Hey guys, 
   What do you guys use for floors ?  I picked up some of the "allure" brand man made wood replica floating floors from Home Depot....They are the ones that have the sticky stuff on them.....
 
The local Health Inspector is OK with them as long as the seams are tight and there are no crevasses...Anyone use this stuff ? I was told that it is great in terms of water resistance, and easy to install..
 
I guess my only worry was it staying glued down...The guy @ depot seemed to think they would be the perfect choice, but now I am second guessing them.... 
 
HD inspector also mentioned that I could get linoleum tile...They have linoleum in a roll but it is only 12' long....Trailer is 16' long so I will have a seam that could pop up....Seems to me that the man made flood stuff would be better than the linoleum ? 
 
As always thoughts, comments, and suggestions are appreciated,
 
          thanks,
                        Schmelly
 
PS: I will have 3/4" pressure treated plywood that is my floor base
 
 

Decisions, decisions! I'm a bit confused about the flooring you are looking at. If it's floating floor, there shouldn't be adhesive on it - it "floats" on a slippery paper between the sub floor and the laminate. Personally, I would go with self stick vinyl tiles. They are not expensive, easier to install and if you need to replace some here and there that's quick and easy too.  Just my 2 cents. Good luck....

I used the Allure flooring in my kitchen and dining room at home. Worked out good, looks nice, but is not at all as durable as home depot claimed. Make absolutely sure you leave the 1/4" gap around all sides like your supposed to, because the stuff does expand and contract a lot and the seams will pop if there's no room to expand. We have several places where the seams have to be stomped down on a regular basis. Also make sure your under-floor is completely level and above-all clean. We were told that Allure is forgiving if the floor isn't perfect, but it isn't. We have cracks in several places and other defects because the floor we laid it over was rough.

If it were me, I'd go with the linoleum. That at least you can glue down to the subfloor, Allure has to float. Linoleum is probably cheaper and a lot less time to install too.

Your health inspector is an idiot. how can you be allowed to use something that is for home use in dry areas that has seams, cracks, needs expansion gaps, will warp when wet, etc,,,,and why would you want to put something like that in a mobile kitchen?
Recipe for disaster if you ask me. You will have food build up in all the seams, you have to leave a gap for expansion, how does that make your floor water tight? What about the 3" cove up the wall that is required?
Think of how much water will get in there and how fast,
Your floor will be ruined within months, not to mention unsanitary.
You will never be able to clean it properly, My floors get swept and mopped daily, then scrubbed with degreaser and hosed out weekly, how are you going to get the stuff clean?  You can't.

We used the VCT tiles (heavy duty linoleum)

Like chefbuba said, that not a good choice.   ... But if you must,  use clear silicon caulking in the seems when putting the planks together.   It will help seal the edges water tight and stop swelling due to moisture and accumulation of dirt in the joint.  You need more than !/4 inch space at each wall, I would leave 1/2-5/8-inch.

The linoleum would be the way to go,the seam will be something you would have to deal with and isn't easiest thing to do,just remember to pick linoleum that doesn't have a lot  of pattern to it...

Wow, so everyone thus far is against the Allure...
 
Hmmm...Ok well overall  now who thinks I should go with the roll of linoleum vs the square sticky linoleum pieces ?
 
Trailer is 16 ft long....Depot here only had 12' rolls so there will be a gap if I use the roll.......

Tiles. When you get a gauge from dropping something you can easily replace a tile. Not so with the rolled stuff

Lino comes in rolls longer than 12'.....willing to bet that's the width. Go talk to someone else at HD.
Look at the big rolls of carpet, there will also be rolls of lino, cut to length.

I think he means the rolls are 12 ft wide.   So length 16 ft would be a piece 4ft x 16 ft waste.    Scmelly needs to check with a flooring specialist,   Vinyl can be seamlessly joined. Lino can be well glued at the joint.

Believe me, JJ,your time on this site is definately limited. Have fun while you can.

Wow, JJ. I think you have been seriously misinformed.
For what it is worth, food truck operators go through the same licensing and inspection requirements that brick and mortar restaurants go through. Food truck managers and employees go through exactly the same food safety training. And, just like with brick and mortar restaurant, you are always going to have operators that willfully ignore the rules. But to Target food trucks is ridiculous. I've been in food service for 20 years, and I've seen kitchens in brick and mortar restaurants that would scare the crap out of you, and I've seen food carts that sparkle. The vast majority of restaurants and food trucks fall somewhere in between.

