Living in a confined space, with the outside dirt just next to your living room floor, results in constant dusty floors. Basing the selection of a flooring material on cleanliness, durability and weight, should be a priority.

A common choice in RV’s is regular carpet, which is affordable, easy to install and comfortable to walk on. Looks clean at first sight, but in reality is a collector of dirt, with a major disadvantage: the need of some type of vacuum. In a place with a limited electricity supply, this may pose a problem.

A better solution is some type of ‘hard’ flooring. In my first conversion I used a product called TrafficMaster Allure Ultra which has stood up well to a fairly rough use. This was installed as a floating floor cover and needed no gluing.

After researching this matter, I found that cork maybe a better alternative. It comes in many different shades and textures, feels soft to the feet and has shock absorbing qualities. It is also a much lighter material with insulating qualities. As somewhat environmentally conscious, its renewable and sustainable properties add to the list. It is very durable and stands up to heavy use. Like the TrafficMaster Allure Ultra vinyl flooring, it can be installed directly over a plywood subfloor without gluing.

I’m still considering a much heavier hardwood floor, one that is often seen on sailboats. Narrow, dark and thin teak strips separated by a light colored rubber sealant offers a sophisticated look especially in combination with white maple cabinets.

You can leave a comment if your experience is different or if you can suggest a better material. I will seriously consider it!