Laminate floor?

rickbsgu

rickbsgu
Here's a biggee: Anyone tried putting a laminate floor in the main living area?

I know you have to leave carpet in the slideouts to effect a good seal, but I'd much rather not have carpet in the main area from the kitchen back to the rear window.

Seems like putting in a laminate floor in that area wouldn't be difficult - there aren't any obstructions in that part. The main thing is you'd have to provide some sort of protection scheme for the slideout runs (and make sure they clear, of course.

Would like to order it from the factory with a laminate floor, but I'm not getting a good response from dealers on this. So, may have to roll up my sleeves and do it myself....
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Would like to order it from the factory with a laminate floor, but I'm not getting a good response from dealers on this. So, may have to roll up my sleeves and do it myself....

Rick,

Pretty sure Heartland will not do this from the factory. But, I "think" they will do all linoleum for you. Then you can lay the laminate on top of it.

I think Ray LeTourneau put laminate in his unit as has others on the forum.

Pretty sure everyone left carpet in their slides as the dinette slide with a flush-floor has a transition space that is covered by the carpet flap.

Jim
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Ray did put laminate in his kitchen area and it looks beautiful. His laminate is the tile look. The last time I saw it the carpet was still in the living room. He has a nice transition from laminate to carpet.
Peace
Dave
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
Ray did put laminate in his kitchen area and it looks beautiful. His laminate is the tile look. The last time I saw it the carpet was still in the living room. He has a nice transition from laminate to carpet.Peace Dave

I'm in the process of having the entire front area of my trailer done in laminates. I'm having custom carpet pieces made to cover the slideout transitions. Laminate, carpet, laminate.

More as the VA allows.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
I'm in the process of having the entire front area of my trailer done in laminates. I'm having custom carpet pieces made to cover the slideout transitions. Laminate, carpet, laminate.

More as the VA allows.

We'll want to see pics of how that turns out Lefty. Sounds cool.

Jim
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
I only did the kitchen area but it would be easy enough to do the entire floor. I would have to figure a way to have the edge of the laminate under the slide out carpet be flush so the slide would have clearance. Possibly an aluminum carpet transition piece would be thin enough to cover the edge of the laminate without adding too much thickness. The laminate actually should not be any thicker than the carpet and padding combined so it might just be a very simple mod. I used laminate with the attached sound deadener (padding) from Home Depot.
 

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leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
I only did the kitchen area but it would be easy enough to do the entire floor. I would have to figure a way to have the edge of the laminate under the slide out carpet be flush so the slide would have clearance. Possibly an aluminum carpet transition piece would be thin enough to cover the edge of the laminate without adding too much thickness. The laminate actually should not be any thicker than the carpet and padding combined so it might just be a very simple mod. I used laminate with the attached sound deadener (padding) from Home Depot.

That sounds like a good idea, Ray. I'll talk to the carpet layer...he should be able to handle it. I've got so many people telling me that it cannot be done...that I'm gonna do it just to spite them! If there is a problem...you can bet there's a solution for it.

All you gotta do is look.
 

rickbsgu

rickbsgu
Ok, thanks all for the responses.

After I get my 3670RL and work up the nerve, I guess I'll have to roll up my sleeves and see what I can do.

Cheers,
rickb
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
Ray, I think I got it figured out! Di Slides! Di Slides!

I only did the kitchen area but it would be easy enough to do the entire floor. I would have to figure a way to have the edge of the laminate under the slide out carpet be flush so the slide would have clearance. Possibly an aluminum carpet transition piece would be thin enough to cover the edge of the laminate without adding too much thickness. The laminate actually should not be any thicker than the carpet and padding combined so it might just be a very simple mod. I used laminate with the attached sound deadener (padding) from Home Depot.

Back in the old days...I was riding my pet mastadon into work. All the NCO's were sitting around the coffee table discussing the woes of the world. I explained to them that I needed some plastic shims with a taper to level something I was working on installing on my truck.

One of the guys there said, "Come with me, Son". He took me down to the basement and talked to the guy that worked the plastics for prothetics. I told the guy what I wanted to do...and he said "Sure..." he walked over to a bin and pulled out two pieces of plastic that were about 1.5 inches long and a 3/4" wide. He asked if these would work...and I responded that they were too short...and too thick. He ran both pieces thru a rolling press...and shazam! I got my shims.

I was going thru the board archives here...and found something about some plastic inserts that could be used to keep the slides from dragging on the floors (a retrofit for the Sundance I think)...and I imagined that they would also work to keep the slides from dragging on my new laminate floor. The prices from the manuf. was a little steep. So, went looking for a field expedient method to save some money.

