Best Custom Fabric and Flooring

[Maury&Julie]

We just got the standard colors from Escape and my wife's comment was "Boring!" So we need to research and choose custom materials. We're not sure how to get started. Any tips?

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Maury&Julie

We just got the standard colors from Escape and my wife's comment was "Boring!" So we need to research and choose custom materials. We're not sure how to get started. Any tips?

Flooring: Escape will install a custom sheet vinyl or vinyl plank flooring. You just have to provide it. I would highly recommend Allure or a similar product. There is an upcharge for using it, and Escape is not responsible for any damage to the flooring caused by the build process (although I haven't seen any custom floor that they damaged). You need to supply this before the build starts.

Countertops: Choose any color in the Formica catalog. Escape uses a local supplier and you do not have to provide it, but there is an upcharge for the use of the custom color. You can also choose your edge band color.

Fabric: Many many choices. I would highly recommend a marine fabric such as Sunbrella. Sailrite.com is a site that many forum members have used because they ship to Canada at a reasonable price. Simply supply the fabric to Escape in the correct amount on your options sheet. There is an upcharge for using a custom fabric. You need to provide this before the build starts because the upholstery work is done off site, and the upholsterer needs lead time to ensure the cushions are finished when the trailer is.

Get samples of your flooring, countertops and fabric swatches and look at them side by side. Much easier to choose when you see the actual product. Formica will send you 5 x 7 samples, and Sailrite (and many other suppliers) will send you fabric swatches. For the flooring, you can get samples at your local home improvement center or hardware store that carries it.

Here's an example of our custom fabric, custom Formica and custom edge band color. The flooring is stock, but we do plan to change it later. Much easier to have it done when the trailer is built.

[Donna D.]

I too went with custom fabric and Formica. But, I like the stock flooring. I think I brought back a full square yard of Osoyoos dirt on the floor, but it didn't show until I start cleaning with a wet paper towel. Besides, most of it's covered by throw rugs anyway.

[sallemann]

After spending hours and hours of time closely examining photos on this forum, I gotta tell you... Past Tents and Ten Forward are my two favorites in terms of fabric and counter choices. Really, really nice.

[Fox hunt]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Flooring: Escape will install a custom sheet vinyl or vinyl plank flooring. You just have to provide it. I would highly recommend Allure or a similar product. There is an upcharge for using it, and Escape is not responsible for any damage to the flooring caused by the build process (although I haven't seen any custom floor that they damaged). You need to supply this before the build starts.

Countertops: Choose any color in the Formica catalog. Escape uses a local supplier and you do not have to provide it, but there is an upcharge for the use of the custom color. You can also choose your edge band color.

Fabric: Many many choices. I would highly recommend a marine fabric such as Sunbrella. Sailrite.com is a site that many forum members have used because they ship to Canada at a reasonable price. Simply supply the fabric to Escape in the correct amount on your options sheet. There is an upcharge for using a custom fabric. You need to provide this before the build starts because the upholstery work is done off site, and the upholsterer needs lead time to ensure the cushions are finished when the trailer is.

Get samples of your flooring, countertops and fabric swatches and look at them side by side. Much easier to choose when you see the actual product. Formica will send you 5 x 7 samples, and Sailrite (and many other suppliers) will send you fabric swatches. For the flooring, you can get samples at your local home improvement center or hardware store that carries it.

Here's an example of our custom fabric, custom Formica and custom edge band color. The flooring is stock, but we do plan to change it later. Much easier to have it done when the trailer is built.

did you omit the little closet on the end to get more seating space? do you miss the storage? It really looks great.

[NW Cat Owner]

When looking at countertop material, be sure to look only at the Formica brand. I fell in love with one from Wilsonart and then found out later ETI will not install that brand. Bummer! However, Formica does have a wide range, so I was able to console myself with a few other choices.

If you have a Calico Corners upholstery fabric store in your neck of the woods, check them out so you can see samples of Sunbrella in person. Hubby and I went to our local store last Saturday and we were quite impressed with that fabric. They had two chairs and a couch upholstered in Sunbrella (plus a large footstool) and it was wonderful to sit on them and realize just how nice the fabric is. We also ordered some samples from them. It was so nice to see it in person, as opposed to a dinko sample you have mailed to you. We did not realize just how soft it would be. When I flopped on Sylvia's u-shaped dinette, I didn't pay attention to that as I was more concerned with how I would fit on it while stretched out.

Another place that has been mentioned on this forum is Discounted Designer Upholstery Fabric. I've spent quite a bit of time on their site and you can also get free samples from them (which I've already done). For some of their fabrics they have this nifty feature where you can see what it looks like made into a sofa so you can get a better idea of how it'll look in your trailer.

Discounted Designer Upholstery Fabrics | Vinyl Upholstery Fabric | Free Samples | Shop Online

I just got an email from ETI in response to asking how much fabric is needed for a u-shaped dinette if I don't get the vinyl on the backside. 17.6 yards, assuming the fabric doesn't need to be matched, such as with stripes (which we're not getting).

