Vinyl Plank Flooring

[BurbMan]

Looking to update the interior of the TT a little. The carpet in the slide needs to be replaced and I figured it would look nice to update the vinyl floor as well. We like the look of vinyl plank flooring like this, but not sure how it would hold up in temperature swings. Anybody use this in their RV or have any idea of how stable it is over the temp range that an RV sees?

Other options would be doing 12x12 self stick tiles. I have vinyl from front to back including the bedroom and bath so making a template for one piece flooring is almost impossible. (I had them do a "carpet delete" when I ordered the TT, but they couldn't delete it from the slide area.)

Laminate is nice but the thickness poses other issues with the door and the slide. Other ideas?

[D_E_Bishop]

There is also sheet vinyl that looks as good as plank, No seams to worry about. I saw one at Lowes that was pretty heavy and looked really good, I am thinking about it for my office/our computer room when we start the inside of the house this spring.

An owner in our condo complex in Mammoth (7500 ft) used Pergo and evidently didn't have it aired long enough to lower the moisture content and she is furious(too bad, you got to read the directions).

[AO_hitech]

Here is my install of laminate:

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/22409657/gotomsg/22410706.cfm#22410706

[Alpenliter]

We installed TrafficMaster Allure in our fulltime 5th wheel and it worked very well for over 6 years. Then, last year, the edges started "cupping". Made it difficult to sweep and of course didn't look very nice. I contacted several Home Depot carpet associates and the consensus was that I hadn't allowed enough perimeter gap. I bought new product, made sure the gap was sufficient and this time rented a 90# roller to run over the seams. If we get another 6 years out of this we'll be happy as DW will probably want something different by then anyway.

[Ace789nj]

I recently acquired a TT with a bit of floor rot. Cut out all the vinyl flooring, fixed water issues, new floor joists, insulation and subfloor. When it came time for a floor covering I chose laminate. I do a good amount of home improvement work and am comfortable with it. Came out great and I'm happy with it, here are some tips:

Check your clearances throughout, doors, cabinets and wherever the laminate will meet with other flooring, like bedroom carpet. Keep the floor's thickness to a minimum, you're better off going with something less than 10mm. Homes are more forgiving with the space (gaps) needed for expansion and contraction but an rv is way more susceptible to those temperature changes so make sure you leave a proper gap...all the way around. You can use a colored caulk to finish the edges of if you're not happy with the way that will look, install 1/4 round for a nice finished look. (Provided you have clearance and can make nice looking returns. Almost all laminate flooring today are the type that locks into each other so you shouldn't worry about it coming apart, just make sure you don't buy the cheapest floor available, I find that the locking tongue and grooves on crappy floors are a problem. This is important...even though the floor will lock together, run a bead of glue on every board that is near a water source. The entire bathroom and the area near the kitchen. This is true for all laminate flooring applications, whenever you install it near water, glue it. This way, when water gets to the floor, and it will, there is less of a chance of it seeping into the groves, getting under the laminate and breaking down the floor from underneath.

New to the site btw, so if I figure out how to post pics, or if we can, I'll share.

[Ron3rd]

From what I've read on this forum, if you expect big temp swings, you want to go with the snap and lock version of Allure, not the basic version the big box stores carry. Usually special order.

BTW, all these types of floors are "floating" floors so there's nothing to "stick down", meaning I don't understand the post above. The complaints I've read here relate to the stick together Alure coming apart at the seams in big temp swing areas. The snap and lock version seems to solve that. And yes, Alure is not "approved" for RV use, though lots of folks have installed it in RVs.

FWIW, Forest River and Airstream use Beaufloor. We ordered it in our new Rockwood Windjammer:

Why BeauFloor?

Looks like Armstrong, Pergo, Alure, et al, and is vinyl and can get wet.

Here too:Samples

Seems to be OK so far.

[jhlady]

BurbMan,

Had a good friend of mine install Allure in his Class C and he has regretted it since. Wished he would have used laminate from the start. Having problems with it staying stuck down. Will probably take it up over the winter and install laminate like he has in his house and like I installed in mine. The thickness of the laminate has not been a problem and cleared my slide with no problems. Just check your clearance before you start. Lot's of info. here in RV.NET about installing various laminates and their experiences.

Good luck!

[BurbMan]

Was concerned about linear shrinkage that would open gaps in the cold or expansion that might cause buckling in the heat. Have not looked at it close enough to see a disclaimer but good to know. Do you know if all brands carry the same disclaimer? What brand did you use?

[BuckBarker]

Two comments for you.
1. There is a disclaimer in the instructions warning about not using in an RV.
2. I installed it in my rig several years ago and it has held up very well living both in the mountains of AZ where it got terribly cold and now here in FL where the heat never ends.

The choice is yours.