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Rug Removal - bad idea?


Cynxing

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My 1986 Dolphin still sports the original carpet.  I have pulled it out wherever I can, but I'm afraid that taking it out from under the cabinetry etc. will open a can of worms that I wish I hadn't started.  Last year I covered it up with a runner and that was ok.  I want the noise and heat buffer but can do without the alternative life forms it must be harboring.  Has anyone removed all their rug?  Tips?  Warnings?  Thanks for any suggestions.

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Depends on what interior layout you have as to hard it is to remove all the carpet.  I have the layout with the dinette at the rear and cabinets , stove, fridge, etc along each side.  When I removed my carpet, I just removed the part down the center and out to the edges of the cabinets, etc.  The carpet under the cabinets wasn't really very bad since it never gets any foot traffic, just some dust.  Then it was easy to lay down a piece of new carpet that butted up to the fronts of the cabinets.  I just stapled it down with a regular heavy duty staple gun.  Still holding up after two years.

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FWIW. I removed my carpet and the billizon staples holding it down, I cut to the edge of the benches and cabinets .  I glued and screwed a layer of 5/16 underlament plywood down to seal off all the carpet  edges by the benches and cabinets and make a stiffer, smoother floor. Then glued down a single piece of vinyl flooring and caulked it around all the edges. This created a swimming pool effect so any spill can just be swept out the door. I later finished things with 1/4 round around the edges for a better look.

A lot of strange corners so I cut up used some cardboard boxes and used duct tape to make them into a tight fitting pattern.

For a warmer floor in the winter I used a couple of hall runner rugs.

Edited by WME
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1 hour ago, WME said:

FWIW. I removed my carpet and the billizon staples holding it down, I cut to the edge of the benches and cabinets .  I glued and screwed a layer of 5/16 underlament plywood down to seal off all the carpet  edges by the benches and cabinets and make a stiffer, smoother floor. Then glued down a single piece of vinyl flooring and caulked it around all the edges. This created a swimming pool effect so any spill can just be swept out the door. I later finished things with 1/4 round around the edges for a better look.

A lot of strange corners so I cut up used some cardboard boxes and used duct tape to make them into a tight fitting pattern.

For a warmer floor in the winter I used a couple of hall runner rugs.

I'm thinking about removing the visible floor carpet in my '90 Dolphin, and just painting the floor or adding some stick-on tile.  My question to you in doing what you did is:  What did this do to the noise level whilst driving?  I think the OP was worried about that as well, in relation to removing the carpet.

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I just chose not to remove my carpet and lay down black runner carpet from home depot that you measure and cut, cheap! Didn't bother to nail or staple it down and looks freakin great. Figured an extra layer of floor insulation would help with noise and heat retention.  Call it what you want...

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4 hours ago, lopezg273 said:

I'm thinking about removing the visible floor carpet in my '90 Dolphin, and just painting the floor or adding some stick-on tile.  My question to you in doing what you did is:  What did this do to the noise level whilst driving?  I think the OP was worried about that as well, in relation to removing the carpet.

The birch plywood underlay and using a premium thick vinyl flooring (remnant) made it quieter.

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I took the 32 year old carpet out a little while back and I'm so glad I did.  There are a billion and six staples that are really tedious, but you can get past that.  I have two boys, 5 and 9 and they are rough on the camper.  I'm waiting until they are older before I do any real effort at upgrading the interior or the floor.  So for a temporary solution I got an inexpensive single sheet of vinyl from the local box store.   It took no time to install by using cheap quarter round to hold it down at the edges and it's really made it easier to keep the camper clean.  For a long term floor I'd put down some kind of sound deadening underlayment and a premium piece of vinyl flooring.  My floor was a little wavy and the click together flooring planks don't like that so I'm sticking with a piece of vinyl that is much more forgiving on a floor with a bit of a wave to it.  I would think twice about painting the floor because it needs to breathe.  If you get any water in the wood the paint makes it even harder to dry out and you will get rot faster.   Single sheet of vinyl is simple, cheap, easy to install, waterproof, masks floor imperfections and the premium stuff doesn't look bad at all. 

