Flooring choices for mobile home

J
by J
Have a 30 year old mobile home that we will keep for 2-3 more years before selling. Not sure I want to invest $5-6,000 for laminate throughout. What about vinyl in laundry, bath, and kitchen, the rest laminate?
Carpet throughout except baths and kitchen.
  28 answers
  • M E M E on Dec 01, 2015
    You may want to consider the relatively new wood-look vinyl. It is available in residential or heavy-duty commercial. I have it in a bathroom and in my three season room. It is durable, easy to clean, and resists water damage. My three season room becomes a place for my kids to put on their skates before heading out to a backyard rink in the winter. For a DIYer, the tongue and groove floating floor is very easy to install. Primary tools for installation are a razor knife, a T-square, and a tape measure.
  • PainterNoni PainterNoni on Dec 01, 2015
    Good vinyl can be as expensive as laminate. The advantage of laminate is that it can be done by a DIY er. I have laminate throughout except for vinyl in kitchens, baths, and mudroom. If I had it to do over, I would install vinyl on everything, with a few area rugs for a look of warmth.
  • Tammy Hawkins Tammy Hawkins on Dec 01, 2015
    In one home we had (not a mobile home) we put chip wood on the floor, stained and sealed it. Was rustic, we liked it.
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Dec 01, 2015
    Instead of looking at the floor being high cost,I would look at it as an investment. There are many Laminate options today which are very nice and are offered at reasonable prices.Check your local Big Box stores for bulk discounts or closeout flooring.
  • Vicki Vicki on Dec 01, 2015
    Stay with carpet. If, like many mobile homes, the insulation is less than ideal you'll gain a layer of warmth. You may even find this is a more cost effective solution to laminates and vinyl.
    • Bonita Walker Bonita Walker on May 26, 2017

      Never carpet with pets or if you are in a rural area. Or a spouse that has breathing issues. Go with laminate or commercial vinyl, check with a construction company and get better prices through them.

  • Nancy Gramm Nancy Gramm on Dec 01, 2015
    One of my favorite floors was a black and white vinyl we put in the kitchen of a lake house we owned. Wanting the look of an old diner, we used Armstrong commercial vinyl in a checkerboard design, though I've seen the squares laid in many interesting ways. At less than $1 per square foot (almost 20 years ago), it was an inexpensive choice, especially with the hub laying the floor. In the same house, we also used slate-look ceramic tiles in the entry, which I also liked, but for low cost and ease of installation, the vinyl wins hands down. Good luck to you. I think you're headed in a good direction.
    • See 1 previous
    • Destinys Digitals Destinys Digitals on Jul 31, 2022

      I'm thinking about using those tiles but using a floor paint and stenciling them and sealing them with a polycrylic.. I don't like cookie cutter anything.. need to add my personal touch to everything in our home.

