Vinyl plank flooring - snap lock with history of success?

[dcason]

Has anyone done a snap lock (or glue strip) vinyl plank flooring with success? Talking about at least a year of success with temperature changes? What brand? Did you research brands that have wide temperature range? I am wanting to replace our nasty carpet with plank flooring (they should have just put lino down in our 24 foot class c!) and not carpet AND lino.

We realize there must be a perimeter expansion gap, the RIGHT Vinyl/waterproof and wide temperature tolerance. NO slides to deal with either just weird angles/cuts lots of them.
I would like learn from your experience:B
Donna/David (who will do the actual work)

[Planning]

To those who have used the click-lock style (floating plank), how did you negotiate the edge adjacent to the slide-out.

The slide-out comes in and out on rollers. Is it appropriate to fasten (glue/screw/nail?) the first course of planks that functions as the leading edge where the rollers come up onto the floor (when retracting the slide)?

[stevemorris]

ive installed laminate flooring in three trailers, click locking stuff, wood based core(sawedust and glue!)
great performance from all three even in the bathrooms
extreme temps or humidity didnt seem to affect them at all
the only not so good job was a really lightly built trailer(our second trailer), the floor was so bouncy that the laminate kept coming apart(unclicking) in a couple of spots.
the third trailer(that we have now), a 10 yr old kz spree 260, the floor is great. i just ripped out the carpeting in bed area and removed the torn vinyl everywhere

[Cummins12V98]

Our flooring has seen really hot and really cold temps with NO issues at all.

Solid clean substrate with QUALITY adhesive it will function just fine "IF" you buy a quality product!!!

[Planning]

Thank you gentleman all for your patient elaboration.

[rhagfo]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Planning wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
We used a lot of Tarkett Commercial LVT/LVP. Same exact product just different shapes/styles.

"Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Planks"

"Luxury vinyl planks and tiles offer complete design freedom with endless layout possibilities across a broad range of patterns, colorways, quality levels and installation formats."

I went to the Tarkett commercial site (we are actively researching a RV flooring replacement) and I found this for installation instructions:

"Room temperature must be maintained between 65F and 85F and the ambient relative humidity must be between 40% and 60%...Once the installation is completed, the service temperature of the space must never fall below 55F"

Those temperature and humidity parameters are significantly different than what we would be able to maintain. During winter storage the unit could easily see single digit temps.

Thanks for the information; it is frustrating because the product looks nice.

What do the other manufacturers say? I am betting similar.

The product we installed in our 5er stated on the box not for RV use! We full time and the unit is always heated during the winter so didn’t see an issue. Holding up well. Ours was a snap lock and install was easy and without issue. Even had a space in the kitchen where I need to install from the “backside” to normal direction of install, still went to get her easily.

[jplante4]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Planning wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
We used a lot of Tarkett Commercial LVT/LVP. Same exact product just different shapes/styles.

"Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Planks"

"Luxury vinyl planks and tiles offer complete design freedom with endless layout possibilities across a broad range of patterns, colorways, quality levels and installation formats."

I went to the Tarkett commercial site (we are actively researching a RV flooring replacement) and I found this for installation instructions:

"Room temperature must be maintained between 65F and 85F and the ambient relative humidity must be between 40% and 60%...Once the installation is completed, the service temperature of the space must never fall below 55F"

Those temperature and humidity parameters are significantly different than what we would be able to maintain. During winter storage the unit could easily see single digit temps.

Thanks for the information; it is frustrating because the product looks nice.

What do the other manufacturers say? I am betting similar.

Exact same warning on Allure. And if you try to glue it down, or nail trim through it, you will get buckling.

My Allure floor has been down for 2 seasonal cycles in the northeast. In the summer, the interior gets up to 100° and down to 0° in the dead of winter. The only buckling I'm seeing is under the couch where - guess what? - I tightened the couch bolts too much. The rest of the floor looks as good as the day I put it down.

Actually, I just wanted a couple of years out of the Allure. I needed to replace the disgusting carpet and really wanted to go with a teak and holly floor but I had already blown the upgrade budget for that year (the new couch).

[Cummins12V98]

Planning wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
We used a lot of Tarkett Commercial LVT/LVP. Same exact product just different shapes/styles.

"Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Planks"

"Luxury vinyl planks and tiles offer complete design freedom with endless layout possibilities across a broad range of patterns, colorways, quality levels and installation formats."

I went to the Tarkett commercial site (we are actively researching a RV flooring replacement) and I found this for installation instructions:

"Room temperature must be maintained between 65F and 85F and the ambient relative humidity must be between 40% and 60%...Once the installation is completed, the service temperature of the space must never fall below 55F"

Those temperature and humidity parameters are significantly different than what we would be able to maintain. During winter storage the unit could easily see single digit temps.

Thanks for the information; it is frustrating because the product looks nice.

What do the other manufacturers say? I am betting similar.

[beemerphile1]

I installed TrafficMaster vinyl plank in my Weekend Warrior a few years ago. It has held up well thru freeze, thaw, heat, and occasional heavy use. It still looks great.

I used the type that locks together and put 1/4 round molding around the walls. I would not trust the adhesive strip type. Once all the planks are locked together it is like a solid piece.

[Planning]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
We used a lot of Tarkett Commercial LVT/LVP. Same exact product just different shapes/styles.

"Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Planks"

"Luxury vinyl planks and tiles offer complete design freedom with endless layout possibilities across a broad range of patterns, colorways, quality levels and installation formats."

I went to the Tarkett commercial site (we are actively researching a RV flooring replacement) and I found this for installation instructions:

"Room temperature must be maintained between 65F and 85F and the ambient relative humidity must be between 40% and 60%...Once the installation is completed, the service temperature of the space must never fall below 55F"

Those temperature and humidity parameters are significantly different than what we would be able to maintain. During winter storage the unit could easily see single digit temps.

Thanks for the information; it is frustrating because the product looks nice.

[Cummins12V98]

We used a lot of Tarkett Commercial LVT/LVP. Same exact product just different shapes/styles.

"Luxury Vinyl Tiles and Planks"

"Luxury vinyl planks and tiles offer complete design freedom with endless layout possibilities across a broad range of patterns, colorways, quality levels and installation formats."

[Planning]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
^^^^^^ I agree, LVT "Luxury Vinyl Tile" is extremely durable, so much so we used it in mANY Dental Clinics. BTW it is a glued down product, no snap n lock/floating BS.

Cummins,

What brand of glued down LVT (actually hoping for "LVP" plank style) do you recommend?

[Bird_Freak]

I used Allure in my 5er also. No problems.

[S_Davis]

Look for brands that are rated for use over radiant floor heating and make sure they float, this lets them expand and contract as temperature and humidity changes. There are even a few wood brands that can be refinished up to two times.

[RayJayco]

Background:
My 2006 Jayco 31BHS TT is in Wesley Chapel, which is just North of Tampa (~10 miles), under a 'shelter' that I made using black iron fire sprinkler pipe for vertical posts (and horizontal wall brace to secure roof to on sides, along with across floor), fence top rail for roof rafters and bracing and fittings with a tarp (30' x 30' is my guess, have to look it up) as a roof, extending down about 4' on the sides.

No side walls enclosed. I have 24" (I think, been a long time) augers to hold it to ground.
(Yes, it has with stood high winds and a hurricane, probably due to the pipe framing, gusset braces and bungee straps allowing a bit of give. I have to replace the tarp about every 5 years)

Central FL, HOT and humid. I do have vent covers and keep vents open year round. The air condition or furnace is only used when we are using the TT, none while in storage.)

I bought this TT so I could take my son and his friends (bunk house sleeps 10) camping and such. Young men, that were about 15 YO back then. Swimming, falling out of canoes and boats, fresh water, salt water, wet, sandy, etc. Carpet is NO GOOD for this...

I bought the cheapest plank type flooring that HD had in stock that was simulated oak look. (If I needed to replace it due to their abuse, no biggie, were my thoughts....)

I left a gap around edges that was covered by trim. I screwed the table floor plates down (Dining table and table between bunks in the back) as they were originally and maybe some other items, no sure as it has been some years.

Bottom line, floor still looks good and has held up fine...

YMMV
Good luck

Note- the hardest part was getting the carpet from under the slide out (it seems that it was stapled...) I glued some strips of nylon at the wall to allow slide out to glide and not dig into flooring. It works!