Removing carpet to install wood flooring?

[Rickf1985]

Question for those who have put in wood flooring in their rigs. Did you just cut the carpet flush with the cabinets? I don't know about the older units but my 89 has the entire floor covered with carpet and then the walls, cabinets and everything else is built on top of the carpet. Also, did you install the wood flooring as a full floating floor over the foam vapor barrier?
I am debating on whether to do this or not, my carpet is not real bad but it is getting tired.

[TerryH]

I did mine a couple of years ago. I cut to the cabinets, a lot less work. I used 1/4 round, stained and varnished for trim. For exterior walls I also sealed the plywood subfloor to the wall as I could feel some air infiltration after pulling up the carpet - especially at the cockpit step up.
I had some 2' x 3' x1/4" cork sheets left over from doing a friend's floor, so I also used that under the laminate. I think it helps with noise and cold transmission from below. Not that expensive and you don't need a lot. Stagger the seams and duct tape them.
Consider where you start.
I'm single again and staying that way so I removed the dinette and use a nice antique round table with two chairs. Takes up a lot less room and the table has three legs so it cannot "rock."
I am seriously considering removing the couch as I only use it to pile stuff on. For that reason I started with a full plank at the couch and installed to the passenger side, ripping the last plank as needed. This way, if I do remove the couch I can continue on to the driver's wall without a difficult transition. Of course, depends on whether you orientate front to back or side to side.
One benefit I have noticed is a lot less sneezing from dust. With wood you can see the dust - with carpet it's always there. Hay fever and age.
Cleaning is easy with a swifter duster and there are products for careful washing of laminate.
This is my home and I fully expect it to be my last. If, for some reason I were to buy a replacement, would I change the flooring again? First project.
Sorry for the length.
Terry

[Oz]

Although I didn't install wood flooring, I cut the carpet back to the cabinets and put in vinyl flooring.  In the bedroom, I also replaced the carpet with carpet so we wouldn't be putting our feet down on a cold, hard floor.

[jbragg]

I just got done putting prefinished hardwood in mine. I cut carpet flush with cabinets and walls, using pre-finished trim to finish it out. I did remove the couch, dinette, and bed. Then put them back in place after the floor was done. I put a rubber washer under the table leg to keep from scratching floor. Had to notch around the bolts in floor to be able to reattach the seat belts.

[Rickf1985]

Thanks for the info, I definitely want some sort of insulation under the wood even if it is only a little. Don't like cold feet. Will most likely have carpet runners in there anyway for the dogs, I had my Shepherd throw a hip out sliding on the linoleum in my slide in. Don't want that to happen again. I really wish I had someplace indoors or even just under cover where I could gut it out and do everything from the ground up including the roof.

[Lefty]

The original construction of the Winnebago was that the floor was built and installed on the chassis before any walls or cabinetry were installed. This included the carpet and linoleum. Even if you were able to unscrew and remove all of the cabinetry (A very tedious and difficult task to do without damaging the cabinets or trim), There wuld still be carpet passing under the walls. Cutting the carpet as close to the cabinets and walls as possible is really the only practical solution. You can either finish the edges with 1/4" quarter round trim, Or, you can nail your carpet tack strips about 1/4" in from the edges and then hammer the carpet edges down into the gap between the strips and the walls/cabinets using a carpet chisel. This gives a more professional and finished look. If you look at how most carpet is laid in a house, you will see what I am talking about... as there is no molding or trim over the edges of the carpet.

[Oz]

I used the 1/4" quarter round trim.


[smg id=829]

[LJ-TJ]

WOW! Now that looks tidy. Nicely done Mark.

[tiinytina]

We did same in Gone, cut it back to cabinets.  Costco version of Pergo down but all of Gone's corners are round so Pat hand made all the corner trim.  1/8" foam under the floor.  I however recarpted the cockpit for better sound absorption.  I toss down rubber backed small carpets here and there that can be tossed into washer after each journey where we commonly stand  bathroom, shower door, kitchen etc. 

[Rickf1985]

Tina, I know you have a dog or two, or three.................................. How do you keep them from sliding around? Reference my post above about my shepherd. The same rubber mats?

[JerryP]

For those using solid flooring, wood, laminate, etc...there is a thin layer of foam you can put down, that is actually designed as part of the flooring system.
nobody uses it much, because they rob you for it, but some of the more expensive systems include it on the board itself

[jbragg]

The rubber backed area rugs will keep you dog from sliding around and when you get home they can be thrown in washer.