'Hardwood' Floors Thoughout Home?

Friends -

We are ordering a brand new mobile homes from the factory, and are re-thinking our rehab strategy for any of our current homes that may need new flooring. We are thinking we may get away from carpets in the bedrooms and put down either the Beauflor linoleum product that looks like wood, or put in Pergo laminate ‘wood’ flooring.

Has anyone had experience managing mobile homes without any carpet in them at all? Have you saved expenses in the long run? Have you had customers turn their noses up at not having carpet for their feet to land on when they get out of bed?

Thanks,

-jl-

We have had major success with vinyl plank flooring in my rental houses. It looks like wood and lasts about 15 years.

Vinyl plank for rental homes

I am still hunting for my first park.

Jefferson,

We put the faux hardwood Pergo-type flooring in and it may cost a little more up front but it wears better than carpet (stains, etc). We haven’t been doing it long enough to do a real cost-benefit analysis but I think it’s going to end up being a wash, financially. But it seems to look nicer, especially after a couple of tenants have gone through.

Brandon

Has anyone installed these in older mobiles with soft particleboard floors? I’m concerned the floating floor may not feel natural, and a glued floor may yield and break at the seams.

Weve done the laminate wood floors in older mobile homes and after a couple of years the seams were shot. There is just too much movement in the floor of an older mobile home. Also, you get residents that spill on the floor and then it will act like particle board after a while and start falling apart.

Has anyone tried putting in the commercial grade 12x12 vinyl that you glue down. They sell them at home depot for about 85 cents sq ft. We did it in an apartment building of mine that had a high turnover and the stuff was bullet proof. Cant say it looks beautiful but for a lower end type of tenant, the stuff is great. I was contemplating trying it in some of our older mobile homes.

I’ve used that 12x12 glue down commercial vinyl in kitchens. If we are talking about the same product, it requires luan over particle board to glue down (which adds to the cost) and also requires buffing with wax as a regular maintenance otherwise it gets a really dull appearance and stains. the seams will open up just a tiny bit as well, so if it isn’t waxed regularly dirt gets in there and the seams become apparent

I have used laminate as well in kitchens and bedrooms but unless you are going for a higher end product the seams tend to 'peak" and one big water leak will get underneath the flooring and then it’s done.

right now I am using vinyl plank flooring in kitchen and baths and it looks like it’s going to be a winner…especially the type that has an overlay at the seams. I think this is going to be what I use everywhere in the future

After trying every flooring option available, I have been using the 12 foot rolls of vinyl sheet on my rental duplexes. You can get several patterns that look just like a wood floor.

The thicker the vinyl the better. The 3.3 mm is awesome. Completely waterproof, handles heavy furniture dragged over it, easier to install than planks, ceramic, or vinyl squares. The thinner stuff wrinkles and is not as durable.

I liked it so much in my rentals I put it in my own house as it looks like real wood, but is easier on your back and knees than tile.

The trick is not to go the cheapest, but go with a thicker vinyl. The thicker ones I don’t even need to glue them down unless you are doing a seem.

The biggest issue is getting people to install it correctly. You really have to pay attention and get the floor underneath 100% clear of rocks, staples, and everything. If you don’t you will feel it and if it is large enough you can get a hole.

The thicker ones that a few of the lowes carry are great. Although only about 1/4 of the stores have them.

This $1.29 per sq foot from lowes is great. Dont cheap out on the 79 cent ones. They are too thin.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/STAINMASTER-SoftStep-Plus-12-ft-W-x-Cut-to-Length-Huntington-Coffee-Wood-Look-Low-Gloss-Finish-Sheet-Vinyl/4441907

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I was just working on getting a contractor to install a linoleum that looked like wood. I think these can be great products for mobile homes. However, I ended up deciding on Home Depot installers and after a lot of back and forth HD told me they won’t install this product in the two homes they measured. For some reason they won’t install these products on particle board sub-flooring.

I am curious to hear what others have to share on this topic.

In some of my lower end units stain and seal the plywood.