Interior: Carpet or Vinyl

[Joetown Parrothead]

Redoing the old 1980 C10, if you had the option. The whole bottom of the cab, and doors are going to be replaced. Door panels being redone by Upholstery guy that is redoing the seat. Would you put in Carpet or Vinyl flooring?

Thanks,
BR

[kipps]

How are you going to be using the truck?

What percentage of the time are you climbing in with muddy boots?

Is the seat going to be cloth, leather, or vinyl?

Are you targeting a specific trim level in all your interior choices, such as Custom-deluxe or Silverado?

[69Tom]

Well, I'm guessing you have a light tan interior, which means a light tan carpet, unless you go black. So as stated above, if you're going to be getting in and out with muddy boots, etc., you might want to consider the mat. Plus you definitely get some weather in MO as well.

[dagnabbitt]

I can tell you that carpet instead of rubber really does offer more help with soundproofing, if that is a concern.

[Joetown Parrothead]

It will be our cruising p/u. Will not be used in the mud or as a junk hauling truck. That was in its previous life.. lol. I have 2 other trucks for that.. Hopefully we will be by a beach town in Texas in a few years. Cruising in the warm air, it sucks up here in NW Missouri in the winter..

Cloth & Vinyl Seats, will have a darker tan vinyl trim with cloth inlays. Our guy in town does awesome work.. Will post photos when it’s done.. We are painting it a Kandy Root Beer Metallic. It will be color of car in second photo..

We will have no trim, just a clean look.. Letters on Tailgate will be a Glossy White..

[kipps]

From your description, A brown carpet of some sort sounds ideal. Personally, I'd suggest a dark brown, to avoid showing the inevitable dirt stains.

[Joetown Parrothead]

LMC has the dark brown, black or tan in stock.. They are only 45 mins south, dropped a ton in there 2 weeks ago. Time to go back. Now need to find Chrome Bow tie sill plates.. Everywhere is out of them.. LMC has some plain chrome ones I might have to go with..

[Joetown Parrothead]

Parts I have just bought......

New Chrome Grill
New Chrome Window Handles
New Chrome Gear Lever
New Chrome Dimmer Knob
New Dash Cover
New “Scottsdale Emblems”
Used “Trailering Special” Emblems : Need Painted Chrome
New Seat Belt Assy
New Sun-visor & Chrome Brackets
New Chrome Gas Peddle & Brake
New Chrome Rearview Mirror
New Chrome Door Lock Knobs
New Steering Wheel
Re-Done Seat & Door Panels

Parts I Will Get:
Chrome Threshold Plate
Chrome Sill Plate
Bumper Mount’s Inner & Outer
Carpet

Still NEED
Chrome Headlight Bucket Assy..

[Axle]

I have a preference for a vinyl floor. Lots easier to keep clean, and since I drive rain or snow, not having to worry about carpets getting wet is a bonus.

[kipps]

Originally Posted by Axle

I have a preference for a vinyl floor. Lots easier to keep clean, and since I drive rain or snow, not having to worry about carpets getting wet is a bonus.

that's my opinion too, considering how my trucks get used. I'm still assembling the truck in my signature, but it's definitely not going to have carpet. I'll start out with a bare metal floor, and will later upgrade to a MIP mat from LMCtruck. It looks like the longest lasting waterproof option for the money. Cow manure and mud are simply two realities of Virginia winters, and a farm-based truck needs to accommodate.

[VWNate1]

It depends on where you live .

Rubber mats are super easy to clean and if you keep them clean they last forever, don't wear like carpets do .

The flip side is : rubber mats also trap any moisture underneath no matter how slight and force the cab floor to rust .

Me, I love rubber mats but always go with carpet as soon as the mats cracks or tears .

Most don't keep their trucks long enough to discover the rubber mat ruins the cab floor, I do, it's a rare thing for me to have a truck younger than 25 ~ 30 years old .

Even here in the California Desert your floor will rust away in a few short years .

[THI]

My first truck was a 1969 C10 with rubber floors, thought they were great until I found that moisture got under the rubber (trapped) and rusted out the floor under the hole. Bought a 1990 K1500 for my son while he was in High School, when I bought it the drivers floor needed to be replaced - a hole developed in the rubber flooring, and the hole in the floor was large enough to put a can through it. Fixed the floor and replaced it with carpet.

At least carpet can dry out once it get wet.

[VWNate1]

I live in the Desert and the only time my old truck got wet was when I washed it ~ as a young man I endeavored to keep it clean ad was seriously dismayed to discover serious floor rust when I took it apart to do a clutch job .

Lesson learned .

[Axle]

Living in the land of snow & ice, carpets get wet also despite efforts with floor mats to contain the moisture, so rubber or carpet, same end result.

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by THI

My first truck was a 1969 C10 with rubber floors, thought they were great until I found that moisture got under the rubber (trapped) and rusted out the floor under the hole. Bought a 1990 K1500 for my son while he was in High School, when I bought it the drivers floor needed to be replaced - a hole developed in the rubber flooring, and the hole in the floor was large enough to put a can through it. Fixed the floor and replaced it with carpet.

At least carpet can dry out once it get wet.

I think the biggest problem with either decision is that the jute padding is what holds the moisture against the metal. It takes forever for that padding to dry out. Maybe if you put down sound matting that actually adheres to the floor, it may act as a moisture barrier as well.

[kipps]

Originally Posted by Corts60

I think the biggest problem with either decision is that the jute padding is what holds the moisture against the metal. It takes forever for that padding to dry out. Maybe if you put down sound matting that actually adheres to the floor, it may act as a moisture barrier as well.

I've wondered about that.

House spray-foam insulation can be either open-cell or closed-cell. Open-cell is cheaper, but it has to stay dry. Closed-cell insulation won't absorb water. It'd be nice if there was a sound deadening insulation with similar properties, that simply wouldn't absorb water even if submerged. Lizard skin sounds like it might meet this requirement.

If bedliner will definitely stay attached, and won't let any water get underneath of it, I think that would also be a good option for floor protection. I don't like the look or feel of bedliner. It just seems to "chintzy." I'd much rather cover it with a real rubber mat.

[old Rusty C10]

i would get a carpet and if you want a recommendation ACC has about the best ive used after doing about 10 projects