A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Topic: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles (Read 2966 times) previous topic - next topic

A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

May 15, 2020, 07:44:18 pm

Our original carpet was starting to show its age. Bathroom tile and kitchen floor looks good so we are doing new carpet. We like the warm feel of carpet so that's what we are doing. We chose a FLOR Carpet Tile for color, pattern, feel and because it it on sale, price.

Tear out today, driver's seat in the morning. Two cabinets mounted on top of carpet. The amount of grit and fine sand under the carpet was surprising

Re: A New Floor

Reply #1 – May 15, 2020, 08:42:29 pm

Yes it is surprising. And disgusting. This was just one area of mine.

Re: A New Floor

Reply #2 – May 15, 2020, 09:32:17 pm

Roger, looks like a great project. Will you be replacing the slide carpet section too? I have been thinking about doing the same project. I have done the bedroom carpet, but was concerned about the how to get the carpet under the slide area. Thanks in advance for any information you may have to share.

Re: A New Floor

Reply #3 – May 15, 2020, 10:10:15 pm

With the slide all the way out the floor carpet went under the edge of the slide by a couple inches. There is a 1/4 inch strip of plywood just under the edge of the slide. The foam padding was a bit thicker than that and it looked like the carpet went over the foal and over the 1/4 strip and was stapled down in-front of the strip. The carpet in the slide folds over the edge of the slide and is glued to the front edge of the slide.

I'll take more pictures.

I am adding a 5mm plywood underlayment over the existing subfloor, stapled on 4" centers. This gives me a great height match to the existing kitchen floor and bathroom tile. The new carpet is getting glued to the underlayment.

I'll take more pictures.

Re: A New Floor

Reply #4 – May 16, 2020, 07:39:55 am

they make carpet shims for that transition so you don't have to add underlayment everywhere

Re: A New Floor

Reply #5 – May 16, 2020, 11:07:17 am

Well, I am doing underlayment to have a clean smooth surface to work with. And it makes the finished height better with the existing tile and wood floors. My choice.

Re: A New Floor, Carpet

Reply #6 – May 16, 2020, 12:43:43 pm

Its a little work but very rewarding.. Doing a remodel myself.. exhausting but so far so good..

Keeps you limber and focused.. Keep up the upgrades.. Its helps the learning curve for others that might not be so enthused about how to accomplish this and other upgrades but I have always been the type of guy that if I try atleast I tried but if I figure out its to much, I can always hire it out later.

Re: A New Floor, Carpet

Reply #7 – May 16, 2020, 01:42:22 pm

Roger. I'm with you on the carpet in LR and BR if that's what your doing. I'm wondering about the carpet pad. I've heard that it's different in the br around engine area. Are you doing anything different there. I can notice a difference ,,a transition between the hallway and br and would like to avoid that when we pull the carpet trigger

Re: A New Floor, Carpet

Reply #8 – May 16, 2020, 02:18:28 pm

Quote

I am adding a 5mm plywood underlayment over the existing subfloor, stapled on 4" centers.

This is a little off topic but it might be useful information for those that want to add tile but do not want to remove that nice wood flooring. That was my case in our 300. I layed down underlayment like Roger and that brought the level up to the point at which the tile exactly matched the level of the wood floor. I used Kardeen loose lay.
jor

Re: A New Floor, Carpet

Reply #9 – May 16, 2020, 03:00:01 pm

Bob, Carpet in the Livingroom and Bedroom. The BR floor padding was a very soft foam covered by a heavy black mat. Same ahead of the front bulkhead in the LR. I think it was probably for noise, hard to see how it could have any better for heat insulation.

The small cabinet just behind the driver's seat was installed over the carpet. I removed it and will reinstall it. The small cabinet behind the passenger's seat was mounted on a 3/4" + thick layer of plywood which was carpeted over And the cabiner screwed down over the carpet. There is an AH heat exchanger in the bottom of the cabinet so I am going to leave it where it is, trim the plywood back to the cabinet and Once the new carpet is installed I will add cherry trim as required.

Jor is correct. Matching the existing wood and tile floor surfaces to the carpet surface was the goal. An underlayment get us there with the added benefit of a clean surface to work with.

