Linoleum Floor Problem

[fotozone]

Our new 2008 22' Safari Sport has been sealed up all winter and when I opened it up today found the linoleum floor buckled in the bathroom, along the couch and in the entry way. Is this temperature related? No sign of water anywhere. Is this serious or will the linoleum flatten out when it warms up? Any experience with this type of problem? We bought it as new from the dealer last Nov. Thanks Tom

[Lumatic]

Is the flooring true linoleum or vinyl? Linoleum does become softer when warm, but it should not have buckled in the first place. Photos would help?

[Moses]

What Lumatic said...shouldn't have buckled so let's have a look at some pictures. Most residential type linoleum is made from vinyl, while true linoleum is mostly used for commercial applications (dental/medical exam rooms, schools, hospitals, etc.) and is made up of cork, linseed oil and other various natural products. The latter typically has the colour solid throughout the floor, where as vinyl usually has a print on paper (looks like hardwood, or flowers, or, or,) with a vinyl wear-layer on top. Both come in various price and qualities, and both are installed using a "full-spread" method, meaning adhesive is applied to the entire surface of the subfloor with a notched trowel, and the vinyl then goes into the adhesive and air pockets are removed with a 100 pound roller. (Side note: roller is over-kill for the small d.i.y. job. A 2x4 wrapped in carpet w/fuzzy side out would suffice to get bubbles out.) Sorry if I'm boring you with my little lino lesson, but I write this to help you understand the process to hopefully find a solution. The floor should not buckle if it is a glue-down application. There are some types of vinyl floors that are glued only around the perimeter of room/area, but these floors are 100% vinyl. This type of floor was designed specifically for the d.i.y. crowd as it was easy to install with a lot of expertise. Once installed, these floors would have huge rolls and waves, but given a day or two it would be completely flat. Reason for this is partly the way the factory rolled it onto the roll, partly that vinyl never stops shrinking. (This is a problem is there is a two foot area along the cabinet that was NOT pressed into the glue during installation. I know first hand as I had to try to repair it. Yikes.) I haven't known Airstream to use this type of flooring, though. I have a 2008 and have the full-spread looks-like-hardwood stuff. I'd like to see some pics as well.

[rluhr]

Based on the trailer model, it's vinyl. This should not be happening. My first concern would be a hidden leak. Check for signs of water (stains, dried dust patterns, softness in floor, rusty screws, swollen wood, etc.) If no leak, then I'd call Airstream customer service for a consult.

[bolerama]

We have the same problem and so do our friends (who also have a 2008). Here is the link to the post we made last year: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...ing-50928.html The flooring did flatten somewhat throughout the summer, but it never went completely flat. I looked at your location, and you have pretty cold winters too. I really believe the cold wreaks havoc on our trailers. Best wishes,
Lisa

[2airishuman]

sorry guys, but a/s doesn't INSTALL the vinyl flooring ANYTHING like household installs.

it is STAPLED at the perimeter and COMPLETELY LOOSE otherwise.

that is the ONLY attachment to the subfloor, except where interior furnishings are SCREWED down...

the flooring is made by armstrong (check the vinyl specs on their website)

there are dozen of threads on the newer units and the armstrong vinyl used.

LOTS of peeling, buckling and lifting and some creative fixes...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f39/...off-59023.html

Originally Posted by fotozone

Our new 2008 22' Safari Sport has been sealed up all winter and when I opened it up today found the linoleum floor buckled in the bathroom, along the couch and in the entry way. Is this temperature related?...

hi tom...

COMMON problem with trailers kept WAY UP NORTH in the cold...

there are dozen of threads here on this issue here's a couple...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...ing-50928.html

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f461...8-a-52376.html

some of the pics in some of the threads on this are VERY impressive.

it MIGHT settle down with warmer weather but not completely.

a/s has a HALF/horse fix for this which has been posted too,

but u might be best off TAKING photos and contacting tech support, the dealer or the warranty chumps at the factory.

cheers
2air'

[fotozone]

Thanks to everyone for replying.... I think that the theory of the cold causing the flooring contract and stretch and when things warm up it buckles. We had minus 20f temperatures several times this winter (relatively mild for Wyoming) and this makes sense. Having said that it is no way acceptable... so I will be calling AS at JC to schedule warranty repairs. Again thanks Tom