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Topic: replacing carpet with wood flooring? (Read 334 times) previous topic - next topic
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replacing carpet with wood flooring?
cheers, friends! I started a new thread for this more specific question pertaining to RV flooring.

I have a 27' 1990 mid bath. I would like to refresh and rejuvenate my coach by tearing up the carpet and installing sections of wood flooring. Is it called Prego?

I don't know where to start here so I have some questions for those more experienced than me.

Where should I have this done?

How much should I expect to pay?

About how long of a job is this?

What are my options as far as carpet alternatives?

Is there a precaution that can be taken to ensure the floor stays insulated? Sub flooring?

Can all RV rugs be replaced? Is there anything that might prevent me from having this job done?

How would I approach the floor/doghouse in the truck cab? Can that also be re done?

thanks for your help, everyone!

Mike

resist the mundane, embrace the unknown
1990 MB
Re: replacing carpet with wood flooring?
Reply #1 –
Mike, while I went in a different direction, I may be of some help.

Laminate flooring comes in many forms, including Pergo.  While there are varying opinions, the key questions you need to ask an installer relate to stability of the material with temperature and humidity swings, and the ability of the material to stand up to minor flexing, that our RV floors experience but houses do not.  Some installers insist on gluing laminate planks down, and some are dead set against it.  You will have to decide that for yourself.

Find a local installer with a good reputation who installs flooring in RV's, not just houses.  The issues are different.  Get a warranty against buckling for two years to cover the environmental stresses your rig faces.  Your installer can advise you as to materials, cost and time for the project.

I could write pages about carpet alternatives.  The short form is this - a solid floor is easier to clean than a carpeted floor, and the solid floor will not hold cooking odors like carpeting will.  Spills clean from a solid floor easier than from carpeting.  Carpeting feels better on bare feet.  Carpet options include fixed carpet and throw rugs, and conventional carpet, with or without a pad, or indoor/outdoor carpet.  Non-carpet options include vinyl sheet flooring, vinyl tile flooring, ceramic tile (heavy and brittle), linoleum, and laminate flooring, either floating or glued in place.

The floor insulation is between the plywood subfloor and the metal underfloor.  Your flooring treatment will not affect the insulation in that space.

The carpeting on the walls is backed by the standard wall treatment, at least in the back on a Midbath, as discovered by another member here when he pulled down that carpet.  The floor carpeting is backed by a thin pad and is held in place by a remarkable number of staples.  The flooring underneath the carpet is standard plywood.  On a Midbath, removing the carpet in the back requires removal of the couch sliders, and the new flooring may require adjustments to the slider feet, depending on flooring thickness.  Under the dinette, the carpeting covers the tops of two bolts that hold the generator in place.  How you treat those bolts will depend on what kind of flooring you choose.

The floor near the doghouse would be a tough area to cover with laminate flooring because of differences in floor levels.  The doghouse itself has multiple curved surfaces.  I don't think I would try replacing that carpet.

I hope that helps a bit.

Ken F in NM
'08 MB
Re: replacing carpet with wood flooring?
Reply #2 –
Mike you may want to keep carpet in the cab to reduce engine noise. my 1988 just has rubber truck mats under the carpet.
Rodney
1988 Mid Bath
Re: replacing carpet with wood flooring?
Reply #3 –
Quote from: MuseMe  - 
cheers, friends! I started a new thread for this more specific question pertaining to RV flooring.

I have a 27' 1990 mid bath. I would like to refresh and rejuvenate my coach by tearing up the carpet and installing sections of wood flooring. Is it called Prego?

I don't know where to start here so I have some questions for those more experienced than me.

Where should I have this done?

How much should I expect to pay?

About how long of a job is this?

What are my options as far as carpet alternatives?

Is there a precaution that can be taken to ensure the floor stays insulated? Sub flooring?

Can all RV rugs be replaced? Is there anything that might prevent me from having this job done?

How would I approach the floor/doghouse in the truck cab? Can that also be re done?

thanks for your help, everyone!

Mike
Mike, if you haven't yet, use the search function (click on Community on the home page) and search "wood flooring" or iterations thereof.

Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: replacing carpet with wood flooring?
Reply #4 –

[quote author=Kenneth Fears date=1511827869 link=msg=181196}
The floor near the doghouse would be a tough area to cover with laminate flooring because of differences in floor levels.  The doghouse itself has multiple curved surfaces.  I don't think I would try replacing that carpet.
[/quote]

While not easy, the doghouse's carpeting can be recovered by first removing the old carpeting intact and using it as a template to cut the new piece.
This takes care of the compound curves.  Attach the new carpeting with spray contact cement.
3M Spray Adhesive, 17.6-Ounce - Aerosol Adhesives - Amazon.com

Expect the installer to be very unhappy if he/she is the one to remove the old carpeting, there are hundreds of staples that need to be removed before the new flooring can be installed. It's tough work.

