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Old 06-30-2019, 12:45 PM   #1
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Floor Replacement: Stick or Click?

Planning on replacing the floor in our 2010 17B. Would be interested in recommendations/experiences with peal and stick vs click floating floors. I am not qualified to use single sheet vinyl.

The original floor is still flat and well attached, just old with some nicks, so I think I can just put the new floor on top of it.

Have pulled the baseshoe and molding in all the areas to be painted (before the floor goes down), but am unable to get the metal strip on top of the rise into the large dinette out. It is secured underneath the cabinets on each end. Do not know if I will be able to slip the new floor under it or not.
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Old 06-30-2019, 12:51 PM   #2
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From what I have seen, sticky backed flooring does not do real well in trailers, especially ones that see big temperature differences from time to time as the stickiness really does not hold the pieces in place well and cracks open up.

Click flooring could be tough in the tight spaces of a trailer but doable. You do have to watch with what quality you use, as click floorings can suck water into the joints creating problems. Some of the better makes do better.

Why do you say you are not qualified to do sheet vinyl? I would choose it over both your options. It just takes a bit of care to first cut the piece to fit, and then glue it in place. Leaving a wee gap at the edges will be covered by the trim pieces going back on.

Whatever way you go, good luck with your installation.
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Old 06-30-2019, 01:29 PM   #3
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Thanks, Jim.


I guess I am leery of sheet vinyl because I do not know how to install it without any (or at least very few) seams. I thought about making a pattern out of butcher paper and then cutting a single sheet to shape, but am not at all sure about it. The vinyl would require gluing (probably contact cement?) which is also outside my experience.
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Old 06-30-2019, 01:35 PM   #4
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You could easily do a single sheet, no seams. Using paper to get the edge shape some of the trickier spots can work too. I would likely only do this on one tougher edge, then trim the piece in place, taking only what you need. Having to do a second cut to make it fit perfect is just fine. While a contact cement would hold, I would not use it as when it makes contact it sticks hard, and if the piece is not in exactly the right place...... I would use an adhesive meant for sheet vinyl.

Another thought is buying the sheet vinyl, then hiring an installer to put it in. I doubt it would be very expensive, and then they would have all the tools and experience to get it done.
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Old 06-30-2019, 02:11 PM   #5
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I agree with Jim, I wouldn't rule out sheet vinyl.

First of all, there's loose lay vinyl, no glue required. Actually I've used non loose lay without adhesive without any problems.

Making a pattern is the way to go. I've used various methods. Cutting strips of cardboard 2 or 3 inches wide and using a hot melt glue gun also makes a good and accurate pattern. I also use strips of 1/8" ply the same way.

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Old 06-30-2019, 02:38 PM   #6
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There is always carpet and the laminate floors which you lay and just secure around the perimeter.
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Old 06-30-2019, 06:29 PM   #7
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Ron,
I am not familiar with loose lay vinyl. How is it held down? I was wondering if I could just use staples under the baseshoe? Intrigued.
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Old 06-30-2019, 09:56 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marant View Post
Ron,
I am not familiar with loose lay vinyl. How is it held down? I was wondering if I could just use staples under the baseshoe? Intrigued.
There are some sheet vinyls you just adhere around the outside. This would be quite easy to do if you had the sheet in place, roll back one half, glue, then do the same with the other side.

This actually is a fairly small area so just tacking down the edges before the trim could work too, just ensure you have a vinyl flooring that works well this way.
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Old 06-30-2019, 11:19 PM   #9
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Ron,
I am not familiar with loose lay vinyl. How is it held down? I was wondering if I could just use staples under the baseshoe? Intrigued.
To tell the truth I've been using non loose lay vinyl for years in kitchens and bathrooms, just relying on the baseboards to hold it in place. So, yes, staples would work as a backup.

One of the worse kitchen vinyl floors that I ever had was a glue around the perimeter one. It was sensitive to sunlight and would discolor. Don't know if that's a characteristic of that type or not.

The last kitchen floor that I put in last year was "loose lay". Cost a little more but it's a high quality and really does look like real tile.

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Old 11-26-2020, 02:44 PM   #10
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Ron,
I am not familiar with loose lay vinyl. How is it held down? I was wondering if I could just use staples under the baseshoe? Intrigued.
Did you get the job done? This job is on my radar with six year old stock looking a bit tired. Did you go over the existing or remove. Did you loose lay or use glue?
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Old 11-26-2020, 03:45 PM   #11
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I've been putting in lino for years without gluing it down even though it was meant to be glued down. The baseboards seemed to do a pretty good job of holding it in place. Only problem that I ever had was a tenant who dragged out the stove and bunched it up a bit.