We are using FLOR Tile. I worked with their engineering team for some time to determine the best way and time (temps) to install these and a glue down solution seemed to work best. Even glued down a tile can be removed and replaced if needed. They are excited about his application, a new one for their product. And tiles are 25% off now. We are thinking is is going to look very nice to us.
Leaf Behind

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #10 – May 16, 2020, 03:28:54 pm

Our next project is removing the carpet in the bedroom and replacing it with berber! Roger, can you take a photo of the bedroom with the carpet removed and the exposed black mat? I am assuming it is down there to help in the heat department from a long days ride from the engine heat/noise?
Thanks, Joe

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #11 – May 16, 2020, 08:24:36 pm

Joe, I tore out the black cushion. It may have had better heat characteristics but it was used in the BR and the front of the LR not above the basement spaces. So my guess it that it is more for noise. The heavy black layer would have been a pretty good sound attenuator. The FLOR tiles have a sturdy vinyl back side base. Glues down over an underlayment it should be pretty good.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #12 – May 16, 2020, 08:45:38 pm

We just replaced the bedroom room carpet and did an engineered floor in the bathroom. I removed the old carpet as well as the black sound dampener. Before replacing the bedroom carpet, I covered the entire bedroom floor and bed frame with dynamat sound and heat insulator. I also removed all the heat blankets in the engine compartment and under the bed lift. I did a full layer of the dynamat on the engine compartment and under the bed, then reinstalled all the blankets.

The sound dampening is awesome. We have only taken a short trip so far, but am hoping that the engine heat issue is also gone.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #13 – May 16, 2020, 09:10:58 pm

What's at the edge of the slide? Yours may be different, mine is a 2001.

First picture shows the carpeted edge of the slide. The floor padding and carpet have been removed. There is a 1/4" piece of plywood that extends under the edge of the slide. The plywood stops on either side of the pin locations, 2 places, otherwise the full length of the slide.

The second picture shows the glued-on carpet peeled up from the slide edge. The 1/4 plywood is easy to see here. The edge of the slide is an angle iron with slots to allow the bottom edge to move up and down. A 1/2" thick x 1.5" wide plastic slide is on the bottom of the angle iron. The slide bar runs the full length of the slide. The plastic slide bar profile is curved inside to out. I am going to replace the OEM carpet glued on the edge.

The third picture is a closer detail of the slide bar.

The fourth picture shows my carpet sample will slip under the slide bar. I am going to put about 4" of carpet under the slide bar. The underlayment is just slightly thinner than the 1/4" plywood strip.

The fifth picture shows the driver's seat out. I can only see three of the seven bolts under the coach. The base is bolted on top of the original carpe and black padding, well crushed. So I took off the top half of the base and just cut around then base. There is discoloration of the plywood in the front corner from some water at some point. It is all dry now and sound. This corner is above the generator radiator bay and the open space behind the front cap. I will get in there and add some sealant,

The last picture is the small cabinet behind the passenger's seat. It houses the AH heat exchanger in the bottom section. The cabinet is mounted on a plywood base that was carpeted. So I am just going to cut the plywood base down to the size of the cabinet, carpet up to it and add some cherry trim as needed.

So far, good. About 6 hrs in it so far.

More pictures as i move along.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #14 – May 16, 2020, 09:55:36 pm

Great project. I have aspirations of tackling a remodel but just have trouble finding the time. If I have time to work on it I'd rather be in it camping with the kids.

As a side not I bet it is a lot easier driving only having to worry about one pedal instead of two.

Joking....

Can't wait to see the final product. Good luck and stay safe!

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #15 – May 16, 2020, 10:16:00 pm

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – May 16, 2020, 03:00:01 pm

Bob, Carpet in the Livingroom and Bedroom. The BR floor padding was a very soft foam covered by a heavy black mat. Same ahead of the front bulkhead in the LR. I think it was probably for noise, hard to see how it could have any better for heat insulation.

The small cabinet just behind the driver's seat was installed over the carpet. I removed it and will reinstall it. The small cabinet behind the passenger's seat was mounted on a 3/4" + thick layer of plywood which was carpeted over And the cabiner screwed down over the carpet. There is an AH heat exchanger in the bottom of the cabinet so I am going to leave it where it is, trim the plywood back to the cabinet and Once the new carpet is installed I will add cherry trim as required.

Jor is correct. Matching the existing wood and tile floor surfaces to the carpet surface was the goal. An underlayment get us there with the added benefit of a clean surface to work with.

We are using FLOR Tile. I worked with their engineering team for some time to determine the best way and time (temps) to install these and a glue down solution seemed to work best. Even glued down a tile can be removed and replaced if needed. They are excited about his application, a new one for their product. And tiles are 25% off now. We are thinking is is going to look very nice to us.
Leaf Behind

Many years ago I installed flooring, FLOR is a great product.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #16 – May 18, 2020, 08:07:37 pm

It rained for the last 36 hrs, 5". That is a lot for us.

I looked closely at the wood laminate flooring. I wasn't sure how thick the surface layer was. Good news it is more than 1/8" thick. Easily sandable.

I cur away the protruding plywood base arount the small cabinet behind the passenger's seat.

And got three of four pieces of underlayment cut and fit and fixed in place. The fourth piece is the easiest. Then staple down on 4" centers.

Another 6 hours today.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #17 – May 19, 2020, 09:09:21 am

Roger, you ought to tell them how to scribe the curve at the front storage cabinet next to driver seat. I had to do it, both for the underlayment and our Karndean tile. I wanted both to be exact. Laid out a graph, cut template out of cardboard, and fitted it in. Mine came out nice....I was pretty proud of myself. Did you do it in a similar manner, or did I make work for myself?

