What Can We Do To Stop The Linoleum Floor In Our RV From Cracking?

by Gerald

How do you prevent the Linoleum on the trailer floor from cracking - we have had our Linoleum replaced once already and it has cracked again the second year. The camper is only 2 years old. Is there a better floor out there that can be installed? need help

Gerald

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ANSWER Hi Gerald First let me assure you that you are not alone in the problem you are having with the flooring in your RV. A lot of RVers are having the same problem that you are. In extreme temperature changes Vinyl and to some degree Linoleum flooring will contract and expand. Your cracking floor problem is probably temperature related. If you live in an area that has very cold winters then your floor cracked due to the cold.

The first thing you need to determine is if your flooring is true Linoleum. Your flooring may indeed be Vinyl flooring. Some people believe that Linoleum and Vinyl flooring are the same. They are not; Vinyl flooring is more susceptible to temperature extremes and has a tendency to get brittle and crack when exposed to extreme cold temperatures. True Linoleum does not expand and contract as much as Vinyl flooring and does not become as brittle when exposed to extreme cold.

How the vinyl or Linoleum flooring is installed in a trailer or motorhome also makes a difference. Some RV manufacturers just glued the edges of the flooring and allowed the middle of the floor to float on the floor of the RV. This practice is believed by some to cause the cracking problem with the floor. The RV's that had their Linoleum or Vinyl floors glued down completely did not experience as many of the cracking problems.

Another problem is
that the Linoleum and Vinyl flooring in most RVs is not specifically designed for RV use. This flooring is designed for home use. The temperature in most homes stays somewhere between 65 and 75 degrees on average. There are also different qualities of Linoleum and Vinyl flooring. The term "you get what you pay for" holds true when it comes to the quality of the flooring. Even when you buy a new motorhome or travel trailer, you may have the option to pay extra for a better quality flooring product.

Now to your second question as to what kind of flooring you can install in an RV. The simple answer would be any kind of flooring you can install in a home can be theoretically installed in an RV if you disregard weight and wear issues. My best answer is if you do not want carpet, Linoleum or Vinyl Flooring then laminate flooring is your best bet.

laminate flooring is durable, lightweight, wears well and is successfully used in a lot of motorhomes and trailers. Another great advantage of laminate flooring is the patterns that are available. It can really enhance the interior of your RV.

If you are a good do-it-yourselfer you can install the laminate flooring in your RV. ModMyRV.com has a great tutorial on How to install a laminate floor in your RV.

Hopefully this information has been helpful to you. If any of our visitors have suggestions for you they can add them by clicking on the add a comment link located near the bottom of this page.

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Comments for What Can We Do To Stop The Linoleum Floor In Our RV From Cracking?

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starstarstarstarstar 		Painting The Floor
by: Anonymous

I was wondering if I could use a rubber paint on the floor?
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starstarstarstarstar 		Winter Storage
by: Anonymous

My theory is that the vinyl floors will not be stressed when cold IF the RV is parked without any support other then the under carriage (and tongue jack for a TT). Do not subject the chassis to corner blocking/jacks of any kind, leave the corners float. JMO.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Help for splitting floors
by: The Harbor On Crescent Bay Resort

We were told by an RV dealer that went to a class on this that if you leave one window open just a little it will help stop splitting floors in extreme temp changes.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Heater on in a stored camper for the winter
by: Steve

We are having a tough time here in Manitoba with cracking or peeling floors because of the extreme temperature variance. I am wondering if a person could just leave a small space heater plugged in when stores away or could that cause more problems with condensation? I ve heard stories of guys ruining their campers insulation or worse the walls after having the heat on in cold temperatures, but people were usually living in these, breathing creating condensation.
Any info on this topic would be great!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I would like a reply from someone, please
by: Gertie

We had our RV in the shop for repairs and they didn't get it done until now, January. We stopped to look at what was done and to pay, but to our surprise when entering the RV, the flooring was cracked in the living room, going into the bathroom.

Now the question is, who is responsible for the replacement of the flooring, us or the place of business. We think it happened when they took it from the shop and put back outside in the below temps. My thought they should have known not to store outside, which they had told us they would keep inside for the winter. The repair was huge, which we paid in full. Now I'm worried we are going to get stuck w/ another flooring bill. Who is responsible for this repair???
Rating
starstarstar 		linoleum discolor and deck mold & damp
by: Billy C.

Linoleum needs to be glued down to prevent air pocket caused by hot outside Temps. The air trapped between the linoleum and decking will reach a dew point (vapor turns into water) then the plywood decking will get damp, mold and fall trough over time. Camper trailer builders don`t understand dew point and water vapors. Also, trailers are under pended with no vents to release hot air buildup so the heat can only come up through the floor. BFC
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Do you glue down the floor in in a trailer home
by: Anonymous

Do you glue down the floor in in a trailer home

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