I emailed with the folks at Pioneer Building Supplies in Chilliwack, which is the company ETI uses. For vinyl flooring, you can chose from the following companies (I was afraid ETI would only install one brand, so I checked before falling in love with something I couldn't get - lesson learned earlier!):

Armstrong
Mannington
Cogoleum
Flexitec

I found a chain of flooring stores in the Pacific NW that carries all of the Armstrong vinyl flooring (that's the only one I've looked at on-line, so far) - Great Floors. At the Armstrong site you can look for dealers, so you might find a similar type of store near you; it was called one of their Premier Showrooms or some such. I'm hoping they have samples to sell; we'll check them out later. Forget looking at Lowe's - I didn't find much there. Probably the same at Home Depot.

If you go with custom flooring, for the 5.0TA you need to get 12' by 6.6', which can be ordered through Pioneer. I wanted to know how much we'd need so we could estimate that cost.

Have fun! We started with lots of different ones we were interested in and have narrowed it down, even though it'll be a while before we actually order.

And I agree with your wife - the stock fabric is ** boring ** !! And it's wonderful that ETI will allow custom fabric, as well as countertop and flooring (which we won't be covering up with rugs, so we want something other than stock). That's one of the things that sold us on an Escape trailer. (and the full length bed!)

[Maury&Julie]

Great input. Thanks to you all!

[NW Cat Owner]

I just spent some more time on the Discounted Fabric site and ordered 5 more samples. You can order up to 5 samples for free at a time. I don't know how soon you can order another batch of 5 - I waited several weeks.

They warn you that your monitor may show the fabrics differently than they are and I agree with that. The first 5 I got are different from what I saw on my screen, but I expected that as that's pretty typical of stuff you see on the web.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

did you omit the little closet on the end to get more seating space? do you miss the storage? It really looks great.

Not applicable on a 19.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by sallemann

After spending hours and hours of time closely examining photos on this forum, I gotta tell you... Past Tents and Ten Forward are my two favorites in terms of fabric and counter choices. Really, really nice.

Thanks Stephanie, I really like it too There are so many good choices folks have made, it's really, really difficult to come up with something you hope you'll like five years from now, wears well and doesn't cost a fortune!

[float5]

Wish we had your sink, Donna. Looked at round sinks but could not find one in Canada that would fit and was too cheap to pay shipping for a sink from the U.S. That is after over a thousand spent on items, and shipping, that we had sent up already. Ran out of time on the sink but did get a faucet and all the rest!

We also did a text treatment, as you say, for Floating Cloud which is on the way. Can't wait to get it.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Floating Cloud

Wish we had your sink, Donna. Looked at round sinks but could not find one in Canada that would fit and was too cheap to pay shipping for a sink from the U.S. That is after over a thousand spent on items, and shipping, that we had sent up already. Ran out of time on the sink but did get a faucet and all the rest!

We also did a text treatment, as you say, for Floating Cloud which is on the way. Can't wait to get it.

Understand about the sink, you have to draw the line somewhere. But, sinks aren't all that difficult to change. Fortunately if eventually you want a bigger one all you have to do is cut the hole bigger and change some of the plastic plumbing.

Care to share a pic of your text treatment?

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Care to share a pic of your text treatment?

Hope not.

[float5]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Understand about the sink, you have to draw the line somewhere. But, sinks aren't all that difficult to change. Fortunately if eventually you want a bigger one all you have to do is cut the hole bigger and change some of the plastic plumbing.

Care to share a pic of your text treatment?

I will send a photo when received shortly. Yes, I was thinking we can always cut a bigger sink area! We will see how we like the standard one. It may be fine but it won't be as handy as yours.

[float5]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Hope not.

Not exactly! I take it that that is an original Baglo font.

[float5]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Care to share a pic of your text treatment?

Floating Cloud

[float5]

Floating Cloud

It is under the cover paper so can't see it well or the color which is dark blue.

[Donna D.]

Good for you Cathy! Isn't it fun to be unique!!

[float5]

Originally Posted by Maury&Julie

We just got the standard colors from Escape and my wife's comment was "Boring!" So we need to research and choose custom materials. We're not sure how to get started. Any tips?

I managed to divert to sinks and graphics. Sorry about that!

You can order flooring through Pioneer Building Supply in Chilliwack so at least that saves on shipping for flooring. They keep it there and Escape picks it up when needed. We bought Armstrong. They have some others but that was the best we saw. The sales people do not receive commission so it doesn't matter how many people you talk to there.

Some people use fabric places in Canada to save on shipping for that. There are plenty of fabric choices but as you have probably seen, many use Sunbrella because that is good with the moisture you will likely get in the trailer. Many have regular fabrics though and wonderful designs. Not a lot of designs to Sunbrella but we wanted plain anyway. You do see some of their stripes here.

[float5]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Good for you Cathy! Isn't it fun to be unique!!

It is great to find something that works!