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(Not HDT related) Laying Laminate flooring (COMPLETED)


Brad & Jacolyn

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On ‎7‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 9:39 PM, Vegas Teacher said:

That looks really great! Must have taken a lot of time

3 1/2 days on my knees and they were barking. On the edges of the slides where it met the carpeting I left a strip of carpeting the width of my level. Then I removed the padding under the strip and folded the carpet back under itself so the slide carpet edge covered it and stapled the carpet back down.

I also put some staples into the edge of the planks where they bumped against the carpet edge that I just described.

Other than that the floor is all floating. No glue.

Before I started I read everything I could find about installing these floors and I found something about this particular flooring and it said not to put it under cabinets. So I was going to just float it up to the edge and then cover with 1/4 round (just for the record the trim is not in place yet but I have it and when I get someplace where I can rent a chop saw AND my knees quit barking I'll install it). However, when I removed the original kitchen flooring it ran under the cabinets and then cleats were added inside the cabinet frame. When I pulled out the original flooring the cabinets stayed up on the cleats so I just slid the new floor into the space left by the old floor. I will put trim around that also.

One big trick that I learned. If at all possible lay the flooring in the direction they recommend (groove to the wall and then left to right). My problem was the flooring ran under the kitchen slide so I had to start there instead of in the back corner on the same side of the rig. My big fear was that I would not be able to slide the material under the kitchen slide (I was right. It was a real bitch as it was). Then I had to lay the kitchen floor out to the edge of the cabinets and then extend the floor back until I cleared the cabinets so I could measure to the wall and try to extend a line all the way to the back of the rig. So I had to work some pieces backwards. The locks work about twice as hard coming in backwards.

Once I got the alignment correct (there was a lot more worrying than there should have been) all the way from the back to front the rest popped in quick because I was working the locks in the proper direction.

What did I learn?

1) Depending on the brand the WEAR LAYER is different. I used 8mm planks with attached cork padding. The wear layer is 20mil. Thickest I found.

2) DON'T go cheap. I ended up paying $4.49 per sq. ft.

3) DON'T rush. You will get aggravated at some point. Walk away and take a break. Otherwise you will get frustrated and make mistakes.

4) This one is JMO. When you buy the install tools (you will need spacers, and tapping block and a pull bar) don't buy the kit. The pull bar in my kit was thin and soft. The bar bent easy and will fight the entire job. Spend a little more and buy individual tools. You will probably be happier in the end and have less buggered fingers.

5) Measure carefully. I figured on having a 1/2 box left. Turns out my waste fell good enough that I had a full unsealed box left. Now they are telling me it was special order and won't take it back.

If you have any questions I'll try to answer them and no I won't install yours.

Brad

P.S. My knees have recovered.

Edited by Brad & Jacolyn

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
Fulltiming and loving it.

 

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  • Brad & Jacolyn changed the title to (Not HDT related) Laying Laminate flooring (COMPLETED)

I have done a few RV floors.  First one was with Pergo in a Dolphin.  I went OK.  I agree with your comment about walking away when frustrated.  I actually built that into my schedule.  I would do a couple hours each day after work and while waiting for dinner. That way it was not too much at once.  I am a contractor, but this was a job on my stuff.  Harder to get around to doing it, you know the mechanics cars are always last to get serviced.  The most recent, which I plan on redoing, is on a Newmar 5er, and I used 13mm laminate.  It looks to be too thick for the slides to work right.  I will re-evaulate this when I have time to get back to it.  I do like your choice of material.  It looks GREAT.  A small area is tough to do right, SO MANY CUTS.  A captured areas too.  Good tools are definitely a benefit.  GREAT JOB.  Now enjoy it.

