We want to put in a wood floor in our 84. My wife likes Bamboo. I have never installed a wood floor. So should we start this thread discussion with whether or not it is better to use the wood systems that lock together without nails, screws or glue......or should we use the standard pieces that do require being fastened down.
Has anyone any experience with this? I am also wondering what you do around odd areas like the stairwell which on ours has a rich and gaudy shag all over it and also up front where the floor slopes up as it passes the captains chairs.
Todd & Dawn Flickema
Former owners of a Classic 1984 Newell
71 Karmann Ghia
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
I like the engineered material. You can get the trim that matches and install that first around the top of entry. Then you can butt factory edge of flooring to that to make a nice fit. I like to adhere the product to the floor. Stair nose trim can be used, also. You can get rubber treads to get rid of the carpet. Some areas need carpet, if the front part of coach is not flat.
We put bamboo in our sons kitchen,dining, living room. The recommendation considering our installation environment was to use adhesive as well as nails. We "buttered" the bottom side of each board , laid it, then nailed. Very time consuming but it turned out great. I would recommend that you fully understand the installation requirements for your application before you buy because some may be more or less adaptable to your needs.
1993 Newell (316) 45' 8V92,towing an Imperial open trailer or RnR custom built enclosed trailer. FMCA#232958 '67 Airstream Overlander 27' '67GTO,'76TransAm,'52Chevy panel, 2000 Corvette "Lingenfelter"modified, '23 Grand Cherokee.
Purchase urethane adhesive. There is no water in it, but it cures by moisture in the air. I use to spread the floor, but now I butter the backs of the boards. Use the correct trowel notch. In our coaches, you don't have to nail, if you use the urethane adhesive. Cork would be same application.
Ernie's I was in Menards today and was looking at a bamboo that they sell in boxes. The pieces look to be maybe 2 feet and are tongue and groove. They sell transition pieces and molding etc...so you can actually use them on the steps. I am interested in this but would need help on how to do it and where to start. I have a good friend who is a master tile guy and does all the high end homes in our town who could help me but I know he would be interested in others opinions who have done this as he is a perfectionist to the inth degree.
Clarke if you read this do your recall what your square footage was in your coach? Dawn wants carpet still in the bedroom and Erniee pointed out that up front by the drivers and passenger seat we need to do something else because the floor slopes up. Also I have something Inassume is electrical in a channel covered in carpet running from under my seat to the wall. Not sure what to do besides carpet up here.
Todd & Dawn Flickema
Former owners of a Classic 1984 Newell
71 Karmann Ghia
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Seems our coach is around 204 square feet of usable space....we are 36' long by 8' wide...I take about 2 foot off the length and 2 foot of the width and then multiply each number to get square footage. We left carpet in the driver and passenger foot area where the floor slopes up, and left carpet on each side of the bed, but every thing else is wood flooring. We used Pergo engineered interlocking wood flooring, and it is floating, not glued, or nailed down.
A number of people here on the site have seen our flooring.....it turned out pretty good, and is standing up to full time living.
Clarke and Elaine Hockwald
1982 Newell Classic, 36', 6V92 TA
2001 VW Beetle Turbo
Cannondale Tandem
Cannondale Bad Boy
Haibike SDURO MTB http://whatsnewell.blogspot.com
(This post was last modified: 09-08-2012, 08:21 PM by whatsnewell.)
Flick- can you post a couple of photos of your coach? If you coach just slopes up at the pedal area, you can still install the bamboo there. On Bluebirds, that is what I do. When I install on any coach, I start at the entry with stair nose trim. I like to fit factory edges to factory edges. If the stair nose trim is top set of the new wood, you can start anywhere. Here is a photo, if it will load of the trim and wood I'm currently involved with:
(09-09-2012, 05:43 AM)Erniee Wrote: Flick- can you post a couple of photos of your coach? If you coach just slopes up at the pedal area, you can still install the bamboo there. On Bluebirds, that is what I do. When I install on any coach, I start at the entry with stair nose trim. I like to fit factory edges to factory edges. If the stair nose trim is top set of the new wood, you can start anywhere. Here is a photo, if it will load of the trim and wood I'm currently involved with:
I will get by the shop this week and post some shots. I would like to use the wood up front if possible, but likely there are a few tough corners and edges. I will need your edvice on where to start and which direction to go etc.. So you are saying then just to glue it with the product you mentioned and not nail then?
Todd & Dawn Flickema
Former owners of a Classic 1984 Newell
71 Karmann Ghia
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
I'm not in favor of nailing or stapling flooring down for one good reason- if you hit a screw, crossmember, or anything steel- the fastener will turn and come back up thru the material you are trying to fasten. That makes a mess as you have to replace that plank.
