Flooring questions for 45ft Signature series

[Keith Russell]

I am looking to take the existing carpet and tile out of my coach asap.  I am wanting to get some advice on what is the best way to go.  Definitely like the wood look but what is best with the flexing, heat in cab when not using etc.  Vinyl or laminate?  Is the thickness of material important?  Use an underlay or vapor barrier?  I know there are good products out there that claim they are waterproof and scratch resistant in both vinyl and laminate.  Any advice would be helpful.

[Chargerman]

Just a heads up that removing the tile is a VERY painful job to accomplish without damaging the underlayment. The best method that I was able to find was to beat the tile to bits by repeatedly hammering every square inch. As it deteriorates the mastic that they used softens and releases from the underlayment. Worst job ever! Be sure to where a quality respirator as the dust is hazardous 

[vito.a]

I debated this a couple of years ago. 

Some of the new tile is very nice.  But it's also heavy, cold in the winter, and provides very little temperature or noise insulation.  It's also expensive to install.  

The new luxury vinyl plank flooring is also nice.  Most versions are waterproof and easy to clean.  The clip together style doesn't work well in a flexing motor home.  

Carpet provides a soft feel and there are some new versions that are very durable.  It also provides some noise as well as hot/cold insulation.  But it stains easily and requires regular care.  

Steven is right about removing your old tile being a tough job.  The guys I saw were using large Harbor Freight chisels and a big hammer.  

It just comes down to what you like the most.  

 

 

[jacwjames]

I installed LVP Pergo I bought from Lowes, it was the best they stocked.   I left the tile in the bathroom/shower/kitchen area, I dis not want to deal with it.   Here is a post I had done on the project.

I had previously replaced the carpeting back in 2009 but on a trip in early 2021 I felt a soft floor so had to tear everything out and fix the spot and decided to do the the whole thing including the slide floor and the step ups at the closet. 

Both my slides are above floor so that pretty easy but I did have to watch thickness for the kitchen cabinet toe kick. 

Went down pretty easy, took me about 2 weeks working at a reasonable pace but I did have to wait on the trim pieces for doing the steps and the edges on the slides and step ups in front of my closet.  Total cost was ~$1600

My wife did not want textured flooring to make it easier to clean and the Pergo I used had pretty clean joints, some of them have beveled edges which would catch and hold dirt. 

[MPfeif]

A few years ago, I replace the carpet in a 2004 Camelot with Coretec LVP in a medium/light wood grain. Nice contrast with the dark stained cherry, and went down relatively easy, especially after I started using the optional seam glue, which lubricated the click joints and also preventing any possibility of future joint separation. Coretec is a very very high quality product, and easy to work with. Very happy with the way it turned out, and very glad I did not attempt to replace the porcelain tile (though I did cut the curved portion at the entrance straight, on a 45' angle with the coach. Used the matching special order T molding for the transitions. Sorry, no pictures any more.

Last year, I replaced the carpet in my 2008 Signature with a tile pattern LVP from Republic flooring. Again, very good product, and happy with the way it turned out. The LVP was a plastic base, vs a composite, and I ended up heating it and getting a 45 deg edge for the slide (I think it was here that someone posted that heating/bending technique. I used the stair nosing for the engine hump, as I couldn't make the 90 degree turn without too large a radius.  If I do it again, I'd be tempted to route some sort of joint there instead of the stair nosing, as the colors didn't match quite as well as I expected. Putzy, and took a couple tries, but very happy in the end. No issues with flexing, even on the slide. I tried to keep the floor floating as much as possible, but both the slide and the bedroom ended up with screws through it in a few places. With the short spans I'm dealing with, I haven't had, and don't expect, and problems with temperature expansion/contraction. Another reason I used the seam glue on every joint.

I looked at ripping up the existing tile in both coaches, but concluded it was way more work than it was worth. Also, in terms of the flooring itself, I looked at lowes, home depot and costco, and concluded the higher quality flooring available at a high end wholesaler (I used Rayo, big in southern cal and az) was well worth the minor additional cost. With the low sq ft you're buying, there just isn't much different in total cost, and a big difference in quality.

My wife has been very happy with both LVP installs, in terms of cleaning, and both are somewhat textured.

Pic of the 2008 Sig attached.

No vapor barrier or underlayment needed, although be prepared to pull many, many staples out from the carpet and carpet pad. I used a belt sander to smooth over a couple uneven seams in the subfloor.

IMG_1096.HEIC

Edited July 11 by MPfeif

[willbo777]

We went with engineered wood floors and couldn't be happier.  They are comfortable, have worn very well over the 10 years they have been installed.  I will definitely echo getting the tile out is tough.  

[Duffer51]

I replaced the carpeting and tile in my 2004 Dynasty with LVT from Floor and Decor. I found the best way to remove the tile was to use an oscillating multi-tool with an extended blade to get under the tile.  A lot less dust and clean up. Didn't take any longer than using a chisel and breaking it up.  Either way it is a bit of chore - took me a full 8 hours to remove the tile.  

[MIRIAM]

wondering the possibility of not removing the tile and just putting LVT over all of it.  My slides are raised enough they wouldn't scrape and I am pretty sure I can shave down the toe kick in kitchen which is the only piece that would possibly give trouble.  I don't have a lot of carpet and whole main coach is tile (which I don't hate) and I really just want to get rid of the carpet on the LR/DR slide as well as bedroom, so would have to do something all the way through to not look patchy.....I thought LVT would be nice updated look.  Overall my tile is in great shape and I guess I could find a way to try and 'match' it in the bedroom, but I still have (want) to get rid of the carpet on the slide with couch and dinette/chairs.

any suggestions and/or has anyone had success (or even tried) this route?  I got some sample pieces and stuck them under the slides, so I know it will clear (height wise) but, don't want to get 3/4 the way through to have a huge mistake.  Although, we plan on getting the ones we can do ourselves and just lock in, so I even thought about the area of the slides get removed and 'installed' as part of our normal routine with moving. 

[Les Hurdle]

floor was replaced on my 2004 cheetah.   Sadly when the road side slide came in it scratched the wood floor........... until I find a fix the floor is covered with see through 1/8"  plastic sheet   I hear this scratching is common and there are 'lifts' of some kind which can be placed under the couch etc to prevent further damage..... any one else had sim problem/fix?

 

Les

[diplomat don]

Les, sorry to hear your issue. I have a friend that had the same issue with the LVP he had installed in his coach. There is a vinyl slide pieces than you can hook on the edge of the wood, when you bring the slide in and the bottom can slide on them. They can be cut to length and have a slight lip on one end that holds them in place. Then when the slide goes out you take them up and put them away somewhere. Another thing I have heard of was just a thin piece of carpet, like slide out tray liner that you slip under your slide when bringing it in. The vinyl glide bars I initially mentioned were from daveandljs.com I am sure other shops that do interior renovations are aware of them and can supply then as well. Hope this helps as it is one of my concerns about putting hardwood in my coach as well. Good luck, Don