Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

Front step

October 15, 2017, 01:54:55 pm

For anyone that has put new floors in your coach, have you figured out a way to trim out the front stepwell where it's flush with the floor?

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Re: Front step

Reply #1 – October 15, 2017, 01:58:23 pm

Bruce,

90% of the way to flat: Search Results for aluminum molding at The Home Depot

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Re: Front step

Reply #2 – October 15, 2017, 03:31:41 pm

Bruce,  My surround has been machined to about 1/4" height and I have had no problems.IMG_0346.JPG (4.06 MB)

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Re: Front step

Reply #3 – October 15, 2017, 04:25:50 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – October 15, 2017, 01:58:23 pm

90% of the way to flat: Search Results for aluminum molding at The Home Depot

What he said! I'll take his molding any day. 

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Re: Front step

Reply #4 – October 15, 2017, 04:43:12 pm

Bruce, When I did the cockpit flooring (from entry/dash to even with the back of the passenger seat base), I went to great lengths to keep all the flooring on the coach at the same level. This included the front step trim, and has the exception of one radiused trim piece below the sliding door to the bathroom which is there to visually separate the space and reduce reflected light. As I mentioned in another thread in response to a question (unfortunately I have yet to do a write up on this project as a whole), I used a nominal quarter inch thick piece of ACX plywood on the the subfloor, a 5/16" layer of rubber gym mat, and the so called luxury vinyl tile (called that I suppose because of the near $6 sq. ft. price? ) to match up with the ½" bamboo floor sitting on top of ¼" cork underlayment. The stair trim was fabricated from some aluminum tile separator trim that I got at the local recycle/surplus metal depot. This aluminum trim is made out of ¼" thick X 2" wide flat stock that came in 8' lengths. The material came with counter sunk ¼" holes spaced every 12" and also has about a ¾" bevel on one side. In order to make the height come out right, the trim sits on top of the added ¼" plywood, ⅛" X 1" aluminum flat stock, and ⅛" 1" X 1" aluminum angle. I use the angle because to cover the edge of the flooring to give a finished look to the perimeter of the top of the stairwell. I used the aluminum as finishing material because I like that fact that it is a solid reasonably thick material and with the flush flat head hex fasteners gives the area an almost aircraft like appearance and is easy to maintain. A bit of scuffing with a scotchbrite pad renews it nicely. You could of course use any material you choose as long as the layers add up to the correct thickness. Since I use the flush screws as part of the aesthetic (that is my story, and I am sticking to it!), the aluminum as the advantage of screwing (¼"-20 thread) right into the ¼" steel plate that supports the floor over the step cover on the middle segment at the top of the stairwell and into the square steel tube framing on either side of it. Other material may be tougher to secure in this potentially high stress area.
Don

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Re: Front step

Reply #5 – October 15, 2017, 07:17:48 pm

This is what the shop did with mine and I like it

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Re: Front step

Reply #6 – October 15, 2017, 07:47:32 pm

Bruce,
I used rubber step nose and glued it in with contact cement. It has been on for a year and still looks like new. No worry of finish wearing off like in wood, plastic and metal trims. No screw or nails showing.  Smooth transition.
John M.

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Re: Front step

Reply #7 – October 15, 2017, 10:14:23 pm

I also used rubber step nose, with some "liquid nails."  Looks great. Really tough to find in the right dimensions in a non specialty store.  KofflerSales.com has lots of options, both size and color - with detailed dimensions on each rubber step nose type. Would recommend.

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Re: Front step

Reply #8 – October 15, 2017, 11:56:21 pm

Seeing the step well cover in some of the pictures, reminds me:
 
What do you guys use to clean and lubricate your sliding surfaces?
 
Thanks,
 
Trent

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Re: Front step

Reply #9 – October 16, 2017, 10:42:45 am

I purchased mine from Koffler Sales.  Variety of colors and profiles.  Here is the specs of the one I used.  Downloaded picture is a little blurry but readable.
John M.

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