What type of flooring should we use?

[marlaannyoung]

We need to replace the flooring in our 1977 Boler. What works best? Glue down vinyl or laminate click floor?

[k corbin]

Glue down vinyl. Water can't get underneath it which is very important, it is less expensive, it is lighter in weight, it is faster to install.


If you don't want to install it yourself you can get pretty much any flooring store to do it for you at a reasonable price.

[gordon2]

SEE:
https://www.google.com/search?&q=all...berglassrv.com

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by k corbin

Glue down vinyl. Water can't get underneath it which is very important..

Water can still get under the flooring at the edges. But if the flooring is glued down completely then it is is bear to remove when the water from the edges has rotted the sub-floor. Floating vinyl planks would be my choice. Floating floors are basically one piece when assembled but also not attached to the sub-floor so they can expand or contract with the temperature changes and can be removed if needed.

[Civilguy]

If you go with a click-lock style of flooring, I suggest staying away from anything with a "fiberboard" core as any particle board or fiberboard tends to become a sponge over time. There apparently are some click-lock system with a solid vinyl core. Those would resist water much better. Overall, though I'm not a fan of these products in general.

Personally, we have sheet vinyl which was installed by Escape. We keep an old-fashioned floor mat made from recycled tires at the doorstep, a shaggy piece of old carpet inside at the entry, and a polypropylene runner down the center-line in front of the stove.

If the vinyl ever wore out, I'd float leveling compound and install another sheet of vinyl on top of the old one. While I've had a lot of experience installing sheet vinyl, I'd say it's not impractical for someone to learn. Or perhaps you could hire it out.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by gordon2

SEE:
https://www.google.com/search?&q=all...berglassrv.com

At a glance, this looks like a good bet as the Isocore is comprised of vinyl and waterproof.

One of the difficulties with click-lock can be installing it in small, odd-shaped areas. However, if someone were to go the click-lock route, this looks like the type of product to do it with.

[floyd]

Both are great choices.
We installed the click together flooring then sealed it with industrial grade floor wax. It is durable, attractive, and easy to maintain.


Of course, most any good vinyl one piece sheet flooring is nice.
The surface is durable but subject to tears in the surface when scuffed or scraped.
There are some very good and strong commercial grade vinyls,while expensive by the square foot , you don't need many square feet.


I have found that some grades of sheet vinyl ,especially light colors will have a chemical reaction to throw rugs with a white rubber grip coating, causing a yellowing which can not be remedied.

A dark color or wood grain pattern, or no rubber backed rugs should avoid this problem.

[Capn.Curt.Wiebe]

We used floating vinyl, the kind that has self-adhesive strips that glues them together, but can easily be picked up and removed from the trailer for later work, cleaning, whatever.

I had been looking at this option for some time, then found some remnants at a garage sale - just enough to do the lower (main) floor area in our Trillium 4500 for $5.

[Bob & Jackie C]

2 years ago we installed Pergo Outlast + flooring and it still looks new. Easy to install and suppose to be water proof when installed properly.

[GOB]

We put down vinyl planks. Easier than laminate and still looks great after 5 years. + it is water proof and no glue.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by marlaannyoung

We need to replace the flooring in our 1977 Boler. What works best? Glue down vinyl or laminate click floor?

I wouldn't use click flooring. It will come unclicked and you'll be reclicking it all the time. The man that did all our floors told us since our house didn't have perfectly level floors it wouldn't work well. We used a laminate floor that had glue strips attached and it all worked well and is still great today. It goes with the unlevelness of the flooring. We have glue down vinyl in our motorhome and like it also. It's a 2012 and has held up like new still. We used to have a cat and our grandson went with us several times. With the plank flooring you cannot glue any of it down especially the edges since it is a floating flooring and needs to move to prevent bending or shrinking during temperature changes. If you use vinyl get some high quality.

[Bob & Jackie C]

I sealed the flooring edges so that water will not pass to underneath.I did mention it would hold out water if installed properly.
Just saying,

[Joe Romas]

I used a 100% waterproof flooring from US Floors called CoreTech. Was not cheap but very nice, wish I would had found it earlier. I cut 2" wide strips, painted the edges and used it for trim around the cabinets. I used a heat gun that made it very easy to curve it around corners.
https://www.flooringinc.com/vinyl-fl...c-plus-xl.html
I choose a gray tile pattern that matched the Casita interior very well. It was the 6th floor I put in our 1999 Casita in the 13 years I owned it. Composition laminate flooring swells when damp and absorbs water. Vinyl at least what I had needed to be in a controlled environment that was definitely not a camping trailer. It got hard and brittle in cold weather and soft and mushy in hot weather.