I am not a food vendor, sir, but admire the operators and frequent them often. And you admired Jack's pizza in another forum?????

I'm regretting putting vct tiles over plywood in my rig.  Heavy equipment, finishing up construction, lots of water, cleansers, etc. made it look 10 years old overnight.  I ended up putting this epoxy floor coat over it: topsecretcoatings dot com.  I wish I had installed diamond plate right off the bat.  For all the labor I have into my floor, diamond plate would have been cheaper.... 

This is what i used. It has been great so far. Holds up well to fry oils, went in fairly easy, and gives good traction. I really like the seamless for mopping up.
 
http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/garage/diamond-plate-rolls.html

I like the look of that diamond plate vinyl Chic was it easy for you to install?

SCHMELLY
    who are you dealing with in NH?  No seams on floors period and they require 4" cove base along entire base

You just end up spending twice the money when you try and do a kitchen floor on the cheap. This product is not that expensive and will really do the job in the long run.
http://www.oscodaplastics.com/faq.php#waterproof
 
What is PROTECT-ALL Commercial Flooring?
PROTECT-ALL Commercial Flooring was created in 1989 in Oscoda, Michigan. PROTECT-ALL is a resilient flooring manufactured from 100% recycled vinyl.

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Where can I purchase PROTECT-ALL?
PROTECT-ALL Commercial Flooring is sold nationally through the top wholesale distributors in the country. Contact us and we will direct you to the appropriate distributor.

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   In what thickness is PROTECT-ALL available?
1/8" and 1/4".

Is PROTECT-ALL waterproof?
Yes, because it is permanently nonabsorbent.

Is PROTECT-ALL slip-resistant?
PROTECT-ALL has been tested by the National Flooring Safety Institute with a coefficient of friction result of .90 wet. ASTM D-2407 is .88 dry. These results exceed ADA and OSHA standards.

Can I install PROTECT-ALL flooring myself?
Most installations require factory trained installers, but the 18" Interlocking tiles and gym floor covers can be installed by a novice. Most other applications will need a professional installation.

  Can PROTECT-ALL be installed outdoors?
PROTECT-ALL matte flooring is UV stable and can be used outdoors. There are unique installation practices with outdoor applications and the manufacturer should be consulted.

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Can PROTECT-ALL be installed over existing floor finishes?
When PROTECT-ALL is loose-laid, it can be installed over certain finishes. These are limited in scope and the manufacturer should be contacted. When glued-down, it must meet our standard requirements for a substrate, which typically eliminates the option of installing over an existing finish.

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How do I clean PROTECT-ALL Flooring?
PROTECT-ALL matte and PROTECT-ALL gloss require two different cleaning methods. Please consult our technical manual and on-line guidelines.
 

How To Maintain Your PROTECT-ALL Commercial Floor

These cleaning instructions are for matte finish only. For complete cleaning instructions please refer to the installation manual.

Step 1

Thoroughly sweep area.
Barra el área completamente.

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Step 2

Set up caution signs in areas that are being cleaned.
Coloque señales de precaución en las áreas que se están limpiando.

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Step 3

Apply cleaning agent (must be a degreaser) and use acording to manufacturer's recommendations. Firmly deck brush the high grease and high traffic areas first, then the remaninder of the floor.
Aplique el agente de limpieza (debe ser un desengrasante) y úselo de acuerdo con las recomendaciones del fabricante. Primero cepille firmemente las áreas con mucha grasa y alto tráfico, y luego el resto del suelo.

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Step 4

For heavy dirt or grease build-up, use a power buffer with a green or blue pad instead of a deck brush.
Para suciedad excesiva o acumulación de grasa, use una abrillantadora con almohadilla verde o azul en lugar de un cepillo.

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Step 5

Rinse floor with hot or cold water.
Enjuague el suelo con agua caliente o fría.

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Step 6

Use a squeegee to remove excess water. If necessary, repeat entire cleaning process to remove stubborn stains.
Use un escurridor para eliminar el exceso de agua. Si es necesario, repita el proceso completo de limpieza para eliminar manchas resistentes.

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Our trailer came with stainless steel diamond plate flooring. That seems like a pretty good choice for flooring. It's durable, good looking, and easy to keep clean. It's laid over plywood and screwed in with pan head screws with the edges silicone caulked.The joints are so tight I can't tell if there is sealant between them or not. Not sure if it's cost effective on a build however.