What I found were some cutting boards that were made of the same plastic as I had gotten in Alaska...and the same plastic that the liner of my peg leg is made from. I bought a couple and took them home. Did some measurements and cut them into strips the width of the flooring pieces. Found a guy that had a rolling press...and ran those plastic strips through....and pressed them down until they were about 1/8" thicker than the flooring and trimmed them to the width of an piece of flooring.. Cleaned the area up...and using some of that marine flexible epoxy. The pieces could also be drilled and counter sunk if you wanted to screw them down. But, the epoxy seems to be holding it like it was welded on.

A quick check...(drum roll please), when the floor is retracted into the trailer...it raises the slide up j_u_s_t enough that the slide rolls right over it...and does not touch the floor.

I think this setup might work and hold for a while. If I start having problems I can either redo it...or look for some harder plastic.

What you think, gang?:eek:
 
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pmmjarrett

Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
What you think, gang?:eek:


PICS PLEASE

I't a great idea. That's what I think.:DNone

Been following this, thinking about doing my whole trailer in laminate including the slides, no carpet at all except the bedroom.
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
PICS PLEASE

I't a great idea. That's what I think.:DNone

Been following this, thinking about doing my whole trailer in laminate including the slides, no carpet at all except the bedroom.


Sure will as soon as I can redo this thing, and get the other slides done. I want to see if I can find a harder plastic. But, they will be up soon.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
After I had done our kitchen floor I had a concern about the transition piece between the carpet & laminate. Because it was thicker I thought the slide might ride on it while in motion. As a precaution, I used a piece of non slip carpet runner with the nubs trimmed off where they covered the trim piece. As I suspected, the slide floor pinched the carpet runner and tore it. I checked the floor of the slide while extended and found where a couple of the screws on the bottom of the slide weren't all the way in. Tightened the screws and eliminated the problem. I no longer needed to protect the trim piece.
 

rickbsgu

rickbsgu
All really interesting ideas.

I was thinking of aluminum insets that I'd put into place for the slides to run on, then take them out and replace them with a piece of matching laminate once the slides were extended. The grain would run crossways, I imagine, but it would be an acceptable compromise.

PMMJARRETT: I think you need the carpet on the overlap to keep the floor from getting drafty. I don't know, that's what I've been told. Anyway, I suspect it covers the edge of the floor, which probably isn't finished very well.

rickb
 

Dusty

Well-known member
I had laminate put in my kitchen, it works well and looks great. Got to remember though, laminate is heavier than linoleum so you gonna have a trade off somewhere.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
I had laminate put in my kitchen, it works well and looks great. Got to remember though, laminate is heavier than linoleum so you gonna have a trade off somewhere.
I agree! I think the 2-1/2 boxes I used probably added 80 pounds. I should have weighed one of my full sheets for kicks but didn't think about it. Did you use wood look or tile look laminate? We did tile because there's already so much wood in the trailer. Although a light maple or bamboo might have looked OK.
 

sharmulst

member
Ray
Where did you have your flooring put in? We have been thinking about either changing out the carpeting or putting in laminate/linoleum. Was it very expensive. Thanks
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Ray
Where did you have your flooring put in? We have been thinking about either changing out the carpeting or putting in laminate/linoleum. Was it very expensive. Thanks
I did the install myself. Fairly easy install if you have average do it yerself skills and the tools. I'm fairly slow so it took all day. We bought it at Home Depot for $3.67/sq.ft. We had to buy 3 boxes.
 

Dusty

Well-known member
I had mine done at the dealer, Explore USA in Kyle Texas, they did a real bang up job. I went with the wood look. They said it would be better to leave the carpet on the slide part so that is what I did. Another Question, wonder how hard it would be to replace the carpet in the bed room and the slide?
 

jayc

Texas-South Chapter Leaders
Not really a laminate flooring question but along these same lines, I've wondered about putting one of those electric floor warmers down under a laminate floor. I've seen them used on homes but they use a thin concrete mix under the ones I've seen on the home improvement shows. I think it has something to do with the disbursement of the heat evenly.
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
Not really a laminate flooring question but along these same lines, I've wondered about putting one of those electric floor warmers down under a laminate floor. I've seen them used on homes but they use a thin concrete mix under the ones I've seen on the home improvement shows. I think it has something to do with the disbursement of the heat evenly.

I just posted a series on putting an underlayment heater down under a laminate floor. There are radiant floor heaters that do not require thinset. I'm installing one now. These were designed to be laid under laminate floors. Depending on how much you are putting down, you can expect to pay $700-$1000.

I wanted to put in some passive heating that did not entail concrete...and that would provide something warm for my animals to lay on...and maybe stay off my bed.
 
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