  • Darla Darla on Dec 01, 2015
    Your idea would work fine, though I don't know if it would be much cheaper.
  • Cindy tustin Cindy tustin on Dec 01, 2015
    II to live in a trailer 28 yrs old. I decided I wanted to try laminate flooring.. Found on clearance enough to do an 8 x 12 entry for 75.00. the living room I purchased at Home depot 4x 8 sheets of plywood 1/4 inch thick. I stained these 7 sheets a light walnut and finished with 4 coats of urethane for wood floors. Total cost Plywood was 11.88 a sheet, stain I already had a can and a gallon of urethane was 35.00 with tax. I went through the whole stack of plywood found pieces that had a lot of different grain patterns. Was going to cut into planks I laid my first sheet on the floor to just see how it looked and everyone said just leave it whole.Glad I did I tried several different methods to attach to floor finally used 2in dark paneling nails they matched the stain and you can't see them. Wish I could send picture it truly is a beautiful floor has been down for 3 yrs and I have 3 house dogs.
  • Shansmow Shansmow on Dec 01, 2015
    http://www.usfloorsllc.com/display-category/coretec-plus/. I'm renovating the home my parents built in 1972 and decided to go with this product. I like it because it has a cork bottom, it's waterproof, and it'll be quieter than hardwood or laminate. A couple of reasons I went with this....hardwood would have required taking up the particle board that was initially placed over the sub-floor and laminate or bamboo couldn't be run the entire length of the house without having transitions placed. With this product I can run it from one end of the house to the other, and through the kitchen and mud room, without any breaks. And I won't have to worry about water spills ,etc. seeping in between the cracks.
  • Johnchip Johnchip on Dec 01, 2015
    Wood will squeak, vinyl easy to clean, carpet soften the coldness. After 30 years, your resale will not be much, I am not sure i would invest much if anything. Maybe have your carpets cleaned, toss down a nice throw rug or two and prepare for the move. invest in windows, exterior, roof. The new owners my not like your choice and it reduces the price.
  • Millie Millie on Dec 01, 2015
    I just purchased a 30 year old mobile home that has grouted vinyl tiles in kitchen, laundry room, and both baths. It looks great, & easy, easy upkeep! Vinyl tiles can be pretty reasonably priced, and go on sale fairly regularly. The tile I have looks like stone. I am planning to put laminate in living room, hallway, and perhaps master bedroom. I think the nice looking tile is what sold me on this house, so I think you'd get your money back on it. Just my opinion of course. Good luck.
  • LD LD on Dec 01, 2015
    How about removing the carpet and padding, and install radiant heating to the floors, then install hardwood flooring. Check and see if there is a Reclaim Store or Builders Surplus Store, for you may find what you need for a reasonable price. Also, most people don't realize that local flooring stores have remnants in the back that may be just the right amount that you need and at a reduced price. I personally did that with a kitchen floor and bathroom floor in a former home.
  • Lagree Wyndham Lagree Wyndham on Dec 01, 2015
    In 1994 I purchased a 1963 mobile home, it was 31 years old at time. I completely remodeled inside, new windows, doors, insulation ,vinyl-ed outside. I re-carpeted and used vinyl in kitchen and bathroom.....IF I had to do it again i would have vinyl ed the whole thing. After 10 years vinyl still looked new and carpet was starting to wear. I sold it 13 years ago. I know were it is, I'm curious as to what the new owners have done to it...I kinda miss the days of no house payment.
  • Susan S Susan S on Dec 01, 2015
    I particularly do not like carpets, especially the difficult dust where carpet meets walls. I had to move from a stick built house into a mobile home. I wanted a floor reminiscing a farm house floor. My wonderful partner came up with a 1" X 3" ( I think that is the size) size boards laid down off setting each board to give it a real floor look. Each board was given a coat of primer. When the boards were laid we made sure that the grain of one board was with the end grain up, the next time down for expansion. We painted it white, then let the sander "Run-muck". The floor was topped of with several coats of clear coat. Actually, one coat of color with 2 coats of clear coat would be fine for 1-4 years. Our floor now 14 years old stared to wear through several years ago but that is what we like. It would look just as handsome in one color and you don't have to think about carpet bunnies! We always receive compliments about the floor! Good luck with what ever your selection!
  • Snapoutofit Snapoutofit on Dec 01, 2015
    Have you thought about wood like laminate flooring? Home Depot has some for $18.26 (a case) it can cover 18.45 sq ft.
  • Sandy Hartnett Sandy Hartnett on Dec 02, 2015
    There is some beautiful stick on tiles and there's also linoleum. How about brown paper bag floors can't get any cheaper than that. I just did my living room in brown paper bag in burgundy stain. It looks like marble. Cost $150.
  • Teresa C Teresa C on Dec 04, 2015
    You might want to try repurpose stores for flooring. They have Tile and wood flooring that you can use.
  • Liliana Wells Liliana Wells on Dec 16, 2015
    Here are a couple of options. Try http://www.habitat.org/restores to find a store near you. They sell building supplies, flooring and other stuff for home at very cost-efficient prices. Also, look vinyl plank flooring available at Home Depot and other flooring stores. Looks like wood, but it's vinyl in planks. No carpet, please. Good luck.
  • Sandy Hartnett Sandy Hartnett on Feb 15, 2017

    Did you check out the sites here on him talk and one brown paper bag floors? You will see mine there as well as some others. You can also check out the web for a brown paper bag floors. Did you check out the sites here on hometalk on brown paper bag floors? You will see mine there as well as some others. Also Google for more pics and info. I love the way my floor looks. Check out my pics here on Hometalk. Good luck. Sandy

  • Sandy Hartnett Sandy Hartnett on Feb 15, 2017

    there are very good tutorials online. There are tons of pictures and directions. Check out my pictures on Hometalk here. I give some insight. I made my floor in burgundy stain. Most people do it in Browns. I've seen it in a beautiful blue as well. The choice is yours. I checked out as much of the videos as possible so I knew exactly how to achieve this water resistant, shiny floor. People come in my house and ask me what is this floor? They can't believe it is torn up builders brown paper roll and glue with added stain.

  • RONALD GILLMAM RONALD GILLMAM on Jan 18, 2023

    vinal floor planking

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Feb 03, 2023

    Sounds good to me, that is if you don't want to fit carpet.

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 05, 2023

    For a cohesive look run the same type of flooring through out the entire house. And consider how much equality this will put into the home new flooring might be a very good investment for you to make.

    Remember someone buying a house doesn't want to have to put new floors in.

  • Vinyl plank flooring may be your best bet.

  • Deb K Deb K on Aug 09, 2023

    Hello J, that idea sounds great, you could also go with a vinyl flooring that looks like laminate!

    https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/types-of-vinyl-flooring/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90bc5b17a1

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 07, 2024

    If that suits you, I see no problem, but if you intend to sell, maybe one flooring throughout might look best! More Spaceous Look!

  • Janice Janice on Jan 07, 2024

    I'd suggest the luxury vinyl plank flooring for the entire floor for the most pleasing look. . It will look less "choppy" and likely increase the value of your trailer....at at least not detract from it.

  • Mogie Mogie on Jan 08, 2024

    We bite the bullet about 20 years ago and put vinyl in the entire house and are so glad. We have pets and this has saved us many times when a pet had an accident or threw up.