Last Updated on March 31, 2024 by Jessica Lauren Vine
Whether you’re vacationing or living full time in your RV, having the best RV flooring can make it such an enjoyable experience.
Replacing your RV flooring with a newer one is challenging but very doable when you pick the right option. You have many of the same replacement flooring options with your RV as you would with a house or apartment. The main thing is that you choose a replacement flooring that’s compatible with your camper and fits your lifestyle.
If you think that your RV flooring is at its end and its replacement time, you’ve come to the right place. This article will look at how to choose the correct replacement flooring, different types of RV flooring, and some of the best options on the market. Let’s get started!
Different RV Flooring Materials to Choose From
Like I said before, choosing a replacement flooring for your RV is similar to choosing flooring for your house. While certain types of flooring are easier to install or cheaper than others, you can still choose whatever option you like.
Carpet
Carpet is one of the most popular replacement flooring options for RVs. It’s fairly easy to install, and its flexibility makes it great for slideouts. However, carpeting might not be the best option if you have pets or tend to drag dirt in from the outside.
Vinyl Plank
Vinyl plank flooring, as with houses, is quickly becoming one of the top flooring options for RVs. While it’s more challenging to install than carpet or peel and stick flooring, vinyl is long-lasting, aesthetically pleasing, and an excellent all-around replacement flooring option.
Laminate
Laminate is very similar to vinyl flooring but with a few subtle differences. Laminate is the perfect budget-friendly mix between wood and vinyl, as it looks and feels like wood but is similar in composition to vinyl. While it’s fairly tricky to install and somewhat pricy, laminate is another great option for your RV.
Rubber
Rubber flooring is one of the newer options for replacing your RV flooring. It has the durability of laminate or vinyl and the easy installation and flexibility of carpet, making it the best of both worlds. The downside of installing a rubber floor in your RV is that most people dislike how it looks and feels.
Hardwood or Bamboo
Hardwood and bamboo flooring are the creme de la creme of RV flooring. Only luxury RVs come with this type of flooring installed out the door because of how expensive and time-consuming it is to install. While it’s an excellent replacement flooring option, keep in mind that wood and bamboo are fairly heavy and may not be compatible with all parts of your RV.
Best RV Replacement Flooring Options
Don’t use anything but the best. This list will help you get the right option for your situation.
Best Overall RV Flooring Option – Bare Decor Teakwood Floor Tiles
- Pack of 10
- 12" x 12"
- Brown
- Good for indoors or outdoors
- No tools needed
- Easy to install
- A little pricey
- Scratches and may require resanding
If you’re looking for the best RV flooring and have a reasonably sizeable budget to work with, Bare Decor Teakwood Floor Tiles are the way to go. These floor tiles are made of wood and are one of the most luxurious flooring options you can have in an RV. They’re stylishly designed and patterned and surprisingly easy to install and maintain.
You’re sure to be the envy of the campground when you roll into town with this excellent hardwood flooring. While it’s one of the best-looking and most durable options, it has a few pitfalls. Like all forms of hardwood flooring, it’s subject to scratches and has special care instructions. However, with the proper maintenance and care, this flooring can last a lifetime and look great every step of the way.
Runner Up for Best RV Flooring – Co-Z Adhesive Vinyl Flooring
- 16 PCS
- 24 Square Feet
- 2.0mm Thick
- Waterproof
- Fire-resistant
- Damp-proof
- Scratches easily
- "Spotting" imperfections reported
While not quite as durable or luxurious as the hardwood floor listed above, Co-Z Adhesive Vinyl Flooring is a great option when you’re searching for the best RV flooring. It’s fairly easy to install and work with and lightweight enough to work easily on slideouts. These vinyl planks are tongue and groove and don’t require any adhesives to keep them in place. Therefore, they make less of a mess during installation, and it’s easier to move them around if you change your mind about where you want them.
Additionally, this vinyl flooring is 100% waterproof, fireproof, weather-proof, and easy to clean and maintain. You also have a number of colors and patterns to choose from when you select Co-Z vinyl flooring for your RV.
Best Budget RV Flooring Option – Home and Office Needlebond Carpeting
Editor Note 9/5/2022: This option seems to be difficult to find right now.
Not everyone looking for the best rv flooring wants to spend a chunk of change on vinyl or hardwood planks. If you fall into this category and want an affordable and easy-to-install option, Home and Office Needlebond Carpeting is perfect. Because this carpeting is made of polyester, it’s not the softest or most comfortable option, but it’s resistant to mold and mildew. Weather resistance might be more important than cozy comfort, depending on the type of camping you do.
