It's the Van Life! | Refinishing the floor in a Ford Travel Van | 2021/05

A friend (@MountainManDan) recently attempted to refinish the floor in his Ford 350 Travel/Camper Van. He used Varathane Black Cherry Stain, but unfortunately it was not applied correctly. He ended up with a blotchy finish, shiny spots and dull spots, and it was very sticky in some areas. So, he asked me for help.

I started by removing all of the trim pieces, table mounts, etc., and taping off the cabinets. Then I initially started with a SurfPrep 5" electric random orbit sander to remove the old finish. It was slow going, so I switched to a Ryobi Belt Sander, and this made quick work of it. Switching back to the SurfPrep Sander, I was able to work my way through the grits and get a the floor boards, back to fresh wood.

I cleaned everything off, applied a Varathane Wood Conditioner, then two coats of Varathane Black Walnut stain. The first coat was applied with a foam brush, then the excess wiped away. The second coat was a using a dry brush technique, to darken the coat to a desired tone, then wiping thew excess away after it was dry to the touch. this came out with a perfect finish.

Finally I finished the floor with three coats of Zinsser Shellac, sanding in betwwen coats, and burnishing the final coat with brown craft paper. the finish was silky smooth with ah satin luster.

This project took about six total hours, with lots of waiting between product applications. Temperature and darkness were also an issue. But overall, it was a project that anyone who is willing to take the time to do it, familiarize themselves with the products, will have the success and the results they are looking for!

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**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.**

Helpful/Affiliate Links:

Mountain Man Dan Van Life Channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ksmWnOlhvl6C4qGQZciiQ

SurfPrep 5" Electric Ray Sander: https://surfprepsanding.com/product/5-electric-ray-sanders/

Varathane 1 qt. Special Walnut Classic Wood Interior Stain: https://homedepot.sjv.io/oeJAJY

Zinsser 1 qt. Clear Shellac Traditional Finish and Sealer: https://homedepot.sjv.io/MXEZYN

Tools I use in my shop: https://www.dadityourselfdiy.com/2019/06/power-tools-i-use.html

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Support Dad It Yourself by shopping at Home Depot: https://homedepot.sjv.io/LENzO

#VanLife #Varathane #Zinsser