Scamp Carpet?

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by CampyTime

I agree with Norm about carpet. I had a pop up camper with vinyl floor for several years and always felt cold and yucky on my feet. I swept it a lot each day because I could always feel grit.

Scamp carpeting is soft underfoot and holds particulate well. I whisk broom in e a day and vacuum when I get home. Have a simple rubber backed carpeted mat at door which catches most of the crud. We take shoes off either outside on patio mat or inside if were lazy and then throw them out the door. I shake out little mat and that takes care of most of it.

One friend I know just cut the carpet to basically fit floor but didn't glue it. You could do that to try before you buy so to speak.

Best wishes,
Wendy


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

As I wrote above, I'm a long way from doing anything with the floor covering of my 13-foot Scamp.

At this moment, and remember I do change my mind almost hourly, my plan is to sand the plywood floor, and then coat it with epoxy resin to add to the waterproofing.

After that cured for several days, I would paint the floor with a good quailty deck and porch latex paint. Then add "wall to wall" carpet for ALL of the exposed floor, after the latex paint had harden for a couple of weeks..

The carpet would not to glued or fastened to the floor, and will be easy to lift up, and tote outside to shake and clean.

Anyway, that's what I now THINK I will do....

Thaks for all the good coments!

Bill

[Donna D.]

There's a reason for slippers or socks. I've hated the carpet in my Scamp for years. I now have an ETI custom built trailer with a vinyl floor and rug runners. No competition. I would chose vinyl over carpet any day. Who wants to take a vacuum while camping? Not me YMMV. A wet paper towel cleans the vinyl, the rug runner can be shaken outside... and I'm always wear either socks or slippers inside the trailer. No yucky stuff stuck to the bottom of my feet or damp/cold feet walking to the "flushy." Again... YMMV

[BatDude]

I noted in another thread someone working on renovations has replaced their flooring with cork.
Sounds great.

We opted not to have new vinyl for our new Scamp (16' retrieved in Oct. 2014) as the off gassing of hazardous fumes is more that we wanted to be exposed to in an enclosed space. As it is the fiberglass resigns off gas for quite awhile.

Of course the carpet adhesives etc. all have volatile chemicals.

Always a trade off of what one can/is willing to live with.
We added an 110 AC powered hand vacuum while on the road to keep the carpet clean.
Once a week keeps it great. One lesson we learned was to also carry a container of carpet cleaner.

[Darral T.]

Do WHAT???? My new 2010 had vinyl and we NEVER smelled it. I hope no one reads your post and doesn't get vinyl because of the smell! And ours is a 13'!

Originally Posted by BatDude

We opted not to have new vinyl for our new Scamp (16' retrieved in Oct. 2014) as the off gassing of hazardous fumes is more that we wanted to be exposed to in an enclosed space.

[BatDude]

Hi Darral,

You may not "smell" the gasses.

Being science driven (both wife and I are research biologists/ecologists) we are likely "over the top" with such concerns.

Here is some info from Home Advisor (link at bottom)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Vinyl Flooring from a Green Perspective
For starters, let's talk vinyl. Johnston and the rest of the green remodeling community have some serious concerns about the durability of vinyl flooring, and its shortcomings from a health standpoint. Here's a list of things that David Johnston thinks you need to know if you're thinking about installing vinyl flooring in your home.

• Vinyl Can Trap Moisture—In hot and humid climates where air conditioning is the norm, vinyl flooring can end up trapping moisture in your home. That can mean rot, flooring failure, and in a worst case scenario, the development of dangerous mold, which has been associated with everything from respiratory problems to disorders of the immune and nervous systems.
• Vinyl Chloride—Vinyl flooring off gases vinyl chloride fumes into your indoor environment. We all know that "beachball smell". In addition to being a known carcinogen, vinyl chloride has been implicated in vision and hearing problems, birth defects, gastrointestinal problems, and disorders of the skin, respiratory system, and liver.
• Vinyl Flooring and Longevity—Vinyl flooring also comes up short in the longevity department, since it rarely lasts 10 years, and shows age even quicker. That adds up to more frequent, and expensive repair or replacement flooring projects, and more waste sent to the landfill.

During the production of materials such as vinyl, various chemicals are used. These chemicals slowly release themselves from the vinyl and into the surrounding air. This process is outgassing -- also called offgassing -- and can cause a wide array of health complications including headaches, fatigue and nausea. Offgassing is a common process and occurs in a wide array of common household items including furniture, carpet, clothing, flooring and wood products.

Read more : How Long Does It Take Vinyl to Outgas? | eHow
During the production of materials such as vinyl, various chemicals are used. These chemicals slowly release themselves from the vinyl and into the surrounding air. This process is outgassing -- also called offgassing -- and can cause a wide array of health complications including headaches, fatigue and nausea. Offgassing is a common process and occurs in a wide array of common household items including furniture, carpet, clothing, flooring and wood products.

