Back to Basics:flooring selection

[robertglines1]

As we are in a hobby of do it your own way let us discuss differant types of flooring and pro and cons. Recently Joe Camper showed pictures of his beautiful new flooring jobs. He used Walnut on one(thick planks) and tile on another both beautiful. I have done Gray Granite squares with brass strips as grout .1 ft square tiles fastened down with GE Silicone caulk. advantage is easy to clean up and don't stain from spilled juice and doesn't assorb odors from cooking etc.Disadvantages cool to feet. have used Perigo style flooring ;liked the easy install. Problem I didn't leave enough space for cold weather expansion. In new project am using 3/4 inch Oak that I processed from cutting the tree to finishing. Reason I like to join my hobbies  and create a finished product.Plus I have already done the others I mentioned.  So new Ideas and experiences please!   I'm sure I will get new ideas from this post;I learn something new every day.    Bob

[bottomacher]

Expansion is generally a warm weather condition, when the warm air is more humid. If you install any type of wood floor (or plastic or almost anything), it will shrink during the dry winter months and expand in warmer weather. You must allow room for the expansion, usually at the edges, which is usually covered by shoe molding (attached to the wall, not the floor) Real wood will expand more than composites like pergo, etc., and plastic flooring (vinyl) shrinks a good deal over its lifetime. It's a drag, but a fact of life, and it requires thought when planning the floor.

[babell2]

Me being in design stage yet.  I wander the big box stores looking at possibilities and have found a Pergo type flooring with a plastic bottom layer and a bamboo skin coat on top.  My thinking is Lite and thin save weight.  It may bite me later being that the Bamboo is a softer wood and being a laminate not very thick as well.  I am thinking on doing a test patch somewhere in my house to test durability.

[bevans6]

My big concern about any flooring is the temperature and humidity extremes that the bus goes through.  Minus 30 to plus 120, 30% to 100% humidity.  I favor sheet vinyl for those reason, but it ain't all that pretty.

Brian

[Fred Mc]

Expansion/contraction is not a problem IF you allow for it. Seeing as how there is usually a molding of some sort bewteen the floor and wall its relatively an easy thing to do.

[robertglines1]

As others have pointed out floor expansion and contraction is a concern that if thought thru will not be a problem. My experience with the perigo was a brain lapse on my part (cabinet set on top of floor).Then you just kick yourself and call your self Dummy! and try to learn from your mistakes.  Bob

[MARKMC7]

so what you are saying is put everything in then do the floor last to allow for expansion/contraction. good to know because i would have no doubt put down the floor first to save on having to cut that many angles and pieces.
now noted, i would be kicking myself for that one later.

Thanks Robert

Mark

[robertglines1]

Mark; floor must be free to move. A cabinet would hold it in place to tightly. Even the granite I did had a 3/8 gap between any thing restricting like walls cabinets etc. The laminates are simple to install and are prefinished. Tile type products in some applications are great also.I like carpet in the bedroom.  We have flooring professionals on the board and I have learned allot from them.

[divinerightstrip]

So glad to see this post!

Currently, my "Urge" has been stripped down to just the rails, which are in dire need of some welding and paint. Then flooring will be the next step, so any pointers and advice are so appreciated, seeing as I don't have the $$ to learn from my own mistakes at this point!!

SO, I am unfamiliar with this "Perigo" style floor... what is it? Bob, did you lay this down on top of an insulating layer as a finish piece?

I am currently thinking of just laying down my marine ply over the storage units, some insulating layer, then perhaps some more ply because I'm broke. In a perfect world I would love some bamboo both for the durability, the fact that it is light-weight, and also because it is a weed, thus kinder to the environment. Stuff grows like weeds.

Any input?

Thanks!
-DRT

[robertglines1]

really don't think you need the marine plywood. Maybe overkill. Obs would do. two layers 1/2 each with felt between them or 1 layer and the thicker hardwood flooring on top of the felt. Your old floor should be 2 layers of 1/2 inch.  Make sure to put sheet metal back over area behind last bay. Fire protection and impact resistant in this area.You have followed my fire experience with this and that thin piece of metal kept fire from inside coach. Perigo is a trade name and is a prefinished flooring that floats on a thin foam pad. Available in most designs even Bamboo. It's prefinished and goes down easily and is durable and cleans easily.

[divinerightstrip]

AWESOME! Reeeally good to know. "OBS" ?? what is this?

Had to rip out my old floor due to the wood rotting out - I don't think the marine ply is overkill in this case, IMHO. :}

-DRT

[robertglines1]

OSB is chipped up wood (not ground) that is chemically bonded into a sheet. If your exposed in bay areas are not in contact with massive moisture marine plywood isn't needed. It's a cost thing.If you have it use it but compare prices.OSB is used in subfloor and roof underlayment in home construction.  Bob

[MARKMC7]

DRT, I believe it stands for omni strand board or more commonly OSB. used in housing subflooring. I think marine ply is overkill because of the cost of it. for where you are planing to use it you shouldn't need that much lbs per sq ft rating and it shouldn't be exposed to that much moisture. just my thoughts here but myself plain ole plywood will do. i think osb tends to be a bit flexable where plywood is more solid and not as costly as marine ply.

Mark

[RichardEntrekin]

Have any of you used or thought about using cork flooring? Right now that is the leading contender for reflooring my rig. I know two Newell owners who have installed some of the higher end stuff over radiant heating and they are very happy.  Wickanders was the brand they used.

[mike802]

I would think installing cabinets on top of the floor would be a lot easier then going around them, you just have to attach the cabinet in a way that will allow the floor to expand and contract. It's the same principal used when building a solid wood table, that table top has to move independently from the aprons, this is often done using whats called buttons  

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f11/how-do-you-make-your-table-buttons-49571/

Depending on the type of construction of the cabinets you may be able to just cut a slot in the cabinet frame and use a screw with a washer, the slot will allow the screw to move with the floor and the washer will aid by letting the screw head slid on top of the cabinet frame.