Replacing existing carpet

[highlandron]

Hi all, am considering replacing the light blue carpet in our motorhome with something more practical. I'm looking at carpet tiles and was thinking of just laying them over the existing carpet. This maybe not a good idea so resigned to the fact I may have to cut the old one out first. It's been laid before the installation of units, so under beds etc will remain original but the main habitation area can be removed. Practical skills up to the job but any tips or advice much appreciated.

 

[delicagirl]

i would lay them on top of the old - another layer of insulation ....

 

[Deleted member 9849]

I've never been a fan of fitted carpets in motorhomes(or caravans)ever since I opened the fridge door and a milk bottle had lost it's top in transit and deposited the contents onto the carpet and the milk seeped under the fridge.I ended up removing the fridge to get access to the fitted carpet underneath.It took ages to get rid of the smell of sour milk.

It would have made it much easier with removable carpets so that's what I would recommend,the old fitted carpet could be carefully removed intact if possible and then used as a template for some new removable carpets to be made up with bound edges.

 

[IanH]

I'd bin the existing, thoroughly clean whatever is below then apply self adhesive cork tiles to the entire floor.

Nice to walk on, barefoot
Wipe clean
Easy to sweep
Not at all ugly
Light weight
Hard wearing, every few years, a thin coat of cork tile sealant

Froggie, see avatar has exactly that!

If you really MUST have a rug, get a long narrow one and put it on top of the cork tiles.....................if you must!! :dog:

 

[maingate]

My first van was an Elddis Autoquest with a cream carpet and like yours it was fitted under the built in units.

I went to Carpetright and found a nice (cheap) dark carpet with a rubber lined backing (not foam backed). I showed the Sales Assistant what I wanted and he asked me what length I needed (it was on a 4 metre wide roll). One metre I said ...... his face was a picture and he thought he had heard wrong and asked again.

I explained what I needed it for and he happily cut off a metre for me. I think it cost me about £20 max. As it was thin, cheap carpet, I was able to cut it to fit around the units in the van in a couple of hours. The offcuts went into the Cab area.

 

[Deleted member 43466]

My first van was an Elddis Autoquest with a cream carpet and like yours it was fitted under the built in units.

I went to Carpetright and found a nice (cheap) dark carpet with a rubber lined backing (not foam backed). I showed the Sales Assistant what I wanted and he asked me what length I needed (it was on a 4 metre wide roll). One metre I said ...... his face was a picture and he thought he had heard wrong and asked again.

I explained what I needed it for and he happily cut off a metre for me. I think it cost me about £20 max. As it was thin, cheap carpet, I was able to cut it to fit around the units in the van in a couple of hours. The offcuts went into the Cab area.

hi
thats what i do just get a cheap off cut. dont worry about it getting
marked. i just fit a new one every year. ihave just bought one 13ft by 3.5 ft
from franks for carpets. cost £5.

 

[mossypossy]

Heavy patterned chintz carpet only needs hoovering once a month.
Do the hard work and cut a one piece template then replace with equally cheap one every couple of years.
Carpet is much warmer underfoot.

Some of you may remember my carpet!

 

[saxonborg]

I removed the carpets and fitted foam interlocking floor tiles. These are about 20" square and 1/2" thick. They are easy to cut and lay , very easy to brush and whipe clean in case of spills and very warm to the touch so no cold feet. I think it cost me about £26 to do my Burstner Nexxo t660. As we have a Golden Retriever we also have a couple of runners which are the type recommended for wet paws so these are easily lifted and shaken out as required. If you go down the carpet route I would still recommend the floor tiles for the insulation. For info I bought the tiles from Costco.

 

[QFour]

The carpet fitters use a thick card that they buy on a roll. Make a template and just cut round it. That way you get no mistakes. Ours has cushion flooring which is nice an warm and easy to keep clean. We just get the dustpan and brush out. We do have carpets but they are wrapped up as they came from the factory.

 

[jagmanx]

Warm

We have wood vinyl type flooring with a cut to fit carpet.
This is good as we can remove the carpet to wash it or indeed use the template for a replacement.
We also have "carpet shop offcuts" and other small carpets which we use on top of the "fitted carpet"
So extra warmth easy to take outside and clean or indeed simply replace.
The comments in other posts re spillages etc are all very relevant.
Our existing "cut to fit" main carpet is still good even though MH is 11 years old and we have used it 100% for the last 3 summers (ie 3 x 6 months)
It will need replacing at some stage but not in 2017.
66/1 or "Double Carpet" as the bookies say !

 

[izwozral]

Heavy patterned chintz carpet only needs hoovering once a month.
Do the hard work and cut a one piece template then replace with equally cheap one every couple of years.
Carpet is much warmer underfoot.

Some of you may remember my carpet!

Permanently scarred mate.
:scared:

 

[highlandron]

Many thanks to you all for the excellent suggestions and moreover, the encouragement. I cut the old threadbare carpet out this morning up to the units to find a surprisingly clean floor and set about re-laying with carpet tiles. Never done this before, but the end result is I think extremely pleasing, not having a complicated floor plan helped! They're all in the right direction re the pile though the photo from my camera seems to show otherwise. Job done - lets roll! :drive: :wave:

 

[jagmanx]

Looks Good Well done !

Many thanks to you all for the excellent suggestions and moreover, the encouragement. I cut the old threadbare carpet out this morning up to the units to find a surprisingly clean floor and set about re-laying with carpet tiles. Never done this before, but the end result is I think extremely pleasing, not having a complicated floor plan helped! They're all in the right direction re the pile though the photo from my camera seems to show otherwise. Job done - lets roll! :drive: :wave:

View attachment 50965

I might do similar when my existing cut to fit Carpet gets too bad !

 

[Deleted member 12539]

Looks a neat job
We have removable carpets on grey vinyl, but I have laid (more) thin insulation and put wood effect click flooring down, looks smarter and easier to clean, just sweep and/or mop. If it gets damaged I can replace or quite easily go back to grey vinyl.