Read more : How Long Does It Take Vinyl to Outgas? | eHow
During the production of materials such as vinyl, various chemicals are used. These chemicals slowly release themselves from the vinyl and into the surrounding air. This process is outgassing -- also called offgassing -- and can cause a wide array of health complications including headaches, fatigue and nausea. Offgassing is a common process and occurs in a wide array of common household items including furniture, carpet, clothing, flooring and wood products.

Read more : How Long Does It Take Vinyl to Outgas? | eHow
During the production of materials such as vinyl, various chemicals are used. These chemicals slowly release themselves from the vinyl and into the surrounding air. This process is outgassing -- also called offgassing -- and can cause a wide array of health complications including headaches, fatigue and nausea. Offgassing is a common process and occurs in a wide array of common household items including furniture, carpet, clothing, flooring and wood products.

Read more : How Long Does It Take Vinyl to Outgas? | eHow
During the production of materials such as vinyl, various chemicals are used. These chemicals slowly release themselves from the vinyl and into the surrounding air. This process is outgassing -- also called offgassing -- and can cause a wide array of health complications including headaches, fatigue and nausea. Offgassing is a common process and occurs in a wide array of common household items including furniture, carpet, clothing, flooring and wood products."

++++++++++++++++++

Choosing Green: Vinyl or Linoleum Sheet Flooring

[Darral T.]

Ok Professor....now digress on the fiberglass that's MUCH more prevalent and still is to a small degree in my 5 yo Scamp. Ummm..no headaches or nausea here...but the wife sure didnt like the strong fiberglass smell that lingered for over a year. Oh...and the ratfur (Marine upholstery)? I just dont see the merit in being that concerned over the vinyl. But I'm a "mechanical" guy...not a scientist.

[QUOTE=BatDude;519260]Hi Darral,
Being science driven (both wife and I are research biologists/ecologists) we are likely "over the top" with such concerns.

[rdickens]

Seems like there is out-gassing and pollutants everywhere these days. Tailpipe emissions, synthetic foam mattresses/cushions, carpet/vinyl adhesives, etc. With all of the plastics, foam,
and adhesives that are used in automobile manufacturing, I have wondered about sitting
inside an enclosed tow vehicle for hours enroute to a destination.

We tend to be outside of our trailer more than we are inside it. When we are inside the trailer,
we almost always have some windows and top-vent/fan open for air circulation.

The expoxy(s) used in early foam-and-fiberglass aircraft construction were very toxic ....
especially during the curing process. Some builders had their eyes swollen shut or other
more severe health consequences .... some temporary; some permanent. Later epoxy/poly resins were/are much safer and better.

Just my random thoughts .....
As always, YMMV.

Ray



Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[kootenaigirl]

You can also look at the old fashioned linoleum if you are concerned about off gassing. We put some down in our house and also a trailer and were quite happy with it. One of the newer brands is Marmoleum.

[RogerDat]

I would (and am) looking at Allure flooring, overlapping strips that adhere to each other. Even with some of the more premium colors/styles it is only about $60 for 2 boxes and it does not take much over 1 box to do the whole floor. Looks like wood plank flooring but vinyl.

No adhesive to apply or stuck to the floor. If I am very careful with my cutting not much trim needed either. Possibly a thin bead of white caulk to seam between floor and white FG edges.

I figure if I mess up a strip by cutting it a little off I might be able to use it elsewhere on the floor layout AND I really hate myself when I'm working with a big sheet of vinyl and cut an "oops". Strips I will only be annoyed with myself. And then all happy when I find a place I can use the self generated scrap.

But then I'm not much into camping with carpeting, like vinyl surface and throw rugs more. HD sells a carpet made for around pools that is very durable, short dense loop. Used that in the basement, should be able to broom that to some semblance of clean without much trouble.

[John McMillin]

Thanks, Batdude, for reminding us of the hazards of synthetic flooring materials. I'd take that seriously in a trailer, a small space where I may sleep and eat with most windows closed. I know that the fiberglass shell and liner may have their own outgassing issues, but those materials were manufactured three decades ago, in my Scamp's case, so they must be close to stability by now. I would rule out laminate woods (but not engineered woods), vinyl sheet and rubber mats, which really smell evil.

I've been thinking about reflooring my trailer with some scrap Maple flooring I have, but it would add 100-200 lbs with the plywood underlayment. Weight is another consideration for us. Flagstone, anyone?