SS is awesome and will last forever but it is pricy. The floor I posted about is $150.00 for a 5' by 15' sheet. Since my work area will have cabinets on both sides for the most part it will be less than 5 feet wide and PROTECT-ALL Commercial Flooring, will be very inexpensive for me.  In fact I think it would make a great engine dog house covering, on my step van. I'm curious has anyone been forced by the HD to install a wall and door between the driver’s area and food service area. Please note forced to not I just did it on my own volition. I don't want to do that unless forced to by the HD and I think I can make a pretty good case for not doing the divider wall thing.

Lee Weenies


SCHMELLY
   who are you dealing with in NH?  No seams on floors period and they require 4" cove base along entire base

I'm dealing with a local health inspector....Seams are OK as long as they are tight....They don't want tiles coming up or crevasses that can harbor dirt and germs.

Chicnscoop


This is what i used. It has been great so far. Holds up well to fry oils, went in fairly easy, and gives good traction. I really like the seamless for mopping up.

http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/garage/diamond-plate-rolls.html

This stuff looks good...I would definitely consider it but unfortunately we are now on a time schedule....The flooring will be going in possibly as early as tomorrow....
 
So it looks like it will have to be something from the Depot.....Still undecided.....

Screw the time schedule and do things right or you'll have to redo it in 3 months (doubling the cost) or you won't pass your HD inspection, and you still have to redo it. Spend the time and money and have a long lasting rebuild, that will always get high marks from the HD. And I'm not pushing you to this product I don't care if you use it or not BUT ......do it right the 1st time.
 
By the way if you'd done a search here (RF) on flooring I posted the same thread about a year ago. And in fact when I wanted to post it here I just searched the topic and copied and pasted.
 
Geeeez

DR if I dont get this up and running very very soon the bank will foreclose on me and I will lose my home...I hate rushing things but it's the situation I am in....I have spent countless hours researching a ton of things related to the trailer and food business...The floor is going in tomorrow or the day after...
 
Are you familiar with New Hampshire Health Dept codes ? Because the inspector told me I can use the tiles I got.

Ok I understand. So here is what you need to be careful of. What your HD guy has in his mind of the finished products appearance and your impression may not be exactly the same thing.  So when you do your installation do it carefully so he can't jerk you around and deny your approval. And make sure it looks 100% with the products you have to work with. Once you get his ok hopefully it'll be awhile before he comes back and that will give you a chance to get your finances in order, and maybe some time before it starts to offer any problem they may think is a violation. And it's ok to plead a little with your inspector, they usually have the right to say ok I'll give you 30 or 60 days to correct this or that if it's not a major violation. But keep in mind that debate may go the other way so if you need to plead your case again be careful, and ask for double the time you think you need to correct the problem. Your goal as you know, now is get the doors open.
 
Good Luck 

 When I installed the rubber flooring I simply installed it like a typical vinyl floor with vinyl floor adhesive and a v notched trowel. Rough trim the flooring, roll half of the floor back, apply adhesive to plywood underlayment, let tack up, roll out the flooring pushing out any air bubbles, trim the edge, roll the other half back and repeat the process.
 
You could also do a perimeter  glue down if you wanted to.

Well unfortunately due to my circumstances I had to go with a vinyl floor...It was drastically reduced at Lowe's and only cost me 30 something bucks for a 12x14' roll....It's kind of retro looking black and white...Pics will be in my trailer build thread....thank you everyone for your replies.

We love our Heavy Duty Commercial Linoleum Flooring was that was installed in our Concession Trailer / Mobile Kitchen that we bought from Coastal Concessions & Mobile Kitchens out of Lucedale, MS 5 Years ago.  We cook with a lot of grease and it comes as clean as the day that we bought it 5 years ago!  My husband and I love the unit!

I know that the OP is probably done with his floors by now, but this is more for my own future info as well as others who may read the older threads in the future looking for tips.
 
What does everyone think of just laying plywood, caulking the seams with paintable, painting the floor white (to show dirt easily) and then using 4 coats of polyurethane ?]
 
I know I used 3 coats on my hard wood at home when I did them, and I have a dog that runs around constantly without a single scratch.  Poly is super durable, and if it does get scratched or old you can just sand and add a fresh coat or two to refresh it.
 
Thoughts ? 
 
This is my first post, and I would like to thank everyone that posts on this site for the info and tips.  Especially the food trailer and truck builders.  I am hoping to build one myself in the semi-near future.