Carpet or covering the storage/sleeping platform

[weavil]

I'm trying to avoid the basic wood look for my platform. What types of carpet would be best for covering a sleeping and storage platform? Any tips on adhering it the carpet to the platform? Anyone used a different method for sprucing up the look?

Thanks!

 

[Dazrin]

I have only done one of these so I don't have a lot of experience but I used a basic indoor/outdoor carpet from Home Depot (found a remnant) and used both a decent carpet tape and staples to hold it to my platform. Make sure to stretch it as much as you can when fastening it down. It has lasted 1 year in Oregon without any bubbling or problems. My platform lended itself to staples only on the bottom of the platform which made me more comfortable too - no poky things to rip my sleeping pad if one does come loose.

 

[KodiakTundra907]

I just finished a storage unit with removable extension platform for my FJ Cruiser. I used polymat to lined the outsidE and sprayed glued it using spray adhesive. Spray both surface for permanent bond.

 

[rayra]

I've had good results in the past with a decent grade of indoor/outdoor carpet and 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. Go light on the adhesive, just enough to keep things in place, that way you can readily swap the carpet when it it trashed.

I'm toying with the idea of using laminate flooring in rosewood on the platform for my suburban, would look real nice, but my dogs need traction. So I'm just going to use a black / dk. charcoal indoor/outdoor that complements my black and gray interior in my Suburban. I want people peeking in the windows to basically see nothing but a blank floor / an 'empty' cargo area.

 

[NikonRon]

I purchased Bed Rug material and cut it to fit. It lays nice and flat, no need to attach it to the platform. Gives a little more cushion and insulation under your bedding too. I believe it came in a 6' x 10' piece. You can order it direct from Bed Rug in Nashville. Ron

 

[Bob Freda]

I used this runner carpet from Lowes. It was winter when I installed it and adhesive didn't work so I just stapled it to the 3/4" plywood on the top of my drawer and the extension sleeping platform.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I used indoor/outdoor carpeting from Home Depot. It comes in colors besides gray, which is nice.
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[keeganxt]

Same here. Used the indoor outdoor Eco rug from Lowes. They had a few shades and picked one that got close to the xterra.

 

[rayra]

in addition to the big rolls of various indoor / outdoor carpeting, they also have medium sized 'throw' / area indoor/outdoor rugs, sizes like 7'x10, 6'x9 etc that are even cheaper per square foot than the roll stuff and come in a lot more colors and patterns. You could buy one of those and cut it down to fit. Use a 2mil clear tarp to make a template and transfer that to the rug for cutting.

 

[dhmachine86]

Same here. Used the indoor outdoor Eco rug from Lowes. They had a few shades and picked one that got close to the xterra. View attachment 301091

Slightly offtopic, but what are your turnbuckles attached to there? Working on securing our new bed setup (then carpeting it!)

 

[rayra]

almost certainly to the factory tie-down rings. They're usually in those corners on most SUVs.

I'm not sure why folks do that, especially on self-built systems. It sacrifices a good bit of cubic space and leaves a gap on both sides of the storage platform. Just as easy to remove the factory fittings and make use of the mounting location to directly bolt the bottom of a storage platform into the vehicle. That way the storage platform or drawers can be full width. Cheaper than turnbuckles, too.
I've got my MWC carrier bolted down in the back of my suburban like that now, and that's how I plan to do my 2-drawer platform. Just had to get a longer bolt to reach the factory hole, a fender washer, and drilled a slightly larger hole in the bottom of my carrier for slop / error in transferring the measurements.

 

[Herbie]

My preferred carpet is this stuff: http://www.yourautotrim.com/80wideozite.html

The shade "Medium Dark Pewter" is a near-perfect match for that kinda-grey-kinda-tan carpet that GM loved to use in the last decade. I've covered my bed platform and many other interior bits in it, and found it a good aesthetic match and very functional.

As mentioned upthread, use 3M Super-77 adhesive, in minimal amounts, and you'll get good stick that's somewhat removable if you want to recover. (Or in my case, rebuild boxes, etc. to better fit.)
Here's a photo of my old battery box and the OEM carpet next to each other. It actually looks closer in person because the lighting in this photo is on perpendicular surfaces:

 

[dhmachine86]

That's not where they are in my Xterra, thats why I asked. But looking closely, that appears to be a first gen, I'm in a second.

The second gen has two cargo rails in the back, not tie down points. And they aren't in the corners, or removable.

 

[keeganxt]

Correct first gen. I used some plans for xterra drawers that a fellow xterra owner had posted. They're the full width of the wheel wells. However I did omit piano hinged wings that fill the gaps in the right and left of the platform that would have made it seamless.

 

[keeganxt]

I will offer some advice from learned from some of my mistakes though. Probably pretty obvious, but I thought it'd be a good idea to use thompsons water seal. Didn't realize it would be so oily. Even with a light coat. Should have stuck with marine epoxy like the plans called for. Second, I tried out locktite's professional spray adhesive. Not good, the carpet started falling off the next day. DAP contact cement (after throughly cleaning and degreasing with acetone) did wonders for fixing my blunder.

Also, checkout the sweet hidey holes!