Cork Flooring
Video # 25
Airstream Cork Flooring
On this episode of Classic Rides, host Kevin Tetz continues with the interior work.
The 1970 Airstream Overland Yacht Trailer was fully carpeted and had frayed edges. But a lot of Airstream owners say that they want flooring that is easy to maintain and does not need to be vacuumed. Also, staying in remote campsites and campgrounds means that they will bring in dirty shoes into their trailers.
To help with flooring selection and installation is restoration expert Nathan Haun. Traditional flooring materials such as tile and wood are too heavy. And with any RV, weight is always an issue. Cork is perfect because it is lightweight and easy to install.
Nathan also explains that the cool thing about cork flooring is that it floats, and does not adhere to the chassis in any way. They have a "click-together" system to bring the cork panels together, and they stay that way as one unit, throughout the trailer.
Kevin says that it is also very important to prep the trailer floor before installing new flooring. So Kevin removed all the nails, staples, and sanded the floor surface prior to adding any new flooring. Automotive body filler was also added in patches to make sure the floor was completely leveled. They also installed a water barrier of six-millimeter polyethylene sheeting. They also snapped a chalk line to make sure that the first row will be straight.
Nathan and Kevin get started with the installation of the cork flooring. They used a saw to cut the curved and straight lines on the cork panels. They installed the first corner, putting spacers along the edges. Kevin says that this is important when installing floating floors, because this creates a gap and allows the floor to expand and contract.
They put the next planks into place, using a tapping block to set the planks. Nathan chose a flexible urethane to use as edging for the floating floor, because the Airstream has a lot of curved areas.
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