Marcel

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44 minutes ago, rpsinc said:

I have done a few RV floors.  First one was with Pergo in a Dolphin.  I went OK.  I agree with your comment about walking away when frustrated.  I actually built that into my schedule.  I would do a couple hours each day after work and while waiting for dinner. That way it was not too much at once.  I am a contractor, but this was a job on my stuff.  Harder to get around to doing it, you know the mechanics cars are always last to get serviced.  The most recent, which I plan on redoing, is on a Newmar 5er, and I used 13mm laminate.  It looks to be too thick for the slides to work right.  I will re-evaulate this when I have time to get back to it.  I do like your choice of material.  It looks GREAT.  A small area is tough to do right, SO MANY CUTS.  A captured areas too.  Good tools are definitely a benefit.  GREAT JOB.  Now enjoy it.

Thank you and we are definitely enjoying it. I was afraid I would get something to thick for the slides so I contacted NUWA and asked what they used. They told me that the box said .32" plus they used a pad. The handy dandy internet conversion said 8MM was .314961". So I felt safe using the 8MM with the pad already attached.

 

Brad 

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
Fulltiming and loving it.

 

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13 hours ago, Brad & Jacolyn said:

3 1/2 days on my knees and they were barking. On the edges of the slides where it met the carpeting I left a strip of carpeting the width of my level. Then I removed the padding under the strip and folded the carpet back under itself so the slide carpet edge covered it and stapled the carpet back down.

I also put some staples into the edge of the planks where they bumped against the carpet edge that I just described.

Other than that the floor is all floating. No glue.

Before I started I read everything I could find about installing these floors and I found something about this particular flooring and it said not to put it under cabinets. So I was going to just float it up to the edge and then cover with 1/4 round (just for the record the trim is not in place yet but I have it and when I get someplace where I can rent a chop saw AND my knees quit barking I'll install it). However, when I removed the original kitchen flooring it ran under the cabinets and then cleats were added inside the cabinet frame. When I pulled out the original flooring the cabinets stayed up on the cleats so I just slid the new floor into the space left by the old floor. I will put trim around that also.

One big trick that I learned. If at all possible lay the flooring in the direction they recommend (groove to the wall and then left to right). My problem was the flooring ran under the kitchen slide so I had to start there instead of in the back corner on the same side of the rig. My big fear was that I would not be able to slide the material under the kitchen slide (I was right. It was a real bitch as it was). Then I had to lay the kitchen floor out to the edge of the cabinets and then extend the floor back until I cleared the cabinets so I could measure to the wall and try to extend a line all the way to the back of the rig. So I had to work some pieces backwards. The locks work about twice as hard coming in backwards.

Once I got the alignment correct (there was a lot more worrying than there should have been) all the way from the back to front the rest popped in quick because I was working the locks in the proper direction.

What did I learn?

1) Depending on the brand the WEAR LAYER is different. I used 8mm planks with attached cork padding. The wear layer is 20mil. Thickest I found.

2) DON'T go cheap. I ended up paying $4.49 per sq. ft.

3) DON'T rush. You will get aggravated at some point. Walk away and take a break. Otherwise you will get frustrated and make mistakes.

4) This one is JMO. When you buy the install tools (you will need spacers, and tapping block and a pull bar) don't buy the kit. The pull bar in my kit was thin and soft. The bar bent easy and will fight the entire job. Spend a little more and buy individual tools. You will probably be happier in the end and have less buggered fingers.

5) Measure carefully. I figured on having a 1/2 box left. Turns out my waste fell good enough that I had a full unsealed box left. Now they are telling me it was special order and won't take it back.

If you have any questions I'll try to answer them and no I won't install yours.

Brad

P.S. My knees have recovered.

Well it looks incredible. I like what you said about not getting in a hurry. I have started many projects at my house thinking, "Well this should only take a couple of hours" three days later and still not finished with the wife on my back side I sometimes have to rethink my decision, but I am always happy after I am done and I can say," I did that myself! " 

You did a great job, and when I do mine I know I can post questions on the forum and you can answer them for me!

Later, 

Vegas Teacher - 2 weeks and counting to the first day of meetings

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