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Ophir · 06-02-2010, 09:28 PM

The last two days I have been installing cork into my 28' International. It has been quite a project and took long than expected (I know, no is surprised by that). This is my first AS and I found out a lot about how they put these babies together, not as well as I thought.

I chose glue down tiles in hopes I could get the weird edges cut better, plus it is a thin tile and weights next to nothing, but has the feel of cork.

With the shoddy floor I have I made the mistake of laying the cork in a linear pattern in the attempt elongate the hallway and the narrowness of the trailer. In hindsight I would put them down at a 90º to each other in the future and give the eye less to focus on.

The joist that is just behind the main cabin door had a creak in it and we tried a bunch of stuff to fix it. Nothing worked. Just aft of that the seam when two plywood flooring pieces met were warped a bit and left a ridge in the tiles (photos show this). I had the dip in the hallway just aft of the bathroom that I posted earlier and this was where I had really wished we had laid the tile opposing each other rather than in a line.

In the end I'd give us a B+ on the project. I am just looking forward to living it now

Ophir · 06-02-2010, 09:30 PM

We were using various weights on the tiles until I returned with the roller

Ophir · 06-02-2010, 09:32 PM

We are thinking about going back and trying to install this ridge over the two pieces of plywood that are seamed together underneath the tiles. It is right in the high traffic area.

Ophir · 06-02-2010, 09:35 PM

This is almost the finished product. I am putting a brushed nickel as the hot air register vent. It should look nice.

Ophir · 06-02-2010, 09:37 PM

Next up is a full solar system and looking at some green products for the kitchen (new countertop and table).

FreshAir · 06-02-2010, 10:03 PM

Looks very nice. You give yourself a B+ but your visitors will give you an A+ and ask you to install a floor in their's. Keep the A+....I'll keep your secret. I'm just finishing up a cork floating floor. It is a job. I tried laying it against the suggested instructions and used up several planks (snap and click together) befre going to the instructions. Can't use those planks now but I bought enough. With a floating floor you must leave a small gap around the perimeter then nail a molding to the cabinets at the floor's edge to allow the floor to expand or shrink under the trim. I'm going to shape my own molding so that I can match the stain of the other woodwork in the trailer. Pictures upon completion.
Neil.

maxandgeorgia · 06-04-2010, 08:12 PM

Neil, would you please include photos of your cork floor also? Ophir, your work is admirable. We're having a hard time making a decision, but we both really like the cork.
~G

bolerama · 06-04-2010, 09:51 PM

This looks so amazing! Well done! It's a perfect choice. It will feel so warm and soft. Eventually we will install cork too. We hadn't thought of the glue-down kind, so you've opened our eyes to the possibility. It gives a nice tight look. Thanks for the pictures.

Lisa

stephenh2 · 06-04-2010, 10:08 PM

We are hoping to put down cork in ours, too. Thanks for the photos, it looks nice. Neal: we'd like more from you on the floating plank cork, we haven't made the decision which type we will use.

Stephen

triplenet · 06-04-2010, 10:16 PM

I just finished our floor with 16"X16" vinyl tiles.

I sympathize!
We used Mannington Adura in a mottled copper/red. No big issues, but did have one lump (bolt) right at a seam. Planning does take a lot of brain cells!

I figure that if I can install flooring in an AS, next project will be learning how to post pics.

I told my tile supplier that I would do another 25' AS for $2k labor (to scare them off!).

We all appreciate the AS shape. It becomes reality when you work on renovating them.

My hint of the day is to make templates of the odd cuts with builders paper before you cut the expensive stuff.

Bob

jjustice · 06-04-2010, 11:13 PM

excellent work. It looks so good.jjustice

Ophir · 06-04-2010, 11:22 PM

Looking back over the project there is a few things I would have done differently. I chose the Vida cork with the linear look to it. It is a veneer and I don't think I would go with the veneer again. Mine was $4.50/sqft but spending more you will get something that when you ding it it will keep its same look. Mine will need to be replaced. The other thing I would have done is turned ever tile to a 90º to the other. This would provide a nice pattern of cork that wouldn't have shown the imperfections of the AS floor. The AS is is not that level or high quality. Mine came with a huge low spot between the shower and the toilet (28' International). If the cork is laid in a way that shows a linear pattern it shows off all the imperfections. I was thinking it would elongate the cabin and make it seem bigger. Big mistake.

The glue down cork is really nice but you should plan for about a 15% overage due to weird cuts. I planned 10% and came up short (I bought 91ft/sq for a 28' International). I had to buy 22 more square feet, much of it will be extra for replacement pieces.

You should only chose a clip together product if you are going to remove all the interior furniture and cabinetry. If you aren't going down the road of the full restore, the glue works well, just expect a ton of cuts and mods that are custom.

Good luck!

FreshAir · 06-05-2010, 06:56 AM

I wil post pics....but have been away from my project while taking advantage of our cooler weather this spring to cut up several downed oaks for next winter. Yesterday we had ALL of our home's windows replaced now we have to put the home back 'in order'. We went with the clip together cork plank floating floor in the AS. The fella that installed our new fireplace insert (house) 2 weeks ago, is also a building contractor, took a look at our AS floor project said that I was doing good. He offered up one suggestion to not worry about leaving the 1/4" space around the perimeter for expansion. Since we were dealing with so many cuts and only dealing with 200 sq feet he says the 'flexing' won't be all that much. I got one 'clean-up' project project around here left and I'm back to the floor. Just in time.....the weather is finally warming up. Also I gotta beat the completion of the new body and paint work being done to our convertible.....then our attentiom REALLY will be distracted!

Neil.

Ophir · 06-05-2010, 09:08 AM

Just one more thought, all of my tiles, before I cut them up, weighted 55lbs. Adding glue down cork is a very effective way of keeping your useful load in the trailer.

ZoomZoom · 06-05-2010, 05:33 PM

Here's 2 shots of the cork floor in my '60......Dare to be different!
Greg

Ophir · 06-06-2010, 12:17 AM

WOW!!! Nice job. That is so great.

Jezibels · 06-06-2010, 07:46 AM

Great job on the floors guys, that is my next project!

LuvRVing · 06-06-2010, 09:16 AM

Ophir, where did you buy your tiles and what worked best for cutting them?
TAC: CA-3

1956Safari · 06-06-2010, 10:25 AM

Love that Cork! Cork Flooring - 1956 Vintage Airstream

Ophir · 06-06-2010, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvRVing

Ophir, where did you buy your tiles and what worked best for cutting them?
TAC: CA-3

I them from the Green Building Center in SLC (Eco Friendly Building Materials and Flooring - The Green Building Center)

I got the tiles so I could glue and went with the "Natural Bamboo" from Vida. You can cut them with a razor but looking back I would have loved to have had a razor that I could use in a jig or a device that would hold the tile and cut square, like those things that you use for cutting matting for framing photos. We just used razors and squares. It's pretty easy, just really laborious.