Laminated floor expansion - How do you install under seat?

[Kidoo]

Hi, I am about to install my laminated floor. Since this product needs to expand, I wonder how I will install it under the driver and passenger seat.

I was planning on drilling holes in the plank, install the seats and screw the nuts down tight. This would sqeeze the plank and it will have no room to expand or retract.

How did you install your's and did you have any problems?

Thanks.

[erniee]

In a coach, expansion/contraction is not much concern in such a small area.

[Kidoo]

I read somwhere that it is the subfloor that moves, this would be why you need some expansion space. Perfo itself is, I think, pretty stable stuff.

When I installed the hardwood floor in the house, I nailed it down, still I needed to have some space for expansion, so the whole thing needs expansion, floor and subfloor has an assembly. I tried to find what exactly is the expansion needed per square foot, could not find it anywhere on the web.

[phillyg]

It doesn't move that much; don't worry about it.

[TNGW1500SE]

Pergo runs 40 foot down my house and has 1/8 gap on each end. Compare that to the distance between your seats. Just bolt it down.

[jplante4]

I did vinyl planking which is not recommended for installation in non-climate controlled environments. My copilot seat is on a pedestal, so I cut a piece of 3/8" plywood to go under the pedestal and cut the vinyl around the plywood, leaving a 1/8" gap. I did the same under everything that got hastened through the vinyl into the subfloor. Finally, I left 1/4" all the way around, and double-stick taped the shoe molding to the vinyl. The key is to allow the floor to move as a unit.

[Kidoo]

ScottG wrote:
I've installed a lot of laminate flooring.
The expansion dimension is over a relatively large area. So in somehting as small as a RV, you can take a few liberties with it.
It does need room to move but an 1/8" would be plenty. Just make sure it isn't binding anything anyplace.

This is what I was thinking too, the expansion if probably overkill in an rv floor. But has suggested, the plywood under the seat would be a good idea, and cut around the seat.

[ScottG]

I've installed a lot of laminate flooring.
The expansion dimension is over a relatively large area. So in somehting as small as a RV, you can take a few liberties with it.
It does need room to move but an 1/8" would be plenty. Just make sure it isn't binding anything anyplace.

[jorbill2or]

My seats in my Marquis have a skirt around them and the flooring doesn't go under the seat mount just around them. You can't see any of that because of the skirt hiding it. It's a solid wood floor the prior owner had professionally installed. When I did laminate in my old Winnebago I didn't remove the seats at all .. just went around them the same way

[Jim]

You could cut the tiles so there's relief around a plywood plate you mount the seats on. That way the seats are always on solid ground so to speak.

[cseidel]

I drilled a large 1 1/4" hole at each bolt and filled it with washers to a depth above the flooring level and then bolted the seat down. It has been two years and no problem.