Pergo Flooring

[Bigdaddy_2]

Getting ready to install pergo in the front area of the trailer. It will run about 14 ft. Plan to do it length ways. Should I consider a vapor barrier or simply lay on top of the existing plywood floor?
John

[easyride]

First off I don`t like Pergo,someone spilled a soda on mine in the house at a party one night ,the next day it was bubbled . There are better laminate out there.
Yes you should install the vapor barrier. Dave

[HowieE]

Check the different connection systems used on different flooring. I used Armstrong because of the color match with my trailer woodwork and the ease of coupling in a small area. The coupling can be a real problem with some flooring. Wilson Art would be almost impossible to install in a trailer.

Installing flooring with assistant - Armstrong prefinished flooring made a big difference from the 15 year old rug Photo Gallery

[Zeppelinium]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy_2

...Plan to do it length ways. ...

Let us know how that works. I've always done it cross ways, which allows me to put "joints" in between the front area, the kitchen, and the rear. That way you can take up a part of the floor without having to start at one end of the trailer. The biggest advantage, hower, is putting down the planks as you get into the front and back where the sidewall is curving. Trying to cut a long-wise plank to match the curve is much harder than just cutting the end of a plank.

For some reason I also think the floor flexes better if it's cross ways, although I'm really thinking of the joints between the pieces--the flooring itself flexes fine in either direction.

Zep

[easyride]

Zep,
I installed engineered oat in my 73 running lengthwise,it went in pretty easy,and since it is a tongue and groove glue joint that really helped. Dave

[Airdaddy]

BD2,,,, Airdaddy Here, Kind of a newbie, however I would like to add to your post, and at the same-time try and get a few answers myself.. I finally bought my A/S project after a few years just dreaming about a new one, just could not step up to the Money Pump and buy a new one. I too have pulled all the interior out of my 75 31 footer Sovereign. The question or questions would be do I pull all the interior out to lay the floor? Now I have herd both ways to lay it, so once again do I place the floor around the interior and let it float or do I take everything out, lay the floor and then place the interior back on top of the floor as it was? And by doing so running the floor left to right or front to back without gluing or nailing and just let it float? Danny

[Gene]

I wouldn't use Pergo either. While laminate flooring has improved greatly in the past decade, Pergo, though an initial leader, has not kept up. The version you buy in the big box stores is the worst of the various Pergo lines. Some Pergo is made in the US under contract from the company and is not a good product. If you bought Pergo, return it.

We used Armstrong flooring in our kitchen last year. We got the kind with a slightly uneven surface that looks like approx. 6" wide planking and has beveled edges. The uneven surface makes it look more natural and the bevels make the joint look better. It went down fast. It has a good locking system that made it easy to install. We are very happy with the floor. We bought it at Lowe's and they gave us a discount, so ask for one. Lowe's was discounting last year on larger purchases though I don't know what they are doing this year.

Laminate is heavy and will add more weight than sheet vinyl.

I would run the boards crosswise. If you run boards the length of a narrow room or hallway, it just looks even more narrow. Crosswise creates an illusion of more width.

These floors are made to float—the transition pieces and molding keep it from wandering too far. Remember not to butt the floor against cabinets so there's expansion room. Do not put the floor under cabinets. Airstream does that with vinyl and then you get the floor lifting near cabinets in a hump, especially where you have extremes of temperature. You cover visible ends with transition pieces and use molding at the foot of the cabinets to cover those spaces.

There are three types of underlayment for laminate. The cheapest is a thin strip of foam. It's a waste of money. The most expensive is cork which will make the floor easy on your feet, but it should also have a vapor barrier. The medium quality underlayment is a 3 part combination providing a vapor barrier and comfort for tired feet. That one is good more most installations. There's a sealant for the cut ends where you have water splash.

Gene

[searcher]

Installed Pergo throughout our 30 Excella two years ago. Installed lengthwise with underlayment (sponge). We left 1/4 inch for flex. No problems in cold or heat (120 degrees in AZ) 20 degrees in the high country.
We love it.

[Bigdaddy_2]

Completed the Pergo. The original floor had a section of laminate oak flooring installed in the galley area from the factory. It was glued to 1/4 inch luan and then glued to the sub-floor. A real PITA to remove. Hardest party was getting it cut along the base of the cabinets. Lots of slow progress with wood chisels after using the kick saw. Took a full day to get it out. You can see the orignal laminate in the first picture.

Had to do some repair to the sub-floor. Used Bondo to patch and level. The light gray in second picture is the
Bondo.

Layed visqueen as a vapor barrier with duct tape to stengthen where I stapled to sub-floor.

Used oak molding to trim at base of cabinets and a 1 1/2 inch molding in other places.

John

[karenjude]

It looks beautiful!

[pauluptime]

Nicely done Bigdaddy! You have every right to that proud feeling you're going to now have every time you step inside. Waytago!

[Aage]

Bigdaddy,

Your new floor looks great. But how bad was the old oak floor that you had to put in a new one?

[TouringDan]

Bigdaddy 2- Your new floor looks great!


I have not installed it yet, but I am planning on installing an oak engineered prefinished flooring by Kahrs. I am a home inspector and have seen lots of prefinished laminate and engineered floors that I have not been very impressed with. I like the looks of the Kahrs and it is a floating floor which I believe would work well in a trailer. Has anybody installed a Kahrs floor yet in an AS? I will report as soon as I get mine installed. Just for info, the top layer is about 1/8 " thick, so it can be refinished if needed.

Dan

[Bigdaddy_2]

The old section of wood flooring was good but no way to install the new flooring and connect with the old. The old was a tongue and groove, glued to a piece of 1/4 inch luan which was also glued to the sub-floor and only ran down the hallway in the galley area. Would have been a difficult color match and I did not see any way to connect to it. I also did not want to add an addtional 1/4 inch of luan throughout the area. The remainder of area was covered with carpet.

Total project took about 6 1/2 boxes of pergo. Each box is 17.6 sf of laminate.

[Lotus72]

We are removing our old carpet- we removed all the nails, screws, and trim holding it down. We discovered the original green carpeting below it. There are damp spots- we think from the banana skin having a crack. We are looking at our options for flooring. Thanks for sharing what you are doing and especially for the pics.

[Sov1969]

I am ready to start installing new laminate flooring in my trailer. I was thinking about laying it front to back but now am thinking it makes better sense to do it side to side. Does anyone have any pictures of a laminate floor running side to side.

[man7sell]

We used Bamboo flooring and it went in easy and looks very nice I think.

[NicheVintage]

We installed our engineered wood floors side to side to make the Airstream feel wider. I am happy with how it turned out. I couldn't find any better options for a pic sorry. Here are some from our install.

[Sean Moore]

I read a couple replies and figured I could sum it up in one sentence:

Don't buy your Pergo from the big box stores and make sure you have to glue and strap it.

Seriously... Pergo isn't like Kleenex. You're not going to get the same stuff from different stores. The click laminate is crap... all of it. There is glue together laminate still available in both thicknesses to this day. Just use the 6/7mm stuff for an RV, no need to go to 10/12mm, that's for commercial use.

If you're not wiping glue off of the surface as you're installing it, you're not using enough glue. Rent the strap clamps.

edit: the above advice comes from a floor professional, not an RV professional.

[Sov1969]

The bamboo flooring looks great and so does the engineered flooring. I can see that the side to side does make a difference in the appearance of width. Thanks for the help, Kelly