In a small area like the trailer I wouldn't hesitate to just loose lay it. I prefer a one piece floor for trailer use given the close proximity to water sources like the sink and the door.

There is now a type of vinyl that is specifically labelled "loose lay". We used it in our own kitchen and laid it over the existing vinyl. It's a little higher grade and works perfectly.

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Old 11-26-2020, 04:07 PM   #12
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I have installed the faux wood floors in several campers. EggCamper, Lance, and Escape...
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Old 11-26-2020, 04:20 PM   #13
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They all look great.

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Old 11-27-2020, 07:50 AM   #14
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Quote:
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Planning on replacing the floor in our 2010 17B. Would be interested in recommendations/experiences with peal and stick vs click floating floors. I am not qualified to use single sheet vinyl.

The original floor is still flat and well attached, just old with some nicks, so I think I can just put the new floor on top of it.

Have pulled the baseshoe and molding in all the areas to be painted (before the floor goes down), but am unable to get the metal strip on top of the rise into the large dinette out. It is secured underneath the cabinets on each end. Do not know if I will be able to slip the new floor under it or not.
Regarding the metal strip. I adding sheet vinyl in the dinette area because it had too many holes from the original table and then a Springfield mount. I did not match the installed tile but used a complementary color.
As you noted, the aluminum strip is mounted before cabinetry so it must be cut to be removed. I used my multi-function tool with a metal cutting blade to cut it close to cabinets. Remove the screws and it comes out. It is not noticeable. I doubt you could slip tile under it without removing it.
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Old 11-27-2020, 08:11 AM   #15
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I have installed the faux wood floors in several campers. EggCamper, Lance, and Escape...
Jim, what did you use for flooring? Friends in Arizona used a click type faux flooring, Allegra I think, and it was awful. In the heat it buckled, in the cold it shrank, it did look good initially. Our trailer sees 105°F as a high and 10°F as a low. Was the flooring you used temperature stable? I found some cork backed click type flooring years ago, but the price was exceptional.
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Old 11-27-2020, 08:12 AM   #16
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Regarding the metal strip. I adding sheet vinyl in the dinette area because it had too many holes from the original table and then a Springfield mount. I did not match the installed tile but used a complementary color.
As you noted, the aluminum strip is mounted before cabinetry so it must be cut to be removed. I used my multi-function tool with a metal cutting blade to cut it close to cabinets. Remove the screws and it comes out. It is not noticeable. I doubt you could slip tile under it without removing it.
I did somewhat the same thing but after taking out the screws, I tapped the metal strip to the side an inch, cut it, then tapped it back a couple of inches, then cut the other end.

That left a inch on each side to slide under the cabinets so the ends disappeared.
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Old 11-27-2020, 08:21 AM   #17
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Jim, what did you use for flooring? Friends in Arizona used a click type faux flooring, Allegra I think, and it was awful. In the heat it buckled, in the cold it shrank, it did look good initially. Our trailer sees 105°F as a high and 10°F as a low. Was the flooring you used temperature stable? I found some cork backed click type flooring years ago, but the price was exceptional.
Mine was purchased at Home Depot, I installed it as a floating floor, the perimeter trim kept it in place but it was allowed to contract and expand if needed. Pergo seems to stick in my mind, had no issues...
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Old 11-27-2020, 08:22 AM   #18
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I have not used it except in houses but I imagine that luxury vinyl tile planks would be great in the trailers. Strong, light, warm, impervious to water, great looks and textured to feel like real wood. Ferma and COREtec are great brands.

https://fermaflooring.com/products/v...lank-flooring/
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Old 11-27-2020, 08:48 AM   #19
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I too have heard of and seen some stick down vinyl tiles open joints in cold and buckle in heat. I put some in a temporary trailer between my two Escapes as it needed something, and was not real impressed.

Seven years ago now, I added a glue down cork floor to my 19. Not only did it look great, it was really nice to use, with nice comfort underfoot. Being wood it has a much lower thermal expansion factor and never showed any issue of opening at joints, even in our cold winters. I plan to do that in my 5.0TA at some point, I just really need to find the time.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...ring-2356.html
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Old 11-27-2020, 09:32 AM   #20
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I used Allegra on my Starcraft, put used it as a floating floor. No problems with it buckling or separating in the cold. I did install it in the fall to have a mid range temp. What I didn't like was that the interlock wasn't great and you could see a tad of space here and there. Of course it had nothing to do with my installation.
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