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Kistler · 01-26-2003, 01:43 PM

Having two pets (cat and dog) we can see that keeping the beige carpet clean is going to be a real challenge.

Has anyone replaced the carpet with a solid surface...something like Pergo? If so, what is the underlayment? Will I find particle board or plywood?

Kistler

Pahaska · 01-26-2003, 01:46 PM

is 5/8" marine-grade plywood in current trailers.

Kistler · 01-26-2003, 01:50 PM

Thank you, John....was hoping you or someone knew. I guess I will have to take out the couch....if I do this. Should I try to remove the credenza? (so I can put the wood stuff under it) We were thinking of leaving the bedroom carpeted.

Kistler

wb13798 · 01-26-2003, 02:52 PM

some one posted pictures for a pergo floor he put in and it looked great. i giving serious thought to doing from the galley back in my mh , that would include the bath room and bed room . we have a dobie and i was wandering how that would work for the dog. she doesnt move around much when we are under way . if she got on the pergo might have a problems standing up.
i looked at the pergo that has the backe already applied to the dack . $4 per ft and armstrong at $2 per ft. the armstrong has to have a backer applied to the floor before putting the floor down. it is going to be fun doing the cut outs. lol post on your progress
al

j54mark · 01-26-2003, 03:29 PM

This has been covered under the "Interior Restoration" forum, subhead "floor repairs". It is a great way to go. Take a look at http://www.airforums.com/forum...b&threadid=815

and http://www.airforums.com/forum...&threadid=1455

Two or three points: While you need to leave room for expansion, you need very little side to side across the trailer as the room size is so small. Say half of what is usually recommended. And as a practical matter, you need NO expansion space in the front of the trailer as the floor will shift to the front anyway (floating floor, remember). If I was to do mine again I would run the planks across the longitudinal axis (crossways) due to the tendency of the floor to shift forwards.

Do not underestimate the time involved. There are lots of dividers and corners, and the occasional curve.

Finally, I recommend vinyl for the bath, as Pergo type products are not actually waterproof.

Yours,

Mark

PeterH-350LE · 01-26-2003, 03:51 PM

More info on how to make the pergo/carpet transition last.
Partial floor change

Creampuff · 01-26-2003, 07:21 PM

'Pergo" type flooring is derfinitely the way to go if you have pets.We have two Bouvier dogs who are sand and dirt magnets,and who camps on concrete??We also put some down in a room at home and had 4 puppies 'watering' it for 2 months with no damage at all.The advice to go with vinyl in the bathroom is good from the perspective that it is probably much easier to install around fixtures.I stopped my laminate at the bath for that reason only.
My only other advice-stay away from the close-outs on the glue-together older technology.You can get them for as low as $ 0.50/ft and that's what I used,but the newer'snap together' stuff is miles easier to install and looks much nicer.The only carpet we carry is a piece for outside the door!

Kistler · 01-27-2003, 06:37 AM

Like I have said before, I don't know what I would do without advice from you all. I guess I would make more mistakes.

Due to the fact that we haven't really been anywhere and don't plan on going until May (North) we will probably wait until September for this project.

Our bathroom has some sort of plastic tile in it; the remainder of the trailer is carpeted. I like the idea of going across the trailer instead of front to back with the Pergo AND your trim strips look great.

It is really a BIG decision here to decide to take out new carpet BUT forest dirt/needles is not fun to keep off the carpet. IF we had custom ordered our Airstream instead of buying a leftover on the lot would we have been able to get vinyl or fake wood floor?

Kistler

bhsl8 · 01-27-2003, 07:37 AM

I too, as many of you apparently have as well, am considering a Pergo type composite floating floor for my AS. I bought a video on installation and there is a lot of emphasis put on the fact that the underlayment must be dry and level. I was wondering if anyone had run into any problems with either of these two issues which were serious enough to warrant rethinking the project. Or better yet, how did you solve the problem? I realize the leak issue is self-explanatory but it seems like they can crop up at any time and perhaps ruin a perfectly good project. I thank you all in advance.
Brouck

apple 1 · 01-27-2003, 07:47 AM

Kistler,
When we ordered our 96' 30' trailer we optioned for the wood floor in the galley area. The floor installed by the factory was a Bruce Hard Wood floor based on the maintance information included with the owners manual. I did see a trailer at an A/S dealer in Ohio which had the floor through out the entire trailer including the bath area.
Jim

PeterH-350LE · 01-27-2003, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bhsl8
......... I bought a video on installation and there is a lot of emphasis put on the fact that the underlayment must be dry and level.....

