Carpet replacement(s) - but with what??

[boston_blacky]

Carpet replacement question(s)? After 7 years of 'fair wear and tear' our 5th. wheel's carpet must go. DW wants Vinyl Plank; i.e. Alure installed everywhere except on the slides where new (upgraded) carpet will go.

I see where some do not recommend Alure Vinyl Plank, as it may come unglued in the cold/heat and I am also concerned about floor damage caused by the movement of our three slides!!

This project is something I need you to advise me on - please.

If you have done this type of DIY project in an RV - what do you recommend?

Thanks in advance - :?

[boston_blacky]

The O.P. has now completed the installation. Everywhere except the slides were done with Allure from Home Depot. Purchased 9 boxes and used only 8. Cutting the 'planks' went much better when "tin shears" were used to cut (snip) difficult angles, etc.

Lessons learnt were to get all the staples out and make double sure the subfloor(s) are super clean; free of all debris, dust, sand, etc. Also, don't try to hurry things as once this stuff goes down it is designed to stay there - forever. BB

p.s. Looks good - even if I say so myself.:D

[NMDriver]

My current advice to anyone taking out carpet on the slide is leave the carpet attached on the front edge and bottom of the slide. I did not and had to go under and attach a seal to the back edge where the slide goes over the outside wall. Until I did there was a large gap all along the slide to the outside that let in every gustof wind and would have provided an easy access point for mice, bugs, etc. I spent a miserable day bent over and twisted up attaching a thick rubber seal followed up with a piece of carpet to sweep between the front edge and the rubber seal. Much easier to leave the carpet and put a piece of molding over the carpet and up over the lip to cover the new what ever surface material.

[Sky_Deck]

Boston Blacky, I'm facing the same question. I ripped out the carpet, both in the living room and on the slide. I'm not so concerned about what type of vinyl floor covering to use, because there are many great products and a lot of good advice here. My concern is the slide riding over the floor smoothly, without causing damage. I also noticed (as someone alluded to, maybe you), that the carpet on the slide goes over the lip and underneath the leading inside edge. So that carpet under the slide was sliding on top of the carpet in the main area of the RV.

When I get to this point in my project, I'll run the slide back and forth and really study it (I assume they're all slightly different). But if anyone has any advice on this specific issue, it would be very helpful. With the possibility of carpet staples left under the slide lip, etc. I wonder if the only way to get it right is to remove the slide.

[DRSMPS]

Two years ago I replaced my vinyl sheet flooring with peel and stick vinyl flooring that looked like hardwood. I don't recall the brand name, but I purchased it at Lowes. It was displayed adjacent to the Allure flooring. My original vinyl had become dry and split. The peel and stick vinyl tiles have held up well. What sold me on it over the Allure was the fact that the entire surface of the flooring had adhesive on it. The Allure only had a think strip of adhesive. Also, the vinyl flooring didn't need a 1/4" gap left around the perimeter to allow for expansion or contraction like the Allure.

[turbojimmy]

westend wrote:
I installed a composite laminate with attached backing and also used a rubber underlayment membrane. There is definitely a moisture break doing it that way but only about .26 R added insulation value. My trailer has an aluminum cladding underneath so I wasn't terribly worried about moisture intruding from below. The underlayment does absorb noise and adds some more cushion to the floor,

Thanks. I kind of figured anything that's 1/8" thick or less would have limited R value, but I had to ask. I think I'll roll some out anyway for the cushion and sound deadening factors.

[westend]

turbojimmy wrote:
For those that have done laminate floors in place of carpet, did you put any underlayment down for insulation and/or sound proofing? I settled on Pergo Max that comes with a padding on it. The instructions say that despite the padding that comes on them to use an underlayment moisture barrier. I'm thinking this would add more temperature and noise insulation as well.

I installed a composite laminate with attached backing and also used a rubber underlayment membrane. There is definitely a moisture break doing it that way but only about .26 R added insulation value. My trailer has an aluminum cladding underneath so I wasn't terribly worried about moisture intruding from below. The underlayment does absorb noise and adds some more cushion to the floor,

[turbojimmy]

For those that have done laminate floors in place of carpet, did you put any underlayment down for insulation and/or sound proofing? I settled on Pergo Max that comes with a padding on it. The instructions say that despite the padding that comes on them to use an underlayment moisture barrier. I'm thinking this would add more temperature and noise insulation as well.

[Ron3rd]

Terryallan wrote:
Could also look at vinyl flooring. It is the only thing I would have in a "camper" For us. Carpet would be a deal breaker. The vinal is easy top install. You no longer need to glue it, and it is super easy to keep clean, just a broom, and sponge mop is all that is needed

Actually, that's what's in our new Forest River Windjammer. We ordered their "wood look" floor and at first I thought it was vinyl plank. Looking closer I could see it was sheet vinyl. The product brand is "Beauflor" and looks quite good.

[Ron3rd]

Get the Allure snap and lock version (not the glue edge version) and it won't come apart. Or any other brand of snap and lock vinyl planking.

[jbilling]

I recently tore out the ancient carpet from my 93 Dutchmen MH and I installed Shaw Matrix snap together vinyl plank floating flooring. I am very
pleased with the results. The installation was straight forward and simple. I found several utube videos that I used to prepare for the job. I think you will love the new floor. Jeff

[dtappy3353]

Also installed Allure in main galley which includes full length slide.

Wonderful to clean as we have 5 mini dachshunds. Agree that you will be surprised at how much dirt is tracked in. We use regular floor cleaner and lightly steam clean it about 3x per year.

No separations between tiles, joints or corners. Great to move furniture around and doesn't scratch.

We installed it ourselves about 3 years ago.

[Terryallan]

Could also look at vinyl flooring. It is the only thing I would have in a "camper" For us. Carpet would be a deal breaker. The vinal is easy top install. You no longer need to glue it, and it is super easy to keep clean, just a broom, and sponge mop is all that is needed

[myredracer]

boston blacky wrote:


I see where some do not recommend Alure Vinyl Plank, as it may come unglued in the cold/heat and I am also concerned about floor damage caused by the movement of our three slides!!

Use the interlocking type planks. It's VERY important to make sure you have an expansion gap all around and that the flooring is completely free floating so it does not get hung up on anything like table leg flanges, entry door sill, etc. You'll want to install a small baseboard strip everywhere to cover the perimeter exp. gap.

Despite the precautions and Allure's warning, many have used Allure or one of the other similar products with great success. I installed interlocking laminate planks made from ABS in a previous TT. My BIL who now owns it and lives in Vernon, BC (where there is a high temp. swing summer-winter) says that the laminate has held up great.

Summer to winter temp. extremes and the resulting expansion/contraction on flooring can damage floors. The prolonged cold temps. last winter caused the sheet flooring in many RVs to crack. In comparison to a floating laminate floor, sheet vinyl flooring can get hung up or pulled apart at stress points like openings for a floor register. I would say that a properly installed free floating vinyl laminate floor is less likely to be damaged from temp. extremes. than sheet flooring and is a good choice.

Not sure on the slide, but vinyl planks are quite thin at around 1/8". Slides run over sheet flooring in RVs all the time, but may depend on your particular slide mechanism?

[nazpaz]

We recently put Allure Traffic Master laminate in our living room. We are quite happy with how it looks - haven't had it long enough to comment on wear/use issues. I blogged it with lots of photos here.