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How to install custom wood flooring using Rockwood’s DIY flooring kit

By Paul Hartley

Among the nearly countless truck accessories available today, few offer the elegance, warmth and wow factor of a hardwood floor. It can transform even the dullest factory-fit interior into a luxurious working space for professionals who appreciate some of life’s finer things and want to make their custom rig that much more special.

Though custom-cut metal flooring is getting attention among show-truck devotees today, wood remains a popular choice for truckers seeking refinement and a feeling of home inside the cab. Rosewood laminate flooring has the added benefit of matching the surface of dash panels (both OEM and aftermarket) found in many trucks.

There are several methods for installing a hardwood floor in a custom rig, among them going all do-it-yourself with products from a home improvement store. But more than likely you’ll start with a kit and either have a customizing shop put it in for you or do the work yourself.

The benefit of a kit is obvious, says Carl Carstens, president of Rockwood Products, a Wisconsin-based accessory company that’s been making custom flooring since 1998. “A kit will contain all of the hardware necessary for completing the job,” he says. “Plus, the wood will be cut especially for the cab model in which it’s being installed.”

Rockwood uses a 1/2-inch core of “marine grade” plywood for all their flooring products, encapsulaitng the sandwich in polyester/polyurethane mix, making the laminite both waterproof and warp-free.

Following are the steps necessary for installing a two-piece Rockwood custom-wood floor. The job isn’t technically challenging, but it does require a certain amount of patience and skill in using power tools on finished surfaces. Installation time: 8 to 12 hours, depending on your experience.

Once you’ve got it installed, use bushings between the floor and anything attached to it to keep it in good condition. Regularly clean to eliminate grains of sand or dirt that can scratch the surface. A rubber-backed bath mat is recommended for everyday use. Avoid any mats that can easily slide and scratch the surface. – CR

Laminate flooring expands and contracts according to changes in both humidity and temperature. So it’s very important to allow the flooring to acclimate to the truck’s interior climate prior to installation. This means 48-96 hours before installation you will need to put the boxed flooring material in your rig. Ideally the minimum temperature is above 65°F.

Laminate flooring floats and expands/contracts. Therefore, when you install laminate flooring under seats, drill holes slightly larger than the bolt diameter. Use a thin felt pad between the seat base and the laminate so there is less friction in between  the flooring and the anchor points, providing easier movement of the floor as it expands and contracts.

WHAT YOU NEED

• Rockwood wood flooring kit
• Combination wrenches
• Tap set
• Drill index
• 1/2-in. socket set
• Hex-drive set
• Sander
• Assorted screwdrivers
• Hacksaw or jigsaw
• Silicone caulk
• Vacuum cleaner
• Shop towels
• Eye protection
• Straightedge
• Markers
• Blanket wrap or similar material
• Click images below to see the step-by-step process:

[View with PicLens]

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