[CalgaryEscape]

I used an all-vinyl click flooring. Waterproof and not nearly as heavy as regular click flooring. Nice to work with and it fits so tightly together I'm not worried about it lifting up on its own. In Canada, here's a link to one brand: https://www.rona.ca/en/vinyl-planks-...t-box-54835859 , but I'm pretty sure it's a U.S.-made product.

[GBehnke]

Originally Posted by Bob & Jackie C

2 years ago we installed Pergo Outlast + flooring and it still looks new. Easy to install and suppose to be water proof when installed properly.

How much flooding did you need? I’m wondering what the square footage is if you’re not taking out all the benches.

[robf]

Our Trillium has a sheet of soft-ish vinyl/linoleum floor cut to fit snugly and just set in place (and tucked under the fridge). I usually lift it out to sweep after a trip. The fiberglass underneath is in good shape. The lino protects, is nicer to walk on and looks nice.

[Bob & Jackie C]

Originally Posted by GBehnke

How much flooding did you need? I’m wondering what the square footage is if you’re not taking out all the benches.

With the Pergo Outlast + I used almost 2 boxes. Bought flooring and moulding at Home Depot. PM me if anyone wants details on how I installed moulding and sealed edges.
Fun project,

[Joe Romas]

Originally Posted by EmilyGmail

There are different types of flooring available. You should chose them according to your need.

Yes but Most trailers are used and kept under the same conditions.

#1 it must be 100% waterproof with no if's, and's or but's about it. In a
trailer besides dampness it will always get wet at some time or another.
#2 able to withstand a wide temperature range, lows of 0f in the winter and above 100f in storage.

Having experience with most available products I used on our now sold casita
the two most important things are above.


The solid vinyl I tried needed to be in a controlled temperature, your house. In the winter outside in a cold trailer it was too stiff and in the hot summer sun it was too flexible. Driving along the highway these trailers flex an unbelievable amount.

What I used above was not cheap, just under $200 as I recall, but I tried at least 6 types of products over 13 years and found it was perfect, wish I would have found it earlier. The gray tile look matched the Casita perfectly.
It clicks together and I installed them all over the carpet

[Motoboss]

I’m facing this decision this Spring and come to this conclusion. Carpet. Why put down a solid flooring and then cover it with rugs, which everyone does? I prefer carpet as it provides better insulation, noise reduction and warmth. Many advantages over solid flooring, except waterproof ability you say, even solid flooring (plank or sheet) is venerable too.

Waterproof Carpeting is the solution! https://www.flooringamerica.com/tigressah2o

https://youtu.be/grIlRhbh1so

Yeah, yeah yeah your saying it’s not “100 % waterproof “, well neither is any other flooring.
This options allows for a one piece installation and spills can just as easily be cleaned up as quickly as you would on any other surface. Additionally it is flexible so temperature extremes won’t effect it, no “popping up” or buckling.

Think about commercial applications where high wear carpeting is used in high traffic situations; hospitals, office buildings and even convention centers. It last, cleans easily and in a camper is a one piece installation and affordable.

It’s an option. One that I am going to use.

[Casita Greg]

Well, all I can say is I've never been a big fan of carpeting, especially in a trailer or RV. In fact, when I set down my specifications for my trailer order, I went with the linoleum flooring, even though it cost a little more, (because the rough floor surface requires more surface prep time than getting away with a rough surface that you can quickly just slap carpeting over and call it good.)

To me, carpeting in a trailer is just a disaster waiting to happen. Don't get me wrong, I don't like getting up and walking around on a cold bare floor either, but I use 6' X 2' "runner rugs" in the main aisle. I can take them out and beat them, and when I get home, I can throw them in the washing machine. Always look good, feel clean and are easily replaced if they get "ratty." Not something that can be said for permanently installed carpeting. And when they install carpeting on the floor at the factory, it is under all your cabinets as well before they're installed, so if you ever change your mind down the road and want to remove it, you'll have to remove all your benches and cabinets to get it out.

Just something to think about before you "pull the trigger" on it.