Marmoleum Flooring -Sheet or tile

[njunear]

Okay -I contacted the nearest Marmoleum supplier (Jackson,Ms) and I have color brochures. Now I need to know which to use - Sheet material or tile. I have a 1986 32' Argosy I am updating. Tile is also available that "locks" together. Sorry I cannot load pictures yet but I am going to learn how.

[cameront120]

Tile is preferred by some because they like the idea that they can align the seam with joint in the plywood subfloor. Sheetgoods that are glued down can crack over time where the plywood joints are. I would avoid the 'locking' tiles, as they are on MDF which does not stand up well to water and humidity.

[Macfrodge]

Tile is always good in case of minor damage - much easier to replace a tile than fix a single sheet...

Whichever you choose, be sure to use a commercial floor sealer to seal the floor as well as a couple of coats of floor finish for ease of maintenance. Most marmoleums come with a polyurethane manufacturer-applied top coating that is UV cured, however this will wear down over time. So to maintain the appearance of the floor it's recommended to seal it and use a floor finish.

Moisure is a killer to marmoleum - so be sure to seal it well. It will swell if any moisture comes into contact with the sides/underside.

[Safari Tim]

For a DIY go with the marmoleum click. For a pro install go with the sheet.

Sheet can withstand water damage better than the click can. Plus with sheet you can drill right through it to mount cabinets or other items without worrying about expansion. You also don't need to worry about that 3/8" thickness you are adding when you put cabinets back in.

[njunear]

Thanks for the input.
Since I am going to have the flooring installed I think I will go with the sheet material. I will, however, do the carpet and vinyl removal myself as I may find some floor areas in this 20 year old trailer that require some repair. I also would like to sand the floor myself as the "professionals" sometimes just give it a lick and a promise.
It is my intention to remove the couch from the trailer and also the double bed in the back. I am not so certain about the base cabinet (Dinette) removal - are they difficult?

[Excella CM]

We have marmoleum sheet in the front half of the Excella. I removed the vinyl tile that had separated at the seams and also removed the plywood sub-floor that somewone had added over the original. I didn't want to mess with a template so I opted to have the floor professionally installed, but had to sign a waiver to get them to do it over the original floor (they wanted to add the extra plywood sub floor again). The sheet wont crack as long as it cannot move up and down at a seam and the original has the seems along the floor frames hence no movement if the bolts are tight. It's been in two years with no trouble. We wanted the seamless look and also wished to avoid the inevitable separation along the seems when dirt gets in and undermines the adhesive.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by njunear

It is my intention to remove the couch from the trailer and also the double bed in the back. I am not so certain about the base cabinet (Dinette) removal - are they difficult?

Nope...it's all just attached with screws to the floor and walls...you'll be surprised how easy it all comes apart.

FWIW, we have had sheet Marmoleum down in our GlobeTrotter since March of 2002...no signs of cracking or deterioation of any sort and we are tough on it - over 25,000 miles since install. Also, lots of rain showers on our camping adventures here in the Rockies and lots of dirt tracked in. We are so pleased with it we are putting the same down in our Safari. The tough thing is just deciding which color to choose!

Shari