What Happened To The Floor?

[fast murray]

I ran our slide out today for the first time since last fall and the linoleum looks like it pulled out from under the carpet somewhat and is now loose. Why would this happen and can I fix it without some major floor work? It's almost like the glue let go or something.

[OldCoot]

Pictures would sure help!

[Malco]

Did you notice if the floor was wet.The glue used for residential vinyl flooring will deteriorate if the substructure it is on is allowed to remain saturated for any length of time.Not sure if the flooring in trailers is even glued down but if so it could be water got in around the slide and saturated the plywood.

[SaskCampers]

How cold does it get where you live and is this the first winter for your unit? If it is the 1st winter, it can sometimes be expected in clod climates. That happen to our last trailer and it was repaired under warranty.

[fast murray]

It gets plenty cold here but it's around 50 today and it was close to 80 last week. I don't think the floor was wet at all and I checked on it every couple of weeks through the winter. It's a 2004 but we just got it last summer. Maybe when it warms up it'll flatten out?

[fast murray]

Here's some pics:






It's difficult to see in the pics but the white line on the right side of the 1st pic is supposed to be under the carpet.

[fast murray]

If it isn't glued down, will vinyl flooring expand and contract with drastically changing temps?

[Malco]

In residential,the cheaper vinyls that are meant to be glued will change quite a bit dimensionally with drastic temperature swings.If it is not glued then this is most likely your problem.hopefully it will lay flat for you in the warmer weather.In the meantime you should avoid walking on it in the cold temps as it is likely to crack if flattened out while cold.

[Crusader]

Fast Murray, Most flooring is glued along the outside parameter only. I would check to see if the slide is clearing the floor as it comes in. To me, it looks like the floor is being stretched by the slide. Especially if its only doing it on the slider side of the floor.

[Herk7769]

Another idea.

Push on the hump in the flooring. Does it "give"?
If so it could be the flooring pulling away from the composite wood substrate as mentioned previously.

If it feels "solid" under the hump; I would lean toward water intrusion deteriorating and expanding the engineered wood.

[SaskCampers]

That is exactly what the floor in our Edgewater did after the 1st winter. I would guess in this case it may go flat when it gets warmer but they repaired ours under warranty as I mentioned earlier.

[Rugged Brown]

If you are still experiencing freezing temperatures, I wouldn't do anything until your temperatures rise. Pushing on frozen linoleum will likely result in cracking. Wait until it warms up when there is more flexibility. Basic characteristics of vinyl/plastic is expansion and contraction in changing temperatures.

[fast murray]

Hopefully its the temperature as I don't use it when its cold. I can push down on the wrinkles so hopefully the floor is ok. When I run the slide in I can see it rise up slightly before coming in but I'll get down and watch it. I'd really like to not refloor the camper as I've got some other things that need done this spring.

[RonLynnJr]

I had this happen to me in my Prowler but it was caused by a leaking sink drain.

[Big Vic]

The flooring expands and contracts with temp changes, except at the edges where it is fixed in place by walls or furniture. Usually, the flooring is NOT glued down in RVs due to this phenonmenon, so as to inhibit tearing damage to the material. I notice that my flooring is loose when very cold in the RV and returns to normal as things warm up.

[fast murray]

Well, it was 80 degrees here today and the floor is still wrinkled. I think the slide may be a little lower in the middle but I'll have to do some more checking. I can't imagine what would have happened to it but maybe it just needs more time to mellow out.