A NEW FLOOR OVER THE OLD
TIPS FOR INSTALLING LUXURY VINYL, IN A CAMPER OR ANYWHERE!
STAPLE THE EDGES
There’s no need to remove the old flooring if the subfloor isn’t squishy or soft. But take care of any curledup flooring. If it’s brittle enough to break if stepped on, cut it away, then staple down the loose edge.
FILL THE GAPS WITH FLOOR PATCH
Fill holes and voids with floor - patching compound. This will harden and support the new floor and help prevent wear marks in those areas later. Use a mudding knife to smooth and level the compound to match the old flooring.
Luxury vinyl is easy to install and clean, and hard to damage. And since this vinyl can go right over many types of flooring, I didn’t have to tear out the old floor. However, I did have to make a couple quick fixes.
EASY CURVED CUTS
There were a lot of rounded cuts and notches to make! I tried using an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel. The grinder worked great but created a lot of dust. I wore a respirator and had to wipe the dust off each plank before I installed it.
CHANGE DIRECTIONS
It can be difficult to wrap vinyl planks around doorjambs. If you need to lay flooring through a doorway, plan to end the flooring in the opening and change the plank direction in the next room. Then add a transition strip for the finishing touch.
SOLUTION FOR TRICKY SCREWS
Our camper had hundreds of oddball screw heads. We couldn’t find a bit to fit them, so I cut slots into the heads using a rotary tool fitted with a cutoff wheel. That allowed me to remove screws with a regular flathead screwdriver. This solution works for corroded screws too. I learned this trick while restoring an old motorcycle. Works every time!