Nice floating vinyl floor

[Gina D.]

My recent shower explosion forced me to redo the floor sooner than I had planned. It's amazing how fast even indoor/outdoor carpet can mildew.. took less the 24 hours before I was gagging from the smell.

So.... up it came and in the dumpster it went. (Bye Bye Blue!)

I have always had a washable and DRYable floor for this reason, and it's far easier to clean up the hair and other leavings from the pets.

Much to my suprise, I found this soft vinyl floor at HD as soon as I walked into the flooring section. It's about 1/8" thick, very pliable, and easily cut with a box knife with a sharp blade.

I kept the icky damaged carpet for the pattern, (It was just layed down in the trailer, and it pulled up in one peice) layed it on top of the vinyl and did my best to align the planks so they were square. Doing it by eyeball turned out pretty good. I traced the pattern and dropped the flooring right in, but in two peices, so I could align better.

There are the expected boo boos, but these were easily covered by trim.

For trim, I used a double rolled rubber window seal with VHB tape on the back. (I tested it last nite. Put a bit inside a cabinet, and in the morning, it had set to the point were I had to use a chisel to remove it) I squeezed it in the center so the rolls would be together, and I did not stick the part that is on the floor down, so I could pull up the floor if needed without fighting with the trim.

The walls in the trailer are far from straight, and putting rigid molding in would actually look worse than nothing at all because it would not conform to the wabbles and uneven curves etc from the molds.

I really need a plywood underlayment to make it flat and perfect, and to help not feel the bolt heads that hold the floor to the frame, or the hump in the center where the seams are joined. But I did not have time, the tools or a way to carry the materials right now. If I find I cannot live with the character, I will pull it up and do so. So far, it's not a big deal and looks pretty good. (Better than the carpet did!) I slathered a layer of caulk over the bolt heads to protect the floor from the corners of them. You only feel a slight bump if you step directly on them when barefoot.

It is also very warm. I can plop my bare feet on it when I get out of bed and it is toasty, not cold like wood or other materials I have used. It also seem industrial strength durable.

The brand is Tarkett. The model is Tobbaco road, which is somewhat ironic in my case..

Tarkett Flooring

Total cost was 65 bones.

[Chuck-H]

Nice Job Gina, looks nice!!!
Chuck n Nancie

[Taylor Kissinger]

Allright Gina> I will have to stop and look at this Vinyl. I want to replace the Carpet in our 5er, it is allways a mess with 2 critters afoot. Nice Job.
Taylor the Sailor

[Christi V.]

great job and looks great!!!

[james kent]

What you'r doing looks GREAT, and I love watching the changes..........
But you're workin" too hard at it. You soon won't have anything left to do.
Take a break and GO CAMPIN'.

[Brian B-P]

All the advantages of a continuous sheet and yet floating/removable... sounds good! Thanks Gina

[Gina D.]

Thanks.

But you're workin" too hard at it. You soon won't have anything left to do.

There will ALWAYS be something to do!

I AM camping, sort of. I am at the Worlds most expensive RV park, and have been for a week. This is my "Work Camp Shake Down" trip for this year. The RV repair guy lives here and gives a big discount if you are in the park.. so, since the shower needed a fixin.. I stayed for a week at cheaper than what camping world would have charged just to make an appointment. I get to keep the trailer too I bought the parts and he replaced the shower faucet, redid the connections and replaced both dump valves. $100 bucks, and he worked on it while I was at work.

This weekend is my turn.. besdides doing the floor a couple days ago, I get to.. install the new thermostat, wire up the solar panels and controller to the battery, and install the new battery charger.. hopefully allowing me to switch the convertor off forever.

I actually went to the window seal section at HD to get a new gasket for the screen door seal, and it hit me to use that stuff as trim too. It's brown and matches nicely.

Taylor the Sailor.. the dogs LOVE the floor because it's warm. My older girl is curled up on it right now.. under the air conditioner

[Karalyn]

Gina, I envy your ability to do all that stuff to your camper. I love your new flooring. I am afraid to wrip mine up for fear of making a mess. I guess I won't know unless I try, but truthfully I think I would be better off leaving it up to someone else. I do want that flooring though, it is sooooo pretty!
I have to keep checking in just to see what you are doing next. You really amaze me with your talent. You will have a camper soon that the previous owners would not even recognize. You are working hard, but I think maybe having fun fixin too. I sure do love your mods so far.

[Ann B]

Gina-- love the flooring!!!
we have indoor outdoor carpeting--but it always picks up sand & stuff -you know!!( he's not trained to take his shoes off--been trying for more than 30 years)

my Q is ----rather than plywood could we put this floor on top of the carpet?
the carpet is flat & covers the bolt heads etc....
OR is this just the dumbest idea ever?

[Gina D.]

Mine is sitting on top of the overturned bamboo carpets. they are about the right height to bring the edges up to the level of the furniture lips in most places, and gives a good cushy underlayment, and prevents the flooring from slipping. They have a padded backing, which is "up" now, and the bamboo slats are pointed down.

I would imagine that carpet would allow the flooring to slide and slip, and cause bubbles or ripples.

Plus, you still have to problem of the carpet getting wet and mildewing.

In my 13, the former owner put a plywood underlay, with reliefs for the bolts. This is the proper way to do it if you want everything flat and perfect. It adds weight, however, and this is a trailer, not a mansion. I am happy with the result and am not too motivated to do that improvement. Seems fine as is. I have forgetten about the bolts, they just don't seem that big a deal and I have to actually look for them now.