Waterproofing is one of the most overlooked subjects when it comes to window cleaning vans. But the truth is that if your van is not waterproof, it may easily get damaged or develop rust. To avoid this, you need to ensure that you waterproof your van. This is very important for individuals or businesses that regularly use their vans for different purposes such as camping, carrying cleaning items, etc.
What is waterproofing?
Waterproofing is the procedure of making an item or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains unaffected by water. Most items can be waterproofed by applying water-repellent coatings such as paints and polypropylene lining.
Why you should waterproof your Van
Some people may take waterproofing for granted but it has a lot of benefits. A van that is waterproofed can last longer and will be easier to maintain than one that is not. Here are some of the reasons as to why you should waterproof your van:
To avoid rusting
Since the van is made of metal on the floor, sides and roof, it is important that you cover the metals properly and prevent them from rusting. When water is not properly drained from the van after cleaning, this may cause the metal to rust which will deteriorate the van quickly.
Provide a neater look
Besides making your van to be rust-free, waterproofing your van also makes it look lovely and organized. There are different materials and products for waterproofing the van.
Some come in lovely colours while others have outstanding textures. After deciding on the manner in which you want to waterproof your van, you can go ahead and select a finish or colour that compliments the items that you carry.
Prevent build-up of dust and dirt in the vehicle
If you load and offload items in the back of your van on a regular basis, it is easier for dirt and dust to accumulate in your van overtime. But if you have a carpet on the floor or on the sides of your van, you won’t have a hard time cleaning it as most waterproofed materials are easy to clean.
However, if your van has nothing installed on its surface, cleaning it may be challenging and it will even deteriorate the state of the van as the paint on the floor will chip slowly.
Prevents accidental dents from occurring
Carrying items in your van needs a lot of caution to be taken as they can slowly damage your van. For instance, if you normally carry metal items, these may bring dents on the surface and even the rooftop of the van.
But if you have carpeted the van’s floor and roof, there will be a very little chance of damaging it. This is because the items will have to damage the waterproofed carpet or lining before damaging the surface or roof of the van.
Prevent build-up of mould and mildew
Another advantage of waterproofing your van is that you will be able to maintain a high level of hygiene. When the van’s floor is bare, there is a high chance of mould and mildew developing if there is moisture.
But with a waterproofed surface, this will be greatly minimized and maintaining your van will be very easy. Also, you will be able to prevent mould and mildew from building up as a material such as Polypropylene fibre dries quickly.
Different ways of waterproofing a van
With so many waterproof products being sold today, you need to select the right items to waterproofing your van. Select a product that will withstand the items that you carry and it should be easy to maintain.
Ply lining was one of the most favourites but polypropylene is slowly overtaking it as the premier waterproofing product. Here are some of the ways that you can waterproof your van for longevity and easy maintenance:
Using a lining carpet
If you carry light items such as products for a house cleaning business, this will be a great way of waterproofing your vehicle. A lining carpet can be made of plastics or fibre. To apply a liner in your van, you will need adhesive glue for sticking it.
As a matter of fact, most manufacturers of van lining products sell liners together with adhesive glue.
Stretchy van lining products are the easiest to install and maintain as well. Most of them are heavy-duty and will put up with the daily wear and tear thrown at them.
Safety flooring
This is another way of waterproofing the van’s floor and interior. This is almost similar to polypropylene lining but it differs slightly. One of the most popular safety flooring products on the market is Alto Safety Flooring.
This product not only makes the floor to be waterproof, but it is also exceptional at making the floor to be slip-resistant and hard-wearing. So, if you spill water, oils, or soap on the Alto safety floor as you clean your van’s window, you will be relaxed knowing that you’re safe and unlikely to slip on it. All you need to do is to ensure that you install it as recommended by the manufacturer.
With such a waterproofing material, you can be sure that your van will last for long and you won’t have to worry about slipping on the van’s floor during cleaning or as you load and offload items.
Fibreglass the van
This is another option for waterproofing your van but it is very costly and cumbersome to install. But if properly installed on the van’s floor, it is very long-lasting and easy to maintain. Fibreglass floors are very strong and cannot be damaged easily by items like metals.
