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Topic: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpet? (Read 22 times) previous topic - next topic
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Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpet?
Yahoo Message Number: 138030
Ok.. So Ramon and I are both considering the idea of ripping the carpet out of our older '85 MP LD's that I believe have the original carpet still installed (yeah, I know -- 'yuck!'). Anyway, I'm about to reinstall the factory rear sink after a prior owner removed it -- I'm rebuilding it from scratch and want to change the flooring out before putting it back in.
 To that end, I'm wondering if anyone here has ripped their carpet out and installed some of the TrafficMaster Allure products whether they were the tile variant or the hardwood flooring variant.. For those that don't know, these are floating floor products meaning that gravity is what holds them to the floor along with edge trimming on the edges.  There's no glue that holds individual tiles/strips in place like some other flooring products.
 I've done some reading up on the topic and hear general comments that while this particular product is not recommended for RV use that it seems to work well with a few complaints about smell and whatnot..

So.. Have any of you done this change in your LD and what was your experience? I realize I could use a giant template and lay a single giant sheet of linoleum but that seems like you'd need a perfect floor not to see any surface defects (which are likely in a rig this age) or could use the single tiles with removable sticky tape on the rear which I've heard bad reports about in general.  I've heard at least in passing that the TrafficMaster Allure products can deal with huge temp swings without causing delam of the glue strip -- one guy had temp swings of 10F to almost 120F over the course of a few years with no obvious issues.
 Anyway, just thought I'd ping the collective LD wisdom as I'm curious and I suspect that Ramon is too -- even though it doesn't sound like a nice job to do regardless.. :-)
 P.S. If you did install something like this did you also install any sort of underlayment (e.g. 1/8" foam or something)?
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpet
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138037
Rick, if you search our group's website for the word 'allure' you'll find a bunch of relevant posts. :-)

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpe
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138046
Thanks all..

John - if you've got photos of your install, I'd love to see them -- feel free to drop a few in my inbox if you can!  Thx!

Andy - I had done a quickie google search but should have searched the list directly.. will remember for next time

Don - I'm aware that these are not meant for RV use but as you indicated many have done so without issue..
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpet
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138048
Rick asked:

Quote
So.. Have any of you done this change in your LD and what was your experience?
Hi, Rick, I've been super happy with my installation of Allure flooring. I chose the 6" x 36" plank-look style in the color called Golden Maple. It nicely coordinates with the maple cabinet finish in my Lazy Daze.
 I let the Allure stay inside the RV for 48 hours before installation. This lets everything come to temperature equilibration.
 Removing the old carpet wasn't fun. I vacuumed it thoroughly first, and yet it was still very, very dusty. I made a few cuts in the carpet using a utility knife, which made the removal more manageable. Lots of staples held it down, as everyone else has found. I did not use any underlayment at all. I just vacuumed the plywood and that was the only preparation I did to the floor itself.
 Some of the carriage bolts were then showing and there were depressions there, which I filled with DAP bathroom caulk so that the depressions wouldn't cause the Allure to sink at that spot.
 I also swept the floor very well with a stiff broom before starting.
 Then I started laying the Allure. Since my installation was only in hallway and the back portion of the Midbath, I started at the corner by the frontmost wardrobe door.
 Each time before I began to lay a new row, I did additional sweeping of the plywood to make sure there wasn't any debris (see below for info on the one little piece of debris that I missed).
 Kneepads were helpful, and anti-inflammatories for the sore muscles from all the ups and downs!
 Cutting the stuff was done with a utility knife. It's a bit hard to make complex cuts and curves. Since it's a floating floor, you're not supposed to butt the planks right up against the wall. For any gaps at the joints of the wall and floor, I purchased some cove cabinet welt, which is what Lazy Daze uses. I got the Latte color from this source, per Andy's advice; in fact, we split the order:
 http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Cove_Cabinet_Welt_p/vts-310.htm

The whole carpet removal/Allure installation process took less than a day, and that was a good thing since my desk installation needed to happen right afterwards.
 I haven't had any trouble with the Allure delaminating, and I've been in some very extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. A few days after installing, I noticed that I must have missed a small piece of something that got caught under one of the Allure planks. It caused a bump. I wanted to pull up that piece of Allure so I could get that small piece of debris out. So I used a blow dryer to heat up the adhesive. It took quite a bit of blow drying to get the Allure hot enough for the adhesive to let go. Then I removed the debris and set the plank back down and the adhesive re-adhered just fine. It has stayed there for about one year now, as has the flooring.
 Be aware that if you slide anything big and scratchy across the Allure flooring or if you continually roll an office chair, the flooring will develop scratches. I had been warned about this by a friend, so I put down an office mat for my rolling office chair. This has protected the Allure quite nicely.
 Cleaning the Allure is so easy. I vacuum and use a Swiffer mop with a little vinegar/water mixture. I have dust and pollen allergies, so this has really been better for me than carpet. In the boondocking environments where I camp, carpet would have held a lot more of the allergens.
 I am very sensitive to chemical smells, yet I had zero problems with the Allure. The floor is cold in winter, but I just wear slippers or shoes, preferring not to use any area rugs or mats.
 All in all, I am so glad to have the Allure flooring and pleased that I could do the installation myself.

--Jan Forseth
--
Jan Forseth
2007 27' Midbath named Footloose
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpet
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138055
I've had "No name" strip flooring in my '84 for more than 4 years.
Group pics: http://tinyurl.com/c83hz8l  or 1984 RD Diesel - new floor Running it cross-ways, each piece gets tied down on one end or the other.
Most visitors think it is original equipment; (except Kate Klein.)

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpe
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138056
On 2013-04-05 15:35, George Peters wrote:
 
Quote
I've had "No name" strip flooring in my '84 for more than 4 years.
Group pics: http://tinyurl.com/c83hz8l [1]  or 1984 RD Diesel - new floor Running it cross-ways, each piece gets tied down on one end or the other.
Most visitors think it is original equipment; (except Kate Klein.)
Nice George.. I think most jobs I've seen have the planks running front to back and not side to side.. Seems like side to side would be easier possibly.. Something to think about.
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpe
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138057
Thanks Jan.. Lots of good details!  I'll have to take a peek next time I'm at HD to see what colors they've got.. I really like the fake wood over the tiles..
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpe
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138059
....." I think most jobs I've seen have the planks

running front to back and not side to side.. Seems like side to side would be easier...." Front-to-back is easier, because there are far fewer cuts. side-to-side, every piece is cut.
.....But...every piece that does not touch the edge is free-floating.
When the layout is front-to-back, that's most of the floor.
It works,...but, I would worry about something working loose.

_

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpe
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138161
On 2013-04-09 06:03, SHRED wrote:
 
Quote
I did it in my '95 23.5TK. There were a couple of carriage bolts I had to countersink but it that's about it. I recall that I might have had a few staples to remove also.
 It's been a while now and lots of use. So glad I got rid of that old carpeting. The Allure flooring is holding up well.
Thanks for the info & update!
 
Anyone use TrafficMaster Allure flooring to replace your carpet
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 138041
For whats worth Traffic master allegedly does not condone using its standard grade flooring found at Home Depot in an RV, they said the excessive heat common during storage out west can cause failure of the adhesive between the tiles. However many have successfully done so! Traffic Master has a higher grade floor that I am told may be ok.

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