[Rick Mooyman]

Wow I just read some of the comments posted in this thread and wonder if some people should go and live in a bubble somewhere, but then the bubble is probably made from Plastic and would off gas too. There is no product out there that will not off gas in some form, so if you must replace something I guess you should go to the store and smell each product and see if you can live with it?

[Bill Nolen]

I've always favored Mexican Tile...but, I guess I'd have to buy a larger truck to pull my 13' Scamp!

All this discussion about gas vapers, etc., reminds me of a man whom I use to work with in the Federal Government. He was a very nice guy, and a good worker.

However, he had a very strong fear of germs. This fear controlled his daily life, and got to the point that he wouldn't open a closed door, but would stand by the door until someone came along and opened it! He just couldn't bring his self to touch the germ covered door knob!

When eating at our cafeteria, he would hold a bread roll pinched between two fingers, then discard the tiny bit of bread where his fingers had been holding the roll, because the tips his fingers might have picked up some germs since he washed his hands a few minute before.

He had a very lovely and nice wife. Needless to say, how they managed the aspects of the physical romantic side of their life was a topic of discussion!

Please believe me, I'm not making fun of his illness, because it was a serious illness!

Bill

[John McMillin]

Bill, you may know that there's solid science saying that normal exposure to germs will strengthen the immune system, especially among growing children. But there's no evidence that the same is true with mercury, formaldehyde and other nasty compounds present in vinyl and rubber flooring materials. I don't go camping to smell that stuff, and I don't trust its health effects, either. That doesn't make me a "boy in the bubble," but it does help me winnow through the many flooring choices available.

So I'd favor natural materials like cork or engineered hardwood if I ever get around to sprucing up my old Scamp. If your preferences are different, I'll try not to make fun of you, too.

[Bill Nolen]

Well, I don't believe I expressed a preference pertaining to flooring.

I did state i most likely use epoxy, latex paint, and carpet. But, I don't recall making fun of anyone about their preferences.

I do have the strange belief that ALL of us are going to die sooner or later! So don't worry too much about the small stuff, and enjoy the time you have left!

There will always be people with different degrees of concern about everything in this world!

Bill

[Donna D.]

Some threads I don't respond to, but this one has peaked my interest.

There are folks concerned about the long term affects to stuff that outgasses. And there are others that have severe allergies to odors. I work with people in the later. I'm always cognizent of smells/odors and try to pay attention. Certain smells give my co-workers raging headaches. So while smells/odors/outgassing may not bother you... it may make others ill. Be kind.

[John McMillin]

Call it aesthetics, that makes more sense to the safety issue. Last night while I was studying up on reflooring options, somebody had made a good case for the tough, cheap, resilient rubber mat squares sold for exercise rooms, pool walkways, and the like. It sounded like a nice idea, until I got to Batdude's post. Can you imagine the smell inside a closed trailer on a hot day, with a fresh rubber floor baking inside for weeks?

[Hidalga]

No smell on the floor/ bottom end either...all looking and smelling good on my end. Can't experience what others are complaining about with their composite choices...
I went with Bruce flooring & 1 year into it without complaints. It's an easy enough medium to change if it becomes an issue.
Again, we can talk privately if you choose laminate T&G method...
You have my handle.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Fair weather weekenders, Donna D.

Where have you been? So far, I've been out camping every month this year. Most of it in the rain. Walking on wet carpet in socks or bare feet isn't pleasant. At least with a vinyl floor I can wipe up the water. Different strokes for different folks.

[RogerDat]

Back in the day to provide a waterproof liner under bathtubs or showers they used thin sheet lead which could be formed and soldered into a water tight barrier. Now we tend to use vinyl but I think I know where you can pick up some of that sheet lead. Zero off gassing but will add a bit to the tow weight ;-)

People do have different sensitivity to chemicals, for me opening some windows, running a fan on some hot sunny days tends to clear up the worst of it from synthetic products. It tends to be cooler in the evening when I'm sleeping inside than on the hot day so once the "easy" stuff is been baked off I have never noticed a problem.

The chemical they use to clean/sanitize feather pillows in motels on the other hand will make it so I wake up in the morning looking like I spent the night getting dosed with pepper spray and mace. Nose running and eyes watering and bloodshot. It is not feathers or down, I have down items, even a down sleeping bag for many years.

But rebel that I am I will drink water from a plastic bottle that has been sitting in a hot car. Figuring the semi-truck that hauls any bottled water and the warehouse where it was stored probably pretty warm anyway. I will not however drink grape Kool-Aid from an aluminum canteen.... it tastes awful.

[Hommy Joy]

I doubt anyone will see this but I want to say "thank you" to everyone who posted and made such thoughtful comments on what has, and has not, worked for their Scamp experience.

What a genius idea about having the oversized rug cut ane edged Jon! I would have never thought of that.