Laminate Flooring Advice

I installed interlocking floating laminate flooring in our last TT. It was made from ABS and the product is 100% waterproof and only 1/8" thick. Worked great except one seam came apart over the winter because I had the expansion gap a bit too small in one area. The vinyl Allure product that some have used in RVs is waterproof but Allure says not to use it in outdoor spaces like RVs. Low temps. and extreme temp. fluctuations can be really hard on the "plastic" types. Thickness can also be a real issue in RVs.

You are sure right about laminate and water. Shortly after I installed some in our new house, mom's dog pee'd on it and ruined one area. The edges have curled up a tiny bit in a few spots from the occasional spill or wet mopping. The other thing I found is that it can really get dented easily from dropping heavy things, stepping on a stone or piece of gravel, dog's nails, etc. Engineered flooring next time....

We've got wood looking laminate in our new TT about to arrive. Can't wait. Sure makes a TT look warmer, more comfy and higher end.:)

Raymon wrote:
Just remember, floating laminate does NOT like water. We had laminate in our kitchen in our house. Due to a malfunction with our ice maker, a lot of water seeped under the floor causing a large a area of the floor to severely warp. We ended up replacing the entire kitchen floor with tile. Mopping a laminate floor is fine. Personally, I would never put laminate in a kitchen or bathroom. JMHO

Ray

Just remember, floating laminate does NOT like water. We had laminate in our kitchen in our house. Due to a malfunction with our ice maker, a lot of water seeped under the floor causing a large a area of the floor to severely warp. We ended up replacing the entire kitchen floor with tile. Mopping a laminate floor is fine. Personally, I would never put laminate in a kitchen or bathroom. JMHO

Ray

Been in flooring buisness along time now
Weight of laminate is not much different vinyl.
Dont think laminate won't scratch it will.Drag something heavy over it or drop something heavy you will see it .
If you have a steady hand you can cut a piece out with a utility knife
Just take a section out .preferably cit on a grout line all the way around on your new piece.Put It over the bad piece .Tape it down and trace cut it.
MUST USE VINYL SEAM SEALER.
I see more people using vinyl planks now.Some are floating and some glued
very easy to do and holds up good and easy to repair
Good luck

myredracer wrote:
I would look inside a cabinet, dinette seat, storage space, etc. where you can cut a patch piece out. Then call in a floor layer and they can glue the seams together and it will look like new again. I did laminate in our last TT and it was a LOT of work. You don't want to do that unless it's a must have for you or DW. Whatever you use, don't glue it to the subfloor.

X2

A good vinyl floor installer can do this and you'll be hard pressed to find the patch. Seen it done many times.

All good advice. Thanks everyone so far and keep it coming. It looks like I have some research and measuring to do before I make a decision.

DRSMPS wrote:
During a recent power outage at the house, I went into the TT which is stored in my yard to retrieve some flashlights and lanterns. I had the battery out of the TT as it was stored for the winter so things were dark. I made the mistake of sliding a metal toolbox out of one of my storage compartments and it cut my linoleum floor tile just in front of my kitchen cupboards.

I can't see repairing the linoleum without it looking bad. Therefore this spring, I want to replace the flooring in the main section of the TT with wood laminate. I like the look, but am curious if you can offer any advise so I don't make a mistake installing the wrong product or installing it the wrong way.

My concerns are as follows:
-How much expansion room do I leave along the walls knowing that laminate expands with temperature / humidity? While in storage the TT can get very cold or very hot.
-Am I better to use the snap together laminate with a thin underlay or is the peel and stick adhesive type better in this type of application? I'm concerned that with the bouncing of the TT while going down the road that the snap together type may not hold up.

Thanks in advance for any advise you can provide.

Most Mfg's of laminate suggest a 1/4" to 3/8" expansion space around everything. My experience with different laminates tells me that 3/16" is adequate in all but the most humid areas. I installed 800 sq. ft. of laminate in Kaneohe, HI, this summer, 1/4 mi. from the beach. I used a 1/4" space.

In my Starcraft I used anywhere from 1/8" to 3/16" since I installed it and can watch for any deformities from expansion.

The better lock-edge laminates will not come apart. Since an RV sees a lot of temperature and humidity shifts, some of them sudden, gluing down isn't the best. You might develop a fail of the glue bond due to movement and the aforementioned changes in environment.

FWIW, I installed one of Lumber Liquidator's cheaper laminate products. Height considerations drove my choice. I'm a bit over 6'2" and my ceiling is 6'3". I used an 8mm product. Underneath the laminate I installed a good synthetic sub floor covering, even though the laminate has an attached back. I wanted the extra vapor barrier and minute gain in R value.
This is a project that needs attention to detail and some carpentry skills but I guess since you're posting in the DIY section, those are present.

Here's a picture of my floor:

bguy wrote:
Laminate carries a significant weight penalty.

Really, how much compared to vinyl?

I would look inside a cabinet, dinette seat, storage space, etc. where you can cut a patch piece out. Then call in a floor layer and they can glue the seams together and it will look like new again. I did laminate in our last TT and it was a LOT of work. You don't want to do that unless it's a must have for you or DW. Whatever you use, don't glue it to the subfloor.

Laminate carries a significant weight penalty.

Thickness is going to be your biggest issue. As a suggestion that a lot of people have used successfully Allure flooring.