Pergo in the bathroom

[Chuck]

I installed pergo in my trailer last fall, and actually, never quite finished the bathroom. I still need to install the trim pieces, called "end moldings", which are designed to be used where the pergo meets a vertical surface, like up against a cabinet, etc. it looks kind of like a narrow carpet reducer.

Anyway, I've got the floor planks down in the bathroom, and I'm not liking the way it looks. and I don't think the end moldings will fit properly up against the riser that forms the base for the toilet, and vanity cabinet. There's a flange that sticks out at the bottom and is attached to the plywood floor. Then there is also a flange at the base of the shower, and another at the base of the bathroom closet. these were hidden by the original carpet. (must have been carpet originally; the plywood subfloor looks pristine). I can't decide if its a good idea to try and cover these up with the moldings, (the fit would be difficult, as they're meant to sit flat on the sub-floor) or just butt the moldings up to the edge of the flange, and then have this huge trough around the outside of the pergo....which could be filled w/ sealant. (that would look like crap).

Or, I could just yank out the 3, 1.5 foot planks that are there, and put down some of those self-stick vinyl tiles. But that might look just as bad with those flanges exposed. don't know if I could tuck the edges of the tiles under the flanges, or not. What do you think?

[thenewkid64]

Chuck,

Could you measure the height of the flange and dado out the back of the pergo to go over the flange? This would allow you to scribe the edge of the plank and possibly eliminate the edge trim all together. As long as you have it close and place some of the foam pad over the flange I would think it would work. You will not have much weight on the edges where you dado out the back, so the chance of cracking should be minimal.

[Chuck]

3 problems with that:

I don't have the necessary tools, and the flanges in question don't really appear flat, anyway.

the stuff is so thin, there ain't much to carve out

there's supposed to be a gap around all the edges so that the planks can move.

Here's a crude drawing of what the parts are supposed to look like....that is, if there were no flange.

[thenewkid64]

Chuck,

I have no experience with this, so I did not think it was that thin. To make dado cuts I just set my tablesaw up with the blade up the depth of the dado I want to cut and feed it thru over and over while moving the fence. It may not be New Yankee Workshop but it gets the job done.

If you trimmed the edge moulding so it would sit on top of the flange and still be level with the floor you could use a small long screw to hold the moulding to the flange and all it would take is predrilling the moulding and a pilot hole in the flange. No glue, so it can be pulled up if needed.

I am looking to do a partial wood floor in my 78 MH, so now I know not to use a thin product, but one that I can undercut if need be.

[Chuck]

I don't even have a table saw

I'm sure you could undercut it with a table saw, though...but we're talkin' "mm" here. I don't remember the exact thickness of the planks, but its something like 1/4 inch. for reference, the horizontal part of the molding in my drawing is about an inch wide.

You probably want to stick w/ "pergo" or similar, because it "floats", and the MH will definately move. The tricky part is dealing with these moldings, though, because the stuff is meant to be up against flat, straight walls, with a 1/4 inch gap for expansion, and the gap covered over by a base molding of some sort. doesnt' work out in a metal-walled trailer In my small trailer, though, there are very few spots where the wall is exposed all the way to the floor. 99% of the plank edges are hidden under cabinets/beds.

I was thinking of your suggestion about trimming the molding, but its so small, I'd probably have to use a hand-planer. then again, I'm not sure I like the idea of pergo in the bathroom, afterall. I noticed this weekend that the joint between 2 of the planks was askew..then I remembered that on our last trip, there was water in the toilet when we left..I forgot to empty it. I thought of it during a rest-stop, and checked on it. there was no water in the toilet...and no sign of it on the floor, either so I just shrugged it off. but looking at that joint, which is right in front of the toilet.....I'm thinking the water splashed out onto the floor, got soaked into the joint, and it swelled. now, they "say" that a little water on the floor, if wiped up immediately, won't hurt anything....but this wasn't wiped up immediately. so....that's why I'm thinking about a few vinyl tiles, instead.

[PeterH-350LE]

That little stupid flange AND the moisture in the bathroom is the reason why I used carpet and not pergo or tile.
To avoid other 'problems' our toilet is strictly sit-down only.

[Chuck]

vinyl tiles would be waterproof, though...wouldn't they? or do you just think it would look bad with the stupid flanges?

you put a whole bunch of pergo in your MH, if I recall correctly?

[j54mark]

I got a piece of left over vinyl from a bathroom job and put it in my Airstream's bathroom myself. Even I can lay vinyl when it is that small an area. If you haven't got any, most flooring stores have remnants they sell pretty cheap.

You would still have to put some molding or flat vinyl floor trim around the edges to keep it from curling up.

Mark

[87MH]

I recently did the Pergo thing in the 345.

I solved the Bath Area Floor Dilema (lots of angle fits) by utilizing an array of various sized trim, sometimes *doubling up* on the trim pieces, and fabricating "fill" pieces from the flooring itself.

Probably the slickest trick was I velcroed most of the smaller pieces. You can't tell they are velcroed unless you stoop down to inspect it. Went on a lot easier, an exact fit was not necessary, and they are easy to pick up and reinstall is you do have to dry the area out.