Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Steps to kit out first van

dyson123

Member
Messages
81
Location
Central Scotland
Hi guys, 

Just bought my first van, a VW Caddy Maxi. Planning on getting a 350l upright tank and having the frame bolted in.

Before I get the frame in I’d like to make the back of the van waterproof, thinking of 

buying rubber matting from eBay. 

Is this fairly straightforward to fit?

If anyone who has done similar could share some pearls of wisdom it would be a great help.

Thanks 

 
I thought about painting it but if there’s a bad spill the water will find its way into the foot wells in the front.

I’m thinking if I run the rubber 3 or 4 inches up the bulkhead it won’t be able to get into the front?

 
Aye around 200. We are actually getting the kit at weekend and doing it ourself and mixing red into it for colour. Fibre glass set like that will last for ages..much longer than paints or sprays I promise u

 
Aye around 200. We are actually getting the kit at weekend and doing it ourself and mixing red into it for colour. Fibre glass set like that will last for ages..much longer than paints or sprays I promise u


We fiberglassed son's current van. Its about an inch up the sides as well. The only place water can exit is through the back doors. His previous van was the same make and we just ProtectaKoted that. It didn't stop spills filling up the footwells.

The first application was 2 layers of fiberglass mat which was left to cure.

This was followed by a coat of blue  'flow coat' with grit to make it non slip.

Its best to do it now @dyson123 whilst the weather is warm. Once it gets cold you need to add accelerator to the mix.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sounds good, does anyone know if the waterproof integrity is comprised when you start drilling through fiberglass or a rubber mat? 


Yes, but you seal the hole with silicone sealer to prevent water leaking through when using fiberglass. You also drill the securing holes on the ridges of the van floor rather than in the 'valleys'.

My biggest failure was to leave the van when filling it with water. Now I stand and wait for the tank to fill and watch it.

Little spills are always going to happen. We drain our pole hose down and shake the brush head before the pole is put into the van. We have 'loose' hose reels. Before putting the reels inside we fit a Hozelok hose connector on the hose reel tap connector. The hose connector is filled with silicone which stops the hose reel dripping water.

We have Wyedale tanks which do leak a bit when we brim the tank. I have found that smearing a thin film of Vaseline on the seal stops 99% of the water leaking past it (the seal).

 
Last edited by a moderator:
We fiberglassed son's current van. Its about an inch up the sides as well. The only place water can exit is through the back doors. His previous van was the same make and we just ProtectaKoted that. It didn't stop spills filling up the footwells.

The first application was 2 layers of fiberglass mat which was left to cure.

This was followed by a coat of blue  'flow coat' with grit to make it non slip.

Its best to do it now @dyson123 whilst the weather is warm. Once it gets cold you need to add accelerator to the mix.
Woooord. I went done it in the depths of winter & it took 3 days to dry out ? as you say there is accelerator stuff but theres also a rapid setting protektakote, of course i decided to go for the non rapid set stuff ?

 
Woooord. I went done it in the depths of winter & it took 3 days to dry out ? as you say there is accelerator stuff but theres also a rapid setting protektakote, of course i decided to go for the non rapid set stuff ?


That's the problem. A fan heater in the back doesn't do much either to help the curing process. So if @dyson123 is going to go the fiberglass route he is running out of summer time.

We purchased everything from East Coast Fiberglass. They gave me the impression they knew what they were talking about.

https://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/

Honestly, I Protectakoted my last van 10 years ago. That stuff was brilliant. I've Protectakoted my current van but it doesn't appear to be as good.

 
Last edited by a moderator:

Latest Posts

Back
Top