Just wondering if anyone has used cork flooring. Seems like it may be a nice choice. The flooring is going to be my next improvit project.
Steve
No idea about cork, but we just redid our home with Bambo and it turned out very nice, made the DW very happy. Would consider it for the coach if/when I get tired of the ceramic tile that had installed 2 years ago, sure would be lighter weight.
Dave M
Cork reduces heat loss in rooms and even body heat loss through the feet. Cork naturally maintains a comfortable median temperature, never getting very hot or very cool. Walk barefoot on a cork floor and the warmth is immediately apparent. In tests its been shown that less heat is lost through the feet with a cork floor than with hardwood, vinyl or ceramic floors. Cork is a natural thermal insulator because of the encapsulated cells containing mostly air.
Bugs, mold, mites and even termites are repelled by cork due to a naturally occurring substance in cork called Suberin. This waxy substance also prevents cork from rotting even when completely submerged under water for long periods of time
The natural waxy substance Suberin makes cork a natural fire inhibitor. Cork is fire resistant and also does not release any toxic gases on combustion.
And those were just a few of the good thing about cork. The really neat thing about cork is that the cork oak tree is not destroyed and then replanted but rather the bark is trimmed from the tree every 9 years, leaving the tree and the forest undamaged. Its not unusual to have a 200 year old tree still producing cork bark.
Sue and I are going to do the salon and hallway with cork... I think we're going to tile a small area of the galley alcove... but we might just use cork there too. I like the looks, the feel, and the qualities of cork. :)
Craig
Howdy El_Dorado,
We replaced all our carpet in the salon and bedroom with Cork flooring in Feb. of 2011.. We love it...We did it ourself..Easy install, easy to take care of, and has great thermal and sound qualities... We fulltime and I would not use any other product..
Dave A
Dave and Nancy can you post some pictures and details on installation? Thanks
Or people that have done the Cork installation?
Howdy Kerry,
I got the original idea/information from flite2010 on this forum. The following is a cut/paste from a PM I sent a while back:
Yes, I did this myself. Piece of cake!!! In our previous coach (a sob) we removed the carpet and installed solid wood flooring that was 3/4" thick by about 2 1/4" wide. It was quite a job. This cork is a MUCH better product for an RV. IMHO, it makes a great floor for a RV..As I'm sure you know, cork has thermal and sound insulating qualities, that lend themselves well for RVs. Easy maintenance, no Formaldehyde (important in a small, enclosed area), easy install.
I did remove the pilot/co pilot chairs (you'll need help with this), but left the couch in place. I removed all the removable panels from the couch, cut the carpet back from the edge, maybe 6 to 8 inches. When you re-install the panels, it looks like its completely under the couch. Didn't have to modify any of the doors.
We have a U320 that has a wood floor in the galley area and tile in the bath. Left all the galley floor in place and just used a real nice transition piece (trim) to cover the small gap between the new cork and the existing galley floor. The existing galley floor is 7/16" and the cork that we used is 1/2". It looks great.. The galley wood had a rounded radius in one corner, that I just used a skill saw to cut to 45° to make installing the trim piece easier..This came out great. Again, just used a transition piece from the bath tile to the cork in the bedroom. I did use pre-stained real wood trim around the entry door and edges, etc.
Here's a link to the USFloors website: US Floors: Natural Cork, Bamboo, Linoleum, Hardwood Floors (http://www.usfloorsllc.com/) Some very useful information on this website.
Link to the family of cork products we used: New Dimensions: Natural Cork Flooring - Tiles | USFloors (http://www.usfloorsllc.com/products/natural-cork-collection/natural-cork-new-dimensions/)
Link to the specific product: Narrow Plank Lago | USFloors (http://www.usfloorsllc.com/products-page/new-dimensions/narrow-plank-lago/)
I bought from an online company. I tried to give some local brick and mortars a chance, but they couldn't come close on price.
Here's a link: QualityFlooring4less.com: Porcelain Tile, Bamboo, Hardwood & Cork Floors, Vinyl (http://www.qualityflooring4less.com/)
I was in southern Arizona at the time, and just dropped shipped to a shipping terminal in Tucson.
Good luck, and if I can be of any help, please let me know...
Dave Abel
ps. I did have to buy and inexpensive table saw (that I later re-gifted). When we sold our house to full time, I sold all my big tools.
cork comes in a variety of colors, also
Dave , what process did you use for installing the cork such as vapor barrier, floating or not,sound barrier, etc. thanks jc
Howdy hotonthetrail,
The cork is the sound barrier, doesn't require a vapor barrier, and the floor floats. That is: floor is not fastened down anywhere. I had a lot of trouble getting ready for not nailing, but after 16 months, have not had any problems. Its a great product.
Here's a link to a lot of technical documents: USFloors Technical Documents | USFloors (http://www.usfloorsllc.com/products/usfloors-technical-documents/)
The hardest part of the project, was removing old carpet..The installers were not afraid to use their staple guns!!!
Good Luck, Dave and Nancy A
Thanks for all the great replies, I figured cork would be a great floor for our coach and I think I will go for it. Pics sometime in the near future.
