Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 06, 2025 ...

Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

October 09, 2024, 11:00:48 pm

Seems like everyone wants to change their flooring and put in LVT or some other type of vinyl, ceramic or porcelain tile, granite, marble, or any other kind of hard surface flooring.  I've even seen some (Roger) install carpet tiles.  When I first bought my coach I was disgusted at the idea of living with someone else's shag carpet and I thought I would do the same.  But the truth is after four years of living with it I wouldn't give up my shag carpet for anything.  Nothing is warmer or more comfortable than walking around barefoot on shag carpet.  Especially when you're boondocking on a cold late fall/early winter night in the forest.  I was fortunate that the previous owner's of my coach were good stewards (on the inside at least) and left me really good carpet.  I did have it professionally steam cleaned when I first got it home and my carpet cleaner confirmed that it really is a high quality carpet.  I don't know why I was surprised since every other component that the factory selected to build our coaches was the best available in its day.  ie: Cummins ISM, Allison MH4000, Meritor axles, disc brakes, Kubota generator, HWH slides, Villa furniture, I could go on ad nauseum...  Back to the flooring though, the more I considered alternate materials and the pros and cons such as weight, insulation value, sound deadening, cost, etc. I don't think I would ever do anything other than carpet.  I recognize that keeping carpet clean can be a challenge and for that reason I do have a strict no shoes in the house policy.  I also have a lightweight Craftsman stick vacuum (like a Shark vacuum) and it does an amazing job.  And I have to sweep my step well obsessively.  I do think that if i ever have to replace the carpet though I would probably have to go to MOT or FOT because I really don't think any residential carpet installer would be prepared to install the carpet the way the factory did.  Anyone else out there love there carpet enough to not make the switch?  Anyone that's replaced it with the same I would love to hear your story.

Quote Selected

Re: Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

Reply #1 – October 10, 2024, 12:14:40 am

One of the first things we did after purchasing our coach was buy a roll of very good quality residential carpet and haul it down to Nac.  We had the shop at FoT install it, the same folks that installed the original carpet.  We are still, after all these years, quite happy with carpeting for the reasons that George lists. 

Quote Selected

Re: Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

Reply #2 – October 10, 2024, 08:08:29 am

A residential installer factors his price per square foot or yard. Since coaches don't have the amount of yardage vs the amount of time to complete the job, most will shy away from the job. Unlike me- who has been in the business for 52 years.

Quote Selected

Re: Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

Reply #3 – October 10, 2024, 12:14:11 pm

I hate dirt.  No carpet for me.

Quote Selected

Re: Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

Reply #4 – October 10, 2024, 12:25:52 pm

DWMYH

Quote Selected

Re: Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

Reply #5 – October 10, 2024, 02:04:07 pm

Engineered hickory hardwood- front to back-that's in our coach
Noise level increase- turn up the volume.
Walking in carpet bare-foot- your feet has a little oil- that transfers to the fibers.

Quote Selected

Re: Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

Reply #6 – October 10, 2024, 04:05:14 pm

We are only replacing the parque floor part with more wood but keeping the carpet in the back and front. The wool is in good shape and with dogs, they slide around and scratch the wood while the carpet gives them good traction. The wood has some throw rugs covering part of it to keep them secure. Yes, it's a pain to keep clean. We have a carpet machine to shampoo and vacuum it after each trip.

Pierce

Quote Selected

Re: Carpet vs. tile vs. vinyl flooring, etc.

Reply #7 – October 10, 2024, 09:14:08 pm

I think there's no one answer as to what is "best".  It depends on who is in the coach, how you use the coach, what the trade-offs are from your perspective.

We prefer something pet-friendly from a traction and wear perspective.  We would deal with (and have) the annual deep cleaning of carpet to minimize CCL and spinal injury risk to our dogs.  So far, the rigid core vinyl that our 2000 has seems OK for the pups, is reasonably easy to clean, and isn't cold or hard under human feet.  Right now, if we needed to replace it in the future we'd probably go with a similar product. 

Quote Selected