Sealing a 10mm gap

[Johnnytheboy]

This is actually for my van but it's more of a DIY question.

New van is ply-lined but they've left holes for the lashing eyes on the deck. The ply sits about 10mm above the metal floor, so (being a landscaping firm) compost is getting in the holes.

What would be the best product for sealing round the edges of the holes to stop muck getting in? Would need to be flexible as the ply bounces a bit when you walk on it.

ETA - something cheap!

Edited by Johnnytheboy on Tuesday 8th March 09:59

[Simpo Two]

If the holes are uniform how about finding something like these?

[mgtony]

General purpose silicone mastic should do the job, a couple of quid a tube.

ETA I presume you still want to use the lashing rings?

[Johnnytheboy]

I'd post a pic if I hadn't lent the work camera out....

Holes are 4" long ovals with the ring in the middle. I wish to seal the 10mm vertical gap between the bottom of the ply and the metal floor underneath.

I was thinking mastic but wanted to see what was said. What worried me was the width I wished to plug.

[mgtony]

Cut the nozzle of the mastic so you end up with about a 10mm hole and gun a load of it in. Run your finger round it to finish it off.

[Simpo Two]

Wasted my time there then.

How about gaffertape?

[Jonboy_t]

Expanding foam? Stick the nozzle in the hole, wait for it to grow (compost should help....sorry) and then sand it off to a nice finish, alternatively, mastic over the top of it once it's tidied.

[mgtony]

This is the sort of gap he is talking about:



The floor of the vehicle is moulded/ribbed so the ply doen't sit flush to the floor.

[Johnnytheboy]

Exactly like the above. Ideally want to retain the use of the loops, so want to seal the vertical sides of the hole.

[Jonboy_t]

I'd still say expanding foam, you can cut it once dried so you have an exact fit for the eye to move/lay down, then mastic it if necessary.

[Landlord]

Jonboy_t said:

I'd still say expanding foam, you can cut it once dried so you have an exact fit for the eye to move/lay down, then mastic it if necessary.

Was going to be my suggestion.

[Johnnytheboy]

No danger of it doing that over-expanding thing and pushing the ply up? I guess not as it can escape to the sides.

[Jonboy_t]

Johnnytheboy said:

No danger of it doing that over-expanding thing and pushing the ply up? I guess not as it can escape to the sides.

Exactly, it would be soft and maliable enough not to damage/distort the ply boarding, but also tough enough to take a bit of a kicking as you put stuff in and out.

It will make a mess of the floor under the ply though, so avoid if you are ever going to consider pulling the ply up!

[Johnnytheboy]

Here's a pic of mine - not a lot of room to play with.



You can see how easy it is for muck to get in.

[mgtony]

If you don't want to be forever digging dirt out of the hole, take the eye out with a Torx bit, screw a larger bit of steel/ali/plywood over the hole and use a longer screw to replace the eye on top. Use a scrap piece of ply as packing between the van base and the underside of whatever you put over the hole.
If you know you wont use some of the eyes, cover them up with a bit of plate which you can always remove.

[GKP]

Why not just bung the gap up with compost?

[freecar]

mgtony said:

If you don't want to be forever digging dirt out of the hole, take the eye out with a Torx bit, screw a larger bit of steel/ali/plywood over the hole and use a longer screw to replace the eye on top. Use a scrap piece of ply as packing between the van base and the underside of whatever you put over the hole.
If you know you wont use some of the eyes, cover them up with a bit of plate which you can always remove.

THIS!!!

[RichB]

GKP said:

Why not just bung the gap up with compost?

Jobs a good en'

[GarryA]

Take the board up and put adhesive draught excluder strip around the hole the put it back down.

[GingerWizard]

Expanding foam? cheap, easy to renew, just hack saw off the top, so its smooth. Worth a try.