I am interested in changing the flooring in the Barth.

Currently there is a low nap, cheapie blue carpet that barely complements the rest of the interior. It is difficult to keep clean and maintain. The only nice thing is the carpet's ability to deaden sound and minimize heat transfer through the floor.

Several thought came to me,including a "sheet" of linoleum, and hardwood flooring.

I discounted using adhesive square flooring thinking that the flexing of the chassis would make them lift.

I like the ability to wipe up spills, and avoid staining, since I have two young children.

I was concerned with hardwood flooring squeaking and rattling. Is this realistic?

Any comments?

I have installed laminate flooring in a condo I rent. It snapped together, and installed over a thin sheet of foam underlayment. A shoe mold, and various trim pieces complete the job. Looks great!! I see no reason it wouldn't work in a coach.

I put Bruce adhesive Hardwood Floor in the kitchen area between the living room and bedroom about 3 years ago. It hasn't let loose yet. I would think the Pergo type flooring would be better if you wanted to do the whole coach.

I can understand your desire to install the flooring, but remember one large factor and that is DIRT AND SAND. Both are like major sandpaper. By nature of camping these are all around you, and you may want to consider a catch rug either outside or just inside the doorway. It will be very nice and I wish you well. Dale

Windsor, I wish you well and recommend a carpet that I have used. I would like to expand its use but alas I have found it not to be available from my searches.
Why would I recommend something not available? Because I think it is but I have not been able to find it again.
It is a product called PetPerfect. It is a heavy short nap polypropylene carpet with a moisture barrier and 3/8" dense closed cell polyurethane foam backer. This makes it a very heavy carpet but it is great on my cruiser. It gives up stains, it deadens sound, it feels good under foot and it is user friendly. I used a hijacking tool to cut it to fit all the little contours in the cabin and the backer plus moisture barrier prevent unraveling and all the other problems that can only be solved by binding.
As good as this product was I find it hard to believe it is gone from the consumer Earth. My future searches are to be centered on commercial carpeting. Perhaps if more are searching some will find and share.
Best of luck in our search.
Tim

I have a "Purgo" type wooden floor in my
88 33'Regal.The coach was purchased last November and I'm not sure when the floor was installed.Although I haven't driven any
great distances(yet)I haven't heard any squeaks or creaks. There are carpet swatches
on the two steps and an area rug in front of the sofa. This is my 2nd day with a new
computer, so when I master the photography
"stuff" I'll try and post some photos. Looking back,the wooden floor was a big consideration to buy this coach due to the ease of sweeping up!!!!

THE TOY 88 33'Regal Coach #3448



------------------

I have installed a "floating" hardwood floor in Barth II. I do NOT recommed hardwood laminates because of the high traffic(sand blasting) that they take and they can't be refinished. A solid hardwood floor wood be to thick and heavy.

That leaves you with a "Pergo" type of synthetic flooring. These work very well and are very easy to install. They look good don't sqweak and ware like steel.

In our new continuing care unit they have installed a vinyl sheet floor that looks like hardwood.
I found it on Armstrong.com in their commercial section in the medical section. Its called Timberline. Might be worth a look.

------------------

I installed a snap together hardwood floor that I picked up at Home Depot. It was not that hard to install and it looks great. We have small area rugs that we use in front of the sink and stove. We have a rug placed in the entrance to catch some of the grit and sand that are everywhere in areas we camp. It was not too hard on the pocketbook. There is matching moulding and trim that really finish the job.

We've a stack of parquet left over from the house. Irene and I discussed putting it in the Barth, but we weren't sure what would happen to the chairs in the lounge area when we went around a corner. It sure would look nice and we have a "no shoes in the Barth" policy when in campgrounds. So, tracking stuff in isn't a problem, on the other hand I don't want to be the target of "flying/sliding furniture. Maybe a no-skid area rug to help anchor thing would be the answer. Has anyone dealt with this before?

Dennis did you continue your wood floor into the living room or did you stop in the kitchen?

------------------

Dave I just put it down in the kitchen area since there is a step up into the area where the beds are. Remember that this coach is only 22'. It sure looks good. When I get my new Barth home I'll continue working on my 22'. Maybe that 28' will be too big for us.

Also curious to know if anyone has replaced ugly carpet with tile?

------------------
Susie and Gary (SUGAR)
'95 Barth Regency 34'
'96 Explorer

SUGAR,

I have plans to take the carpet out of the bathroom and replace it with tile. It should be a fairly straight forward process. I remember that Dale replaced the carpet in the front end of his coach and other than the fact that it was stapled heavily everywhere, he never said anything about glue being a problem in removal.

Barth did use a special membrane under all flooring material for dampness protection of the deck, but the tile should go over that material anyway.

------------------
Bill & Georgene Goodwin
92 Regency 36ft
300hp Cummins
Gillig Chassis

Our (new for us) "90 Regal has hardwood, probaly oak, in the galley-dinette area. Finish is bad, and a re-do will be part of my summer project which will qualify as a major refurbishing of coach, and mechanicals. I also plan to replace the bathroom carpet with lile, or laminate - probably laminate with a tile finish, rather than woodgrain.