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #18 – May 19, 2020, 12:20:08 pm

OK Glenn, here is how I did it.

Make a paper template that fits close. Use a marking block to make a line parallel to the thing you are fitting to. Move the template, add paper to the edge of the template, use the marking block to make a line that is where your target is. Trim. Try. Adjust as needed. Works everytime.

On inside curves a narrower block works better (more accurate) than a wider one. Just make your marks 90° to the surface you are trying to match.

I left underlayment with an 1/8"+ all around, Finished flooring cut as close as you can.

This is how we do vinyl floors at HFH. In 27 years building homes with HFH I have done dozens of vinyl floors in bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms and back and front entries. Works every time, well, almost. The hardest part is getting a pattern to match in a bathroom and mudroom with a transition between them. Sometimes it is good, sometimes close is OK.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #19 – May 19, 2020, 06:24:43 pm

I took a different approach. Basically, I drew parallel lines, running front to back on one inch centers. I laid out the same grid on a piece of cardboard. Then I drew a line 90 degrees perpendicular to those lines. I numbered each line, and measured from the reference line to the cabinet. Drew the curve, and fine tuned it.
In construction, given a problem, there are often more than one way to get to Mecca.
I always admire your craftsmanship.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #20 – May 19, 2020, 09:44:52 pm

Glenn, Lots of ways to do most things. A good result usually means the method worked.

Today after an appt with my ortho doc, a cortisone shot in my knee and setting up an MRI for it, I got the fourth piece of underlayment cut for the living room and the three pieces for the bedroom cut and installed. I took out the sliding door in the bedroom for better access and to prevent damage to it. All the pieces got a couple screws placed to fix their positions and then I started stapling. Every 4" in the field, 2" on seams. About 1500 1/4" x 1/2" staples. Good thing I have the right pneumatic tools for the job. Another 4 hrs today, about 16 total now.

I was moving a 120v Romex cable on each side of the bed box. These are not the biggest spaces to get into and even worse getting out. I found myself having a fond memory of meeting a good friend, Dave Metzger. We first met Dave in Houston when we were both visiting Rudy. We went out for dinner at Rudy's favorite place, The Monument Inn. Dave showed up looking all beat up, black and blue, scraped up and bruised. Pretty much like someone who came out on the wrong end of a bar fight. Dave usually traveled by himself and was a big fellow. He had rolled over in bed and fallen out between the bed and the wall. The bedside cabinet got his face and he was wedged in. He said it took him and hour to get himself out. That was the beginning of nice friendship, lots of back and forth, respect and fond regard. We miss him.

OBTW, the coach is in the driveway in front of the barn since last Friday, not plugged it. All of the normal stuff (lights, inverter, device chargers, entertainment stuff, TV etc) is powered up. It is in the sun part of the day, part shade more of it. Solar panels have kept it at or near 100% SOC every day. Very nice. And the solar charges the start batteries too.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #21 – May 21, 2020, 08:47:14 pm

I got the original floor sanded yesterday and finished it this morning. Then I stained the floor. Looks great. Smooth and flat. Three coats of matte floor grade poly tomorrow.

Memorial service this afternoon, all on line, for a dear friend who fell victim to the coronavirus. She was 95.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #22 – May 23, 2020, 09:21:40 pm

The wood floor part is done, two coats of a matte finish oil based poly, cured over night at 75Â°. Hand sanded this morning and a final coat of poly. Minimal brushing, sweep strokes into a wet edge. Dried now, I will let it bake for a couple days. The matte finish looks fabulous.

Other than the drying time this went well, the floor sanded out with 80 grit, then 100 and 120 grit. All of the slight height mismatches, raised edges and small dents are gone. A good stain added a touch of color and balanced the differences in wood in the floor. If you want to redo your wood floors this is a project you can do.

Doing the final FLOR tile layout plan. Installing starts Tuesday. It is a complex puzzle.

ZAR 12706, 1/2 PT, Oak, Interior Wood Stain, 1/2PT, Golden Sunset - Household...

ZAR 33912 Oil Based Polyurethane Wood Finish, QT - Household Varnishes -...

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #23 – May 26, 2020, 07:51:14 pm

I didn't do any thing on this project over the weekend other than make the quarter sawn white oak transition frame to the step well.

Today I cut and fit all of the pieces, quite a puzzle. Just a few smaller floor pieces left and there are trim pieces in the driver's foot well and step well to finish. Maybe get to glueing tomorrow. Maybe 5 hours today.

This is a project you can do. You can make your own choices, decide what to do for yourself.

Re: A New Floor, FLOR Carpet Tiles

Reply #24 – May 26, 2020, 08:14:12 pm

Looking good Roger!

Affiliate Notice