We at Route 66 RV caution our customers away from tile. While it's being installed all over the place by RV manufacturers, cracked / chipped tiles lead to more insurance-related claims we deal with. The problem is this: tile needs to be installed over a solid, concrete-like surface. The only way to attain this over a wood subfloor is to screw down hardibacker (a concrete backer board used as underlayment for tile). For floors, a 1/2" thick hardibacker is recommended universally by tile manufacturers to ensure that the tile or the thin set it cures to will not flex or bow as a result of a wood subfloor. I have yet to see a motorhome where hardibacker is installed! Why? Well, as a manufacturer of these RVs, carpet is stapled to the floor instead of stretched and free-floating designed laminate is glued to the subfloor, so is it any wonder why tiles are set over plywood? For them, the height of the hardibacker combined with tile is far too high a surface, so they give in to the demands of their customers for tile, and roll the dice. For your coach, I wouldn't risk that fate!
Instead, we recommend High Pressure Laminate by Wilsonart and Luxury Vinyl Tile to those in need of a hard surface option. Unlike tile and hardwood which are extremely heavy and susceptible to all kinds of problems in a moving coach traveling from one humidity level to another, High Pressure Laminate and Luxury Vinyl Tile won't crack or buckle when installed properly. They are made to expand and contract mildly by comparison to hardwood, and they are much less weight than any other hard surface option.
Laminate floors are free-floating, meaning they are clicked together without ever being secured to the subfloor with glue or nails. As such, the only thing holding them in place are trim pieces (Quarter Round, End Caps, T-Moldings, Reducers, Stair Nosing, etc.). When you bring this floor of nearly a 1/2" height up to a slideout, a reducer is needed to cap the edge of this surface. That reducer must cup the top of that floor, increasing the height of that threshold even more. As such, the height of the floor may in some cases restrict your ability to use laminate under the slideouts in your motorhome.
While there are many options out there in Laminate, there is only one manufacturer who has fully warranted their product in an RV. How do we know this - because, over the past 34 years that we at Route 66 RV and Pat's RV Carpet and Flooring have been in the trade of remodeling and refurbishing RV carpet and flooring, we have consulted each major manufacturer on the market, from Pergo to Quickstep, Mohawk to Shaw, and only one brand in Wilsonart Flooring has fully stood behind their product in a motorhome setting. The difference in their product is key! Wilsonart manufacturers only High Pressure Laminate, while all other manufacturers utilize direct pressure constructions (such as nearly every material made by Pergo, Quick Step, Armstrong, Fabrica, Shaw, Mohawk, etc.). The difference between the two is extraordinary in that both look and feel similar, but when isolated to their construction, they are clearly two very different products. High pressure laminate by Wilsonart starts with a 17 mil top surface layer - the first line of defense against any spill, dropped item, etc. - and is combined with 7 other layers compressed under intense heat to ultimately equate to 3-5x thicker than typical Direct Pressure or Low Pressure Laminate. The extra thickness of HPL means extra protection for the floor and, ultimately, better performance. As a result, Wilsonart Laminate is also the only product that now maintains an Impact Warranty for their product, beyond the normal Wear, Stain, Fade, and Water Damage warranty of 20 years to Lifetime, depending on the style.
Ultimately, while direct-pressure laminate products may look similar to High Pressure Laminate and may cost you less from time to time, the amount of pressure they can sustain, either under your slideouts or by way of a spilled item, will ultimately scratch, scuff, or crack your new floor. As such, I would not recommend them. And, don't be misled! Just because someone says a warranty on one of these products is likely the same from a residence to a motorhome, they are definitely NOT one in the same, and beside Wilsonart, we have yet to find another manufacturer willing to stand behind an RV installation.
One important thing to note -- Wilsonart has just elected to close their flooring division, which will formally go into effect in November. While we stock a considerable amount of this material, like so many flooring companies, it will no longer be offered or produced as that date nears. Claims on the material will remain valid and considered by Wilsonart, but their decision to move on from the flooring division is an unfortunate sign of the times. Their product is far better than anything else on the market, but with Chinese imports dominating the market with cheap, direct pressure knock offs of their products, they can't compete anymore.
So, luxury vinyl tile on the other hand could also be a great option in that it comes in both hardwood plank forms or stone-like tiles, and best of all, this low-profile floor gets glued directly to the subfloor. As a result, you get the look you want in a durable, "softer hard surface" composed with vinyl that is low-profile enough to be installed under any slideout. If durability is a fear - don't worry about it, as this floor is being installed now in supermarkets, malls, and other high traffic areas due to its ability to stand up to the elements. Unlike laminate though, which rests above the surface of the floors, the only complex part about luxury vinyl is the floor prep it takes to smooth out your staple-ridden and uneven subfloor before gluing this new floor in place. The biggest upside to this option is that unlike tile, hardwood, or laminate, this floor can easily be installed under your slideouts without having to alter the height of the slide.
Armstrong, Karndean, and Earthworks are popular Luxury Vinyl product lines, all offered with very durable surfaces. Outside of the mere fate of Wilsonart, these floors have dominated our customer's selections for the past couple years, and for good reason - they are a bit more cost effective, less weight, and not prone to water damage. Take a mop to this floor without fear - a prospect you wouldn't consider with laminate.
Ultimately, there is never going to be a "perfect floor" for every RV, but the right floor for your needs is out there. Just do your homework and trust the experts.