The other issue Ken brought up is the change in floor elevations. You may need to add thin sub-flooring in some areas to get a flat floor.
The coach mounting bolts stick up higher than the sub-floor and must be compensated for.
Carpeting can cover a multitude of imperfections that will show with solid flooring.

Considering the other issues you have mention in other threads, changing the flooring is way down the list of 'must do' projects.
You have bought a old rig that has not been taken care of and you need to do a lot things to make it livable and water tight.
This is the type of rig that a young person, with a lot of skills, energy and time, and little money, should attempt to fix up.
If you have to pay to have the work done, it will cost thousands, more than what it is worth.
With so many apparent issues, indicating poor maintenance, there are a lot more that you have not found...yet.
Broken mechanical things on RVs are expensive, much more than any car you may have owned.
Finding parts and qualified mechanics for a 27 year old RV may be a challenge.

Realize now, before you get in deeper, there  is no cheap way to RV, either you pay upfront or pay as you go, either way you will pay. An old, poorly maintained RV, even if it's a LD, will be nothing but work and heart aches.
if you have the skill set and time to work out the bugs yourself, go for it, if not, you might want to sell it and look for one better shape.

"RVing is not a cheap lifestyle", repeat that to yourself a few times

Larry

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
 
Re: replacing carpet with wood flooring?
Reply #5 –
Last summer I ripped out the orange shag rug and padding in the cab of my '83 and replaced it with newer automotive carpet. It got noticeably louder inside. Just before the last trip of the year, I installed a doghouse cover from trucknvans.com, which knocked down the noise a bit. The floors will be getting a layer of acoustic mat under the carpet this summer, which should get me back to normal (without the smell of 35 year old carpet).
 
I will say the old shag did cushion things a bit, and removing it turned up all sorts of squeaks that needed to be dealt with.
 
I replaced the house carpet with sheet vinyl over a thin subfloor. It's lighter than the carpet, padding, and all of the dirt they contained. It certainly makes it easier to clean, and it brightened up the house quite a bit. It was not an easy job, but I think it was worth it. Because of the way sheet vinyl is sold and the way I cut it (single piece), I ended up with enough to completely replace the floor if I need to in the future- not that I expect to.
 
I will warn you- at a certain point it becomes kinda spendy replacing the flooring- especially in the cab area. You need to keep your goals and budget for the vehicle in mind, do the numbers, figure out a budget for the project, and then double it. At the end of the day, you will lose money on the proposition, but if you feel the enjoyment you get from the improvement outweighs that, plow ahead. I, for one, love my under-powered, creaky, and "slightly" disreputable Lazy Daze. The attachment I have to it is far stronger than I would have had with a "fresher" model. Anywhere I swing a hammer or turn a wrench, chances are I'm making it better. That sort of satisfaction I can't buy, although I seem to be paying through the nose for it.
1983 20'
Re: replacing carpet with wood flooring?
Reply #6 –
Quote from: Alaska Mike  - 
Last summer I ripped out the orange shag rug and padding in the cab of my '83 and replaced it with newer automotive carpet. It got noticeably louder inside. Just before the last trip of the year, I installed a doghouse cover from trucknvans.com, which knocked down the noise a bit. The floors will be getting a layer of acoustic mat under the carpet this summer, which should get me back to normal (without the smell of 35 year old carpet).
 
I will say the old shag did cushion things a bit, and removing it turned up all sorts of squeaks that needed to be dealt with.
 
I replaced the house carpet with sheet vinyl over a thin subfloor. It's lighter than the carpet, padding, and all of the dirt they contained. It certainly makes it easier to clean, and it brightened up the house quite a bit. It was not an easy job, but I think it was worth it. Because of the way sheet vinyl is sold and the way I cut it (single piece), I ended up with enough to completely replace the floor if I need to in the future- not that I expect to.
 
I will warn you- at a certain point it becomes kinda spendy replacing the flooring- especially in the cab area. You need to keep your goals and budget for the vehicle in mind, do the numbers, figure out a budget for the project, and then double it. At the end of the day, you will lose money on the proposition, but if you feel the enjoyment you get from the improvement outweighs that, plow ahead. I, for one, love my under-powered, creaky, and "slightly" disreputable Lazy Daze. The attachment I have to it is far stronger than I would have had with a "fresher" model. Anywhere I swing a hammer or turn a wrench, chances are I'm making it better. That sort of satisfaction I can't buy, although I seem to be paying through the nose for it.
Mike, you have truly joined the Lazy Daze cult.  ;)

Chris

I, for one, love my under-powered, creaky, and "slightly" disreputable Lazy Daze. The attachment I have to it is far stronger than I would have had with a "fresher" model.
Formerly: 2002 30' IB