First time RV-er ending up with massive rehab project, need help with floor ques

Hi everyone!
I am in the Panhandle of FL (so no real extremes in winter) and just purchased a 2002 22' C-class Gulfstream Ultra. It had hideous carpet in it, which I pulled up. There is also sheet vinyl, which ran halfway under the carpet that I will be removing. I want to replace the floor with peel and stick vinyl planks (already purchased). So far the plywood looks like it is pretty sound, although in one corner it was damp - not rotten. I am going to be recaulking the entire outside with Dicor, even so, I feel like I should put a waterproofing membrane on the plywood. I may need to level it with a self-leveling compound as well, since these are peel and stick (not floating) planks.

I'd like to get some advice on whether or not I need both products (any brand name recos will be most welcome) and WHICH ONE GOES ON FIRST?  Seems like the waterproofing would have to go directly onto the plywood, and if it needs self-leveling, then that would go on top, and then put down the planks. Is that correct?

Thanks in advance - happy to have such a rich pool of experience to draw on!

Thanks all! 

Before you do anything with the floor....Fix the moisture problem...Find the source and fix. Then make sure the floor is completely dry.

As far as peel and stick...I'm not sure if that a good choice for an RV,,,So I will leave that the experts.

You're so right! Absolutely dealing with the moisture first.
Hmm, I hope someone does weigh in on the peel and stick tiles.
Your dog is adorable.

CatsinQ said:

You're so right! Absolutely dealing with the moisture first.
Hmm, I hope someone does weigh in on the peel and stick tiles.
Your dog is adorable.

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Thanks....He's our little spoiled rotten, lazy, good for nothing pain in the butt....But we love him.

I forgot to say Welcome to the forum.

By the time your floor is dry enough you should hear from a few people.

Check on Facebook for Ernie Ekberg and he can give you a lot of help on flooring questions. 

My comment is DO NOT USE PEEL and STICK ANYTHING ever!

Mine was similar so I removed the carpet and  linoleum and wire brushed where paper had stuck. I used peel and stick 12x12 vinyl tile. I can't remember what I applied to the osb but it was a latex based primer and it  sealed it with a sort of semi gloss. For osb or plywood I think the best bond would be on a glossy non porous surface. I felt it was overkill to use something like Rot Doctor two part epoxy for the interior which shouldn't be exposed to much water anyway.  It's also pricey. I've used it on a TT rebuild and it's excellent and with two or three coats and it's well sealed. Like any other product, if it's not installed correctly IT gets the blame. Some times products will state that they are not for RV use but we use them anyway. I believe a big advantage is to not be in temerature extremes.

I weighed the carpet and linoleum when I removed it and weighed all the vinyl going in. I don't remember the numbers but the new vinyl was about 60 to 80 lb more. My osb was in pretty good shape so I pulled all the staples and epoxied a few carriage bolt head divots. They don't have to be perfectly glass smooth. The biggest imperfections like ridges or difference in panel height are things that will show through the new tile over time.

I had a few small pieces on the vertical of the steps and the slide edge that didn't stick well so I glued them. There's nothing better than getting rid of the carpet. It's so easy to wipe it with damp paper towels. If I did it again I would have installed this tile with a grout line. They use a silcone base product so its flexible unlike a home install which is a cement base and doesn't flex. Post pics

In my old motorhome, I ripped out the carpet and removed a million and two staples.

Then I put down peel and stick vinyl tile.

8 years of heavy duty 24/7 use and it was still holding up. However in a few places it had developed a small gap which I calked. I believe this was a cutting problem in installation of odd sized tiles.

I was making very precise cuts, but my helpful(?) friend was not. I kept saying WAIT, let me cut those... but he was kind of a know it all.

In retrospect, I think I would have preferred a one piece vinyl installation, but it was a great deal more in cost as I needed a pro to do that.

I was able to do the peel and stick on my own... but my friend helped me. LOL!

I loved being able to sweep it up and mop with just a paper towel under foot.

In the winter I used washable throw rugs in certain areas. My doggy and I was very grateful for that!

I found an old pic that shows my vinyl and a gap that I calked over when the gap showed up a few years later. Normally I had a throw rug in that spot anyhow, but it was being washed when this pic was taken.

I feel like I should put a waterproofing membrane on the plywood. I may need to level it with a self-leveling compound as well, since these are peel and stick (not floating) planks.

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I don't know if any "waterproofing membrane" that can be used with peel & stick.  For the "stick" to work, the surface must be smooth, dry and firmly adhered to the substrate, so that leaves out most vapor barrier sheeting. I'd just coat the surface with a good quality primer paint once the source of the dampness is fixed. If the substrate is OSB or some sort of chip particle board, definitely use a primer to seal the surface.  Otherwise it tends to crumble slightly with the chemical action of the glue and the tiles don't stay attached.

Most peel & stick doesn't adhere well enough to stay tightly in place in an RV, where the floor twists and vibrates and temperature & humidity changes are often extreme.  Expect to see gaps between tiles before too long. You may also find that tiles get loose after a while. They can be re-glued with a vinyl flooring adhesive (available wherever flooring is sold) but first you need to clean the old goo off the back of the tile.

If the wood is sound, but shows any sign of WDO activity, consider this stuff
https://www.rotdoctor.com/
their CPES will act as a sealer for sure, and help preserve the wood

When I've installed peel & stick tiles, I also applied a thin coat of flooring glue just to be sure the tiles are firmly attached. Might be a good idea for installing in an RV. It'll be less likely that the tiles will loosen.

I've done some peel and stick a few times in my 46 years in the flooring business. Never again.

After reading everyone';s advice I turned to the paint guy at Home Depot. He walked me over to the flooring department, and lo and behold - there is a sealer MADE to go under peel and stick vinyl. I'm gonna use that!

CatsinQ said:

After reading everyone';s advice I turned to the paint guy at Home Depot. He walked me over to the flooring department, and lo and behold - there is a sealer MADE to go under peel and stick vinyl. I'm gonna use that!

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Sounds like you got a plan.

Just an FYI...Depending on your tile. My wife uses a grout made for peel and stick. It's great for filling and sealing the seams. It almost looks like ceramic tile.

Maybe post some Pic's after the job is done.

CatsinQ said:

After reading everyone';s advice I turned to the paint guy at Home Depot. He walked me over to the flooring department, and lo and behold - there is a sealer MADE to go under peel and stick vinyl. I'm gonna use that!

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Life is good!!!  ) ) )