ultra lite soft floor

[SSmbs]

I have read other posts about the spongy "sandwich type" floor. Has anyone tried using the locking wood laminate flooring? I was thinking of running it in a front to back direction to span beams. Since my only issue is 5' from the bedroom steps and back it would be minimal weight. I see some people brace on the bottom but I don't believe that would correct the sponginess.

[Flagstaffer06]

I am going to fix a soft spot in my floor this spring due to some water damage. I plan on replacing the OSB sandwich portion wherever it is bad with a heavier plywood and then I'm going to go over it with Allure planks from Home Depot or an equivalent at Lowes.

There is a post on here as well about someone using 3/8" engineered hardwood planks and it seemed to work well.

If you do not have any underlying issues with water causing the spongy floor then I'd say look into maybe the 3/8" engineered hardwood. The laminate is nice to work with though as I've used it in projects at home. I do know that laminate flooring is not recommended in areas where there is exposure to water such as a bathroom area. If water gets into the seems it will swell as it's made from a multitude of materials similar to cardboard.

Atleast with engineered wood you get a thin top layer of wood.

Good luck!

[davel1971]

if just looking to make floor more solid feeling, a floating laminate floor will provide nothing at all. Probably will just crack where the pieces snap together. Go with a more solid material as Flagstaffer06 said

[Flagstaffer06]

Here is the link to another post on this subject with some pictures too. I too might be going with an engineered wood actually instead of the allure just to give it a solid feel of course in my water damaged area, I'm going to replace the subfloor itself with something heavier.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...oor-29420.html

[cadman99]

You can purchase 1/2" or 5/8" engineered wood flooring. The best is the tongue and groove style that glues at the joint - not the snap or click type. Looks better than laminate, is more resistant to moisture and is sandable.

[sheriff1]

How does that work with the slide outs?

[Flagstaffer06]

From what I understand by reading and doing some research, 3/8" is about the max height you'd want to put down to not affect the slideouts. Of course, each unit might be differently, the link I posted above is specific to that model and how it worked for that person. It happens to be the same for my model of trailer to be ok without affecting the slides.

I think though in most cases, anything higher than 3/8" will affect the slides most likely.

[SSmbs]

I have some left over laminate from a house project I may try. While not as firm as hardwood I believe with interlocking pieces it will spread the weight out when stepping on it. I will post my results. I have wood laminate in my kitchen and it has held up good. The best part about the laminate is if you don't like it you can unsnap the pieces and easily take it out.
I have carpet in my living room/slide area so I don't feel the sub floor softness.

[cadman99]

Laminate is very susceptible to moisture and if you scratch it, it cannot be repaired without removing the piece and replacing it. Get a small scrap of 1/2" plywood and place it on the floor to see if it effects the slide. The slide may scratch the top as it moves.

I have laid lots of wood flooring - laminate does not look as good or last as long as engineered wood. If you don't have a good moisture barrier under laminate it will eventually absorb water and warp.

[Ksmed]

I have a 28' surveyor. No slide outs and a bunch of soft spots. Was thinking of taking a utility knife and cutting the linoleum out of all the main floor areas then removing. Then use a Clorox solution on the "soft spots" on top of the luan sandwich. Then I was going to use an anti-microbial spray paint to inhibit future issues. Then, I was going to trowel a self-leveling compound to create an additional barrier (being a trailer it would be difficult to utilize the compound as designed but I think I could just "skim" the entire area) then glue 3/8" plywood down and finally add an underlayment such as felt and a laminate or hardwood flooring on top (one which is acceptable for bathrooms, any ideas on a specific product?). I am planning on working the flooring around the toilet without raising or removing and leaving a 1/4" gap and using a water resistant caulk to fill the gaps. Do any of you think this will work? Since the height doesn't seem to be an issue with no slide outs I thought this would be a good remedy. My only concern is the bathroom area and will a floating floor create movement underfoot or should I use an engineered floor with a glue application? Any thoughts or concerns I am missing? I believe I have fixed all the issues which have "created" the soft spots. That being said, with the treatment of suspect areas and even if the lower membrane is compromised wouldn't the paint, leveling compound and underlayment inhibit any lower intrusion of moisture for several years? Wouldn't the 3/8" plywood and the flooring offer sufficient stabilization to the floor? At odds to do a floating floor due to potential movement underfoot but most flooring options require an underlayment which I am unfamiliar with. Am thinking a glue down engineered would be a better option especially since I do not have to be concerned with the increase to the floor height due to no slides. Sorry to ramble but have put a bunch of thought into this before undertaking! Any and all input would be appreciated. I realize this is an old thread but is obviously a common problem.