homemade floor mat

[Young Ed]

Merle and I have been talking back and forth about this a little via PM(Merle your PMs are full BTW) but I decided to throw this part out to the group. I bought a 4x8 rubber mat from fleet farm to cut into a floor mat for my truck. What I need is a good way to cut it to fit without screwing up my $40 piece of rubber. I tried making a cardboard template from the old mat I have for my truck but it wasn't very close when I tried to install it in the truck. Anyone got better suggestions on what to try?

[Reg Evans]

I've used 30# roofing felt (tar paper) a couple of times. It's a little easier to work with than cardboard.

[Young Ed]

Reg any of the 39-47 trucks you've got around the place have a mat installed? I think the factory ones ended at the seat frame but I was thinking of having mine wrap around

[Reg Evans]

No, the mats are long gone. Make your paper pattern wrap around the seat bottom and go for it. Maybe even contact cement on some jute backing when done holding it back from the edges a little though so it doesn't show.

[greg g]

I have a roll of rosen paper (pink floor underlaymet) left over from some jobs around the house. Easy to use and it can be cut into sections, trimed to spec then taped together to make the whole piece template. Only problem is a new roll is 20 bucks or so.

[Allen I.]

When I put carpet in I just cut bigger than I knew I needed and trimmed as I went. Course, I had the seat out and the boy tucked under the dash for help.

[Young Ed]

I think the carpet is probably a little easier to cut then the 1/4in rubber. Obviously some trimming will take place but if I can keep it to a minimum that'd be great. And in these truck the seat bottom isn't removable.

[grey beard]

My floormat is 1/4-inch thich 4 ply industrial belting with a pyramid design on top that looks almost exactly like the original mats, but of course without the smooth border. To cut it out, I measured the center for the trans and e-brake handles and put the mat over those, then kept the finish cut edge against the seat pan lip edge and cut the two sides at the door sills with the rubber in place. The final cut was across the top, and I used a utility knife for it. Worked out just fine.

If anyone wants this belting, five feet cost me $5 per foot. Stuff is heavy to ship, though. Be glad to get more for anyone who wants me to.

[Jerry Roberts]

Ed , I used newspaper to make a pattern for my truck mat . It took some time and fiddeling around but it came out good .