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soldiermedic · 10-30-2006, 03:52 PM

I have noticed a great deal of people are going with a Pergo or Armstrong laminate floating floor system. I went to Lowes and Home Depot today and was told that I would be crazy to do so since it gets cold here in Missouri. I can't imagine that it would be such a big deal. So...will having such a floor system in the midwest USA cause problems for me with the floor life? Also, would you remove all of the interior furniture (Dinette, Beds, etc), and place underneath them, or would you but up against the edge? Most companies suggest using quarter round to cover the edge spacing, but I cant see how that works with an A/S since you really cant nail into the metal skin.

Comments, suggestions, experiences of your own?

ALANSD · 10-30-2006, 04:02 PM

Yes remove the furniture, and anything else that is not a problem to remove. It will make the laminate look better and go down easier.
As for the cold effecting it, remember the guys at HD and Lowe's are mostly retirees who have limited knowledge, especially about RV's. Not all mind you, but many. They may know lumber or paint from their practical experience.
Install the flooring sideways ( across the width), don't use glue, and remember to leave a small space at the wall for heat expansion. You can use quarter round, you just nail it into the subfloor. I did my 78, it looks great and was very inexpensive. After camping you sweep it out, and you're done.

ALANSD · 10-30-2006, 04:03 PM

here ya go---

Happycampers · 10-30-2006, 04:04 PM

Hello.. We put Armstrong laminate flooring in our other Argosy and loved it so much we are putting the same in our present Argosy.. this is exactly the same laminate that is in some $400-500,000 motorhomes.. we live in Ontario and left a piece out for than 18 months ago .. and it looks just the same as when it came out of the box... The store we bought it from was so impressed that they have a pic of it..

Happycampers · 10-30-2006, 04:06 PM

The best kind to put in is a click flooring.. and put caulking around the perimeter when you are finished.. Will try and post a pic

trea · 10-30-2006, 04:08 PM

Why would you run it sideways compared to the length of the AS

Larry and Nicole

soldiermedic · 10-30-2006, 04:37 PM

Here is the front of my Safari. If I remove this dinette, and the goucho, and put the flooring underneath it, I would not be able to put the screws back into the same place. Should the old holes be sealed, and what would you use??

Excella CM · 10-30-2006, 06:20 PM

We just installed costco pergo style laminate in the rear 2/3 of the Silver Pullit. They suggest (demanded) 3/8" clearance all around, but I figure that's for a 12' run (average room) so I diminished that by 4/5. Installed it as a floating floor on their proprietary plastic foam bedding. Didn't put it under either rear bed. Went down easy, looks great-as for the rest-time will tell, but we're optimistic.

soldiermedic · 10-30-2006, 06:22 PM

Excella CM, what are you covering your edges with to dress it up?

peegreen · 10-30-2006, 08:13 PM

I installed mine lengthwise, search the forums for all sorts of pics and opinions. It gets well below 0F in Maine and the interior well over 100F when all closed up sitting in the summer sun. Looks like the day it was installed. I used the quarter round for the brand of laminate - the Home Depot special of the month. 15 year warranty for home use which equates to a millenium for RV use considering the number of nights out in a typical year unless you're a full timer. Furniture is not always that easy to remove, but some aluminum extrusions that were screwed through the carpeting were removed. I drilled a large hole through the laminate before screwing these pieces back down so as to allow the floor to 'float' around the screws and underneath the aluminum plates and not buckle.

Tarheel · 10-30-2006, 08:22 PM

I've had mine in for several years. It has seen the hot humid conditions of the North Carolina coast, the arrid Southwest desert, Cold in the Rockies and everything inbetween Salem Oregon and North Carolina. I have had no problems with the flooring. I did nail down the 1/4 round and that was a mistake, it should be glued. The flooring (laminate from Sam's Club) looks like it was put down yesterday.

Fyrzowt · 10-30-2006, 08:33 PM

Tarheel,

Why was nailing your trim a mistake? My PO nailed mine, wondering if I should something with it.

soldiermedic · 10-30-2006, 08:43 PM

Tarheel,

When you say you are nailing it I assume you mean into the subfloor and not the side of the aluminum skin right?

j54mark · 10-30-2006, 09:01 PM

I have had laminate flooring (Alloc brand) in my coach for three years. It still looks like new, right here in Missouri.

You can choose to install it front to back, or side to side, as you wish. I installed mine lengthwise, but would not do so again as it is far easier to install side to side.

To keep from splitting or buckling it does need to "float", so you do not want to install cabinets on top of it, thereby rendering it immobile. As noted above, the runs in our coaches are much shorter than the manufacturer anticipates, so you can reduce the recommended gap at the ends - by half if you go side to side. There will be NO gap in the front after the first time out, so there is no point in installing it with any gap in the front.

I was unwilling to use it in the bathroom, but others have.

I wanted to be able to take mine up, should the need arise, so I installed my quarter round with countersunk brass screws into the sidewalls. I think there is a photo of this in the forums archives somewhere.

Mark

soldiermedic · 10-30-2006, 09:14 PM

Mark,

Do you mean that after the first time out all of the flooring will shift during transit? Going side to side looks easier to me. I would like to put a patch of vinyl right at the door, and place vinyl in the bathroom.

GreatPumpkin · 10-30-2006, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trea

Why would you run it sideways compared to the length of the AS

Larry and Nicole

Lesson learned the hard way - We installed lengthwise, and the flexing of the frame (26') is causing buckling issues. Sideways is definitely the better way to go.

Tarheel · 10-30-2006, 10:09 PM

To the subfloor or cabinets. We travel quite a bit and the vibrations worked the nails out so I went back with liquid nails this has held the trim in place. It will work with the floor and cabinets. I have a 34' and went lenthwise and had no problems. Whatever works for you is the way to go. Side to side will be alot easier to fit. I never even considered going side to side the marine side of me said decks go fore to aft not atwartships not that its any better.
Rick

soldiermedic · 10-30-2006, 10:12 PM

So the general concensus is...install side to side, do no place underneath the existing gouchos, beds, or cabinets to allow the floor to flex. Then at the end glue the qtr round over the edge, or caulk it, and I saw Barry used angled aluminum in his 72 Overlander.

Thanks.

65overlander · 10-31-2006, 05:54 AM

the overlander renovation which was documented on the diy channel used a cork floor laminate. they took it up to (but not touching) the wall of the trailer. they then used a finish strip which was riveted into the either the "c" channel or the inner skin panel. this would be much like the trim cover for the fresh water tank running on the floor next to the wall going to the sink which was also riveted to the inner skin. if you nail a piece of quarter round into the subfloor, just make sure you do not go through the floating laminate with any of the nails. remember, it is a "floating" laminate and it needs to be able to move. good luck on your renovation.

ALANSD · 10-31-2006, 06:33 AM

as stated above the side to side method prevents the buckling from happening.Nailing the round into the floor only will not hurt anything. I used the plastic type that I drilled with a pilot hole first.
If you take out the furniture seal up the holes from the old screws with wood putty. Then the new holes will not match exactly but it won't matter.
Be sure while you have evrything out that if there are any water spots on the subfloor there are not present leaks to match, and fix any rotting or weakend wood.