cork Coasters
Cute DIY Cork Coasters from leftover cork board.
Use the leftover cork tiles to make these super cute cork coasters! They are so easy to make and will match your campervan flooring perfectly! We use them both for our hot tea in the morning, and as coasters for our pots and pans.
Instructions
Step 1 - Cut to size.
Use a Stanley knife and a ruler and cut the coasters to size. I decided to make mine approximately 10 x 10cm which was the perfect size for our enamel mugs.
Step 2 - Sand.
Gently sand the cut edges using a fine grit sandpaper. This will make your DIY coasters look neatly finished, and it is so satisfying to do!
Step 3 - Seal.
I used the leftover polyurethane to seal the cork coasters. You can also use acrylic paint or just leave them as is.
The benefit of using the polyurethane is that you don’t waste anything! But, it does sort of stick to the mug when it is too hot so I think acrylic clear paint might be a better option.
Done!
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