Painting the van
This is one of the easiest methods of waterproofing your van. In addition, it is easy to apply paint and it can be done in the shortest time possible. A good paint such as protectakote is very flexible, durable, and long-lasting. You can use a brush or roller to apply it to the floor of the van.
It doesn’t matter if the van’s floor is made of metal or wood; it can still be applied and will work perfectly when it comes to waterproofing. The protectakote paint is also anti-slip and will greatly reduce accidents that are likely to occur because of a slippery floor resulting from cleaning the vans or spilt oils.
Plywood lining and painting
Last but not least, you can decide to apply paint on a plywood floor. When you protect your van with plywood lining, you will be able to prolong its life as it won’t rust. Loose loads can lead to dents and dings which eventually lead to rust marks or mould coming up.
But if you install the plywood on the van’s floor, sides, and roof, you will not only make your van to look beautiful but as well as protect it from rust.
Nevertheless, have in mind that plywood is heavier than other forms of waterproofing such as polypropylene lining and it may increase fuel costs. Installing plywood is not easy as you will have to drill and screw it. After that, you will have to waterproof it using paint such as protectakote.
Polypropylene Van Lining Kits
Whether you’re a camper, own a cleaning business or just use your van on a regular basis, having it waterproofed is very important if you want to protect it from damage and rust.
Currently, there is an increasing need to maximize a vehicles’ present payload, the stress on the weight of the accessories created to protect and assist load carrying is becoming very crucial.
As a result, if you help to keep the weight of these products to a minimum, then you will help better fuel economy and lower emissions or be in a position to carry more of what you require. This is where the polypropylene van linings come into play.
Polypropylene van lining kits have been in existence for many years, but the materials utilized were extremely flimsy. Additionally, the materials would turn brittle over time and were very expensive than traditional plywood lining kits.
Lately, manufacturers of polypropylene sheeting have created products particularly for van lining and through the use of recycled materials have been in a position to bring the cost slightly down.
Polypropylene lining kits are not only easy to apply but they are also lightweight when compared to ply lining kits or fibreglass. These kits also beautify your van, are non-slip and are waterproof.
When washing your van, you won’t have to be worried about it developing moulds and mildew or even rot as the water can be easily wiped from the lining. Therefore, you will not only be able to waterproof your van but as well as improve the hygiene as they are 100% washable.
The only shortcoming of using polypropylene instead of plywood is that it is quite costly. Considering that it will reduce the cost of fuel as it will make the van to be lighter, it is a great investment.
If you are looking for one of the best polypropylene van lining kits on the market, we highly recommend the Veltrim stretch van lining camper carpet kit. Find out more about this van lining kit below:
Veltrim Stretch Van Lining kit with Trimfix Adhesive Glue
This is one of the best polypropylene van lining kits that you will find on the market. The kit features the 4-way stretch van lining camper carpet light grey 10m bundle and trimfix adhesive glue are included in the purchase.
The van lining carpet is a lightweight non-woven product with a velvet effect finish. It is made from 100% polypropylene fibre, which is durable and long-lasting. This is also a heavy-duty adhesive, so you should expect it to put up with everything that you throw at it in the back of the van. The 4 way stretch van lining is very easy to apply thus you don’t need to be a pro to set it up.
Just ensure that you can it to the right measurements as you curve it around the window, door openings, and much more. Note that this product is not returnable, so you have to cut it to order or less you will be at a loss.
Pros:
- It is easy to use
- It is lightweight
- It is eco-friendly
- It is durable
- It is made of 100% polypropylene fibre
- It is suitable for van conversions
Cons:
- It is non-returnable
Conclusion
If you have a van or just acquired one, getting it waterproofed is very important. A waterproofed van is more likely to last longer than one that isn’t waterproofed. This is because it won’t rust as spillage of water, oils, grease, and other substances will be cleaned with much ease.
Additionally, items that you load and offload from the van won’t dent your van’s floor or ceiling as it will be fully protected.
Therefore, you’ve to choose the right way of waterproofing your van depending on the items you carry and how you want it to look. If you’re a cleaning company, I would recommend polypropylene van lining method as it is easy and quick to apply.
Alternatively, you can go for Alto safety flooring which is also easy to apply and very durable.
But if you carry heavy items like metal, then you need to fibreglass your van’s floor or install plywood and then paint it using protectakote paint. Veltim offers one of the best polypropylene van lining kits on the market.