If you don’t like needlebond carpeting and want a more comfortable option, you can always choose a more expensive option. You can install any type of carpeting in your RV, as some sections of it likely already have carpeting.
Best Unique RV Flooring Option – Diamond Plate Rubber Flooring
- Black
- 8' 6" Wide
- 25'
- Durable
- Easy installation
- Resistant to almost anything
- Good for indoor or outdoor use
- Not the most appealing flooring option on the market
Diamond plate rubber flooring isn’t as popular or common as other options on this list, but it’s still good. Rubber flooring meets most of the needs that people have in that it’s durable, affordable, easy to install, and resistant to heat, cold, stains, and chemicals. It’s also compatible with slide outs and very flexible. Unfortunately, because of how it looks, people are very hesitant to install diamond plate rubber flooring in their RVs.
Best RV Flooring for Easy Installation – Achim Peel and Stick Vinyl Flooring
- 10 Pack
- 6" x 36"
- Mahogany
- Looks and feels like plank flooring
- Easy to install
- Affordable
- Aesthetically pleasing mahogany-colored flooring option
- Low maintenance and easy to clean
- Not as durable or comfortable as plank flooring
If you want to do the flooring installation yourself but don’t have the tools or experience necessary, Achim Peel and Stick Vinyl Flooring is a great option. Peel and stick flooring of all kinds is fairly easy to work with, affordable, and requires minimal tools. Achim peel and stick vinyl flooring looks and feels like plank flooring, and is surprisingly durable.
How to Choose the Best RV Flooring
When you want to know how to choose the right replacement flooring for your RV, here are some things to think about.
Budget
The first and most important thing you should consider when it comes to finding the best RV flooring is choosing an option that fits your budget. RVs are a ton of fun, but they’re also a lot of work and require ongoing maintenance. Depending on how old your camper is, there’s a good chance you’ll have to replace more than just the flooring before too long. It’s essential to choose the flooring you want, but not to blow your entire budget on it.
Durability
Replacing your RV flooring isn’t an unbearable task, but it’s hard enough that you don’t want to do it more often than necessary. Therefore, you should pick a relatively durable flooring option that will match your lifestyle. If you have dogs or cats or do a lot of boondocking, there’s a good chance the inside of your RV will get dirty and muddy. If you fall into this category, you should opt for a hard-surfaced floor rather than carpeting.
Installation Difficulty
One of the best ways to save money on your carpet replacement project is to do the work yourself. Carpet, rubber, peel and stick flooring are the easiest to install, but they aren’t as luxurious as vinyl, laminate, or hardwood. However, if you’re willing to take your time and buy or borrow the right tools, you should have no problem installing any type of flooring in your RV.
Weight
Weight isn’t always a factor, especially if you have a larger RV or motorhome. However, in smaller campers that aren’t meant to handle much floor weight, installing hardwood, bamboo, or tile could prove too heavy for it to handle. You also don’t want to add so much weight to your travel trailer that it exceeds your tow vehicle towing capacity.
Top Signs Your RV Needs New Flooring
If you’re on the fence whether or not you should invest in getting the best RV flooring, here are some signs that you might need to invest in RV replacement flooring.
- RV carpet looks/smells gross
- Cracks or tears
- Water damage
- Uneven spots
- A lot of creaking
Editor Add-In – RV Replacement Flooring Tip
One of our followers on Instagram, NomadsonFire2, said to look out for vinyl planks if you are putting them in the garage of your toy hauler. They put vinyl flooring down in their toy hauler, and it started coming up.
Another follower, carlasantiago5808, came to the rescue. Her husband installs flooring for a living, and he said you would need to use a latex-based product to float the RV floor by spreading it over the top of the toy hauler’s rough flooring. An alternative would be to pull out the toy hauler’s flooring to reveal the plywood underneath and just put the glue and flooring over the plywood.
Best RV Flooring – Conclusion
As you can see, there are many excellent RV replacement flooring options, and they all have different pros and cons. You can go with fancy and luxurious, or you can opt for affordable and low maintenance. Either way, you should always look for durability and affordability in your RV. You’re sure to pick the right option if you choose a flooring material that fits your needs, budget, and lifestyle.
Jalin's day job has been working as an HVAC professional but it's transitioning to full time writer and RVer.
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