The floor in my 79 was not level in some places and I solved the problem by 'floating' it with automotive bondo.
Leaks are always a problem and even more so with a pergo style flooring. Buy a few extra square feet for future repairs.

bhsl8 · 01-27-2003, 05:57 PM

Creates quite a visual doesn't it? I was just discussing this issue with a patient of mine who insists that the products which require gluing as opposed to snapping together stand up to water a lot better.Anyone have thoughts or expertise? My motivation for this exercise was the convienence of snap together but if what this person told me is true then maybe the extra effort is worth it to stand up to the inevitable leaks etc.
Brouck

j54mark · 01-27-2003, 06:05 PM

Laminate floors will not curl up because you splash a bit of water on them. Where they have problems is in baths where water is allowed to drip down between the cracks several times a day, day after day, or in basements that leak from time to time. Even then they will frequently lay back down after they dry out.

Of course, in our case we also have the worry of a leak down the wall.

My concern about the glue down floor is its permanency. I do not know about yours, but my 25' Sovereign could require the removal of some floor pieces for certain major repairs. Maybe that will not be necessary, but I thought it best to be prepared. To the point that I am the only person in history to install the quarter round with brass screws.

Mark

PeterH-350LE · 01-27-2003, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bhsl8
Creates quite a visual doesn't it? I was just discussing this issue with a patient of mine who insists that the products which require gluing as opposed to snapping together stand up to water a lot better..............
Brouck

Yes Brouck, from a technical point the glued together pergo style floor will be more watertight from the surface than the snap together. However, the real damage to the floor will come from water that gets under the floor, in which case the snap together type floor would be easier to repair.

zamboni · 01-27-2003, 07:40 PM

We installed wood parquet flooringin our MH. we had slight subfloor water damage under passenger side window behind passenger seat and infront of credenza. Removed all dead wood, repaired w/ new 5/8 marine grade plywood and expoxy resin to fill in cracks. pulled ALL carpet (and STAPLES) from drivers cabin to threshold between center bath & shower, thus leaving bath and rear bedroom carpeted for stepping out of shower and bed with carpet on floors. Sanded floors & vac, filled cracks and leveled. sanded floors & vac. Layed self-adhesive wood parquet flooring product and trimmed out with quarter round. Did remove credenza and rotating captain chair for this project, did not remove refriderator.

We are still waiting to do the driver's & passenger cabin areas this Spring. Will take more planning and alot of trim work...but worth the change from 1979 shag brown carpet!!!

bhsl8 · 01-28-2003, 07:24 AM

Peter, you make an excellent point. I think I have made up my mind to use the snap in place type. Now I have to be sure that we have actually repaired all the leaks we found after purchasing the coach. Unfortunately the weather here will preclude that for at least two to three months. My other fear is that when we pull the carpet up we will have huge amounts of plywood to replace due to all the leaks that were present. I guess these are just examples of what makes this hobby fun! Thanks again for your expertise.
Brouck

PeterH-350LE · 01-28-2003, 04:47 PM

Brouck,
logic works well until reality sets in.

I had to get under the sink cabinet on one side and under the refriderator on the other side. No way to snap the last piece in.
I used the glue together type and did not glue the first three pieces by the door to the rest of the floor, since that area is most prone to waterdamage. The replacement pieces are already cut and stored away.
If you don't have the above conflict, snap together would be the way to go.
.

bhsl8 · 01-28-2003, 05:05 PM

Peter, which direction did you orient the floor in your motorhome? I really like what I saw of Bruno's and others who place it with the grain crossways. The artist in me (not a huge representation, I'm actually quite left brained) is toying with diagonal.I like the concept but I fear the logistics. (so much for the artist, what do they care about logistics?) I apologize to any logical artists out there!
Brouck

Kistler · 01-28-2003, 05:25 PM

Not certain this applies, BUT what did one of the above posters mean when he said the floor creeps forward? I understand expansion/humidity but isn't the floor relatively solid?

I like the idea of diagonal....what are you gonna do with the couch? leave the carpet under it?

Kistler

bhsl8 · 01-28-2003, 05:53 PM

Kistler, I haven't thought the entire project through yet but I think I will only place flooring up to borders such as couch, credenza etc. Still not even sure about the bedroom; flooring or new carpet: bathroom new vinyl? Right now I see no reason to complicate matters in areas that no one will see unless they are snooping.

Brouck