 

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Thanks for the response!  My dog would wipe out like Bambi on ice if I put in just vinyl, but the combo of that and the fresh runner would be sweet.  I'm a little nervous about what I will find under the rug.  The floor is creaky.  I'll take pictures to share if it's a horror show.

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On 8/16/2019 at 3:19 PM, WME said:

The birch plywood underlay and using a premium thick vinyl flooring (remnant) made it quieter.

WME,

Could you post some pics?  I'm looking to do vynl as well, but not sure if I'll do the underlayment.  

Cynxing,

Heres some shots of my 87 Dolphin.  I've pulled most carpet.  I've pulled one bench/bed and will run vynl under it. I'll pull the second bench as well, since its much easier for me to get the carpet out.  I won't/haven't removed cabinets with fridge, stove/sink areas.  I've been cutting along the edge in those spots and its a BISCUIT.  

20190623_112838.jpg

20190712_185332.jpg

20190712_185338_HDR.jpg

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Sorry no pics, that was a long time ago.

Birch underlay...https://www.homedepot.com/p/Underlayment-Common-5-2-mm-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Actual-0-209-in-x-23-75-in-x-47-75-in-431178/203183022

It comes in 4x4' or 4x8' sheets. It is designed for being under vinyl flooring. It has no interior voids so it won't develop sink holes over time. I cut mine so that the joints extended way past the factory ply joints. I glued it with exterior construction glue and used 3/4" screws. I used water putty to fill the screw divots and sanded everything smooth  before installing the vinyl.

If you have a flexie floor goggle Birch Cabinet plywood. It comes in 1/2 and 3/4" thickness. Cabinet ply has more ply layers so its stiffer than regular plywood.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/22/2019 at 10:54 AM, ModocMade said:

WME,

Could you post some pics?  I'm looking to do vynl as well, but not sure if I'll do the underlayment.  

Cynxing,

Heres some shots of my 87 Dolphin.  I've pulled most carpet.  I've pulled one bench/bed and will run vynl under it. I'll pull the second bench as well, since its much easier for me to get the carpet out.  I won't/haven't removed cabinets with fridge, stove/sink areas.  I've been cutting along the edge in those spots and its a BISCUIT.  

20190623_112838.jpg

20190712_185332.jpg

20190712_185338_HDR.jpg

ModocMade

I decided to hold off until next year to deal with the rug.  I still want to use the camper this month and can't if it's all ripped up.  So I plan to get a runner for now, and I've been reupholstering the chairs and couch (photo attached - blah plain but clean and neutral).  More immediate is a shelter from snow.  My landlady said I could park it this winter on a cement foundation that was supposed to be another garage but never got finished.  It's a few steps from my door and I'll be able to keep an eye on it.  But constructing a sturdy snow deflector with whatever I can find lying around here is going to be a challenge. 

IMG_2022.jpg

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Very nice upholstery job. I like neutral. If you want color do it with pillows and accents. That way you can change your mind all you want without dealing with an upholstery fabric you suddenly hate.

Snow deflector, upside down storage bins on roof, one at back and one in front. Board placed on top of them in the middle. Big heavy duty tarp over all and tied down very firmly. The peak will deflect most of the snow. After big storm go out and brush the rest off. Tarp must be tight enough to not sag. Works like the peak on a house

Linda S

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Hi Linda,

I started doing the barrel chairs too - but just the worn seats.  I'm going over the top of existing fabric for fear that the structural integrity of the chair/sofa would disintegrate if I started pulling off the fabric to reveal the pulpy foam.

I've seen people do that roof thing with the totes.  I worry that the weight of the snow after a storm will crush the 33 year old frame?  I've just been offered a 30' tent.  Maybe I could do both the tent and totes ideas.

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