Dave A- we have for a while been thinking of new flooring in the living area and may well go for the cork too.I ripped out the wood in kitchen 3 yrs ago and did tile in dining,kitchen,bathroom. One question, did you take just the seats out or the 4 bolts holding frame to floor. I have had the seats out to re-stuff the foam but not the base plate, and wondered if it was necessary. I gather you did up in the drivers floor area and down side of steps.
John h
We have seen Dave and Nancy's Cork floor and it looks great. If we can find the right color, I plan to go with Cork also. Peggy still leans toward tile but I particularly like the thermal and sound insulation aspects of Cork. Time will tell which product wins out.
Howdy Kent,
Thanks for the compliment..The longer we have the flooring the more we like/appreciate it...Good Luck on finding the colors...TTYL, Dave and Nancy A
Howdy John,
We removed the chairs completely, although you could leave the base plate in place and install flooring around the base plate..The skirting around the chairs would cover everything. It just seemed easier to remove the chairs (they are heavy/awkward) to make a clean install. To re-install the chairs, I went under the coach, and drilled up through the mounting holes until the bit just started through the floor, then finished drilling the hole from the top.
In the driver and entry steps area, we left the carpet (beige in color) in place on the vertical walls.. By leaving the carpet in place, it made the color transitions from the dash area to the new cork flooring look good..
Good Luck with everything,
Dave and Nancy A
Dave, how many square feet did you calculate and was the cork lite or dark in color. thanks jc
Howdy hotonthetrail,
On the color I would call it light with dark highlights (can't believe I just used that phrase!!). here's link to the product: Narrow Plank Lago | USFloors (http://www.usfloorsllc.com/products-page/new-dimensions/narrow-plank-lago/)
Still trying to find some of the pics that we took during installation. I kept a couple of leftover pieces, that are appox 8" x 12", that I use to show folks how it locks into place. I would be glad to ship one in the mail, so you could look it over..Really, this would be no problem.
I looked up my old invoices, and I bought 158 sq ft. Since it comes 14.4 sq ft to the box, I had 11 boxes. I did overbuy, my usual practice, and I had one complete box left over, that I donated. BTW, it looks like I paid $5.19 per sq ft.
Good Luck, Dave and Nancy A
Thanks Dave I think I am ready to proceed with this project after 1&1/2 years of planning, needed a little push but will wear a parachute just in case. jc
question, while you had the carpet out by the brake and foot pedal did you see any removable panel (in the floor) to be able to get to air lines on foot brake valve. I have a few air leaks on it and wondered if I can access it from top?
Yours is same year as mine
John H
Howdy John,
I don't remember a removeable floor panel in the driver area. I'm sure I would have noticed this...On the advice of Mike Rogers at MOT I left brake pedal in place and carefully cut-out (took a while and some scrap pieces for this) for the brake pedal mounting...It really came out great..
Good Luck on finding your air leaks, Dave and Nancy A
Dave, any chance of posting pictures of your flooring? I am thinking about installing throughout ours. I would like to see the entry, carpet on the kick areas and the transition to the wood. I would like to see the area around the toilet step area as well if any one has done this area?
Howdy Philtravel,
Step pics:
Ignore the dates on the pics, need to re-set date on camera:
Salon area:
Bath Area:
Not sure if yours is the same, but I posted a picture of the toilet pedestal in another thread awhile back... Willie Wilsons U320 renovations (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=16597.msg107071#msg107071)
Don
Dave; Neat job you did; very craftsman-like fur-shur! Really like the step-storage. Guess I missed that earlier; what was involved?
Howdy Chad,
Yeah, the step-storage is one of the most handy things for me...I keep gloves, air gauges, small tools, etc. in the tool box. Actually, got the idea from Barry Brideaux's coach at the 2011 Lemon Rally. When I installed the Cork flooring, I re-built the step area.
Fairly easy upgrade. I was able to remove/peel off the extra heavy duty vinyl that FOT uses on the steps and re-use. Then just removed/destroyed the second step and first step wood and re-built with 3/4" marine grade plywood. On the first step I used some aluminum sheeting and caulking to water-proof the whole first step. I also put a slight slope, to (hopefully) allow the water to seep toward the front (outside).
The key to the storage is to just hinge (piano hinge) the tread plate on the second step. It really is handy, and IMHO, one of the best and most useful mods to the coach.
Good Luck, Dave Abel
Another item for my bucket-list; thanks, Dave. How did the TV upgrade come out?
Howdy Chad,
It works great!!! I send you some karma every time I swing the TV. As a matter of fact, yesterday I was showing to a SOB owner, and he was checking out the website to order one for his TV.
ttyl, Dave A
Thanks for the pictures Dave! I love the backsplash as well in the Bathroom. Great Job.
Howdy Philtravel,
I got the inspiration for the backsplash from Bob and Faith (flite2010) when they re-did their backsplash in the galley area..I practiced in the bath and the galley area is next!!
Good luck with your upgrades/projects, Dave A