If your RV interior is starting to show its age, especially but not necessarily only underfoot, consider new floor covering to make it look—and feel—newer.

Chances are, your RV has carpeting that shows its age where foot traffic is heaviest—definitely by the entry door, probably near the bathroom, and possibly where traffic routinely flows.

And then there’s the color. Color analysts from different industries actually sit down every year and decide not only what colors will be the “it” shades for the coming years, but even what the colors will be called. That’s right: There are people actively planning to make your carpet, draperies and furniture obsolete simply because of the colors they are.

On Being a Slave to Fashion

You can always say, “No, I’m not getting rid of perfectly good carpet.” After all, who’s going to enter your RV here at Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa and say, “Your colors are so outdated.” What they’ll say is, “Oh, Charlie, look. Remember when we had carpet that color?”

If carpet is worn from lots of boondocking or trips to the shore, you have choices in recovering your floor tastefully.

New Carpeting

Look for short-pile, closed-loop carpeting because it cleans up well, but you certainly don’t have to. You’ll save hundreds of dollars if you can find a remnant, often avalable at carpet store, discount stores and odd-lot bargain outlets.

You’ll have ample choices in color, whether you go with solid or a heather that gives the look of a solid but shows a little more life. If you’re having movie stars over, choose red. (OK. Just kidding.) When keeping your furniture, keep in mind the fabric on them. Get carpet swatches if you can and lay them on the fabric to make sure there’s no clash. If your furniture is solid, a pattern carpet might work. But be careful, since RV floor space is, all things considered, small enough to be overwhelmed by too busy a print.

Then choose between roll carpet, which must be stretched tightly before it’s stapled subfloor, or self-adhering carpet squares, also called carpet tiles. Laying roll carpet can be trying, including physically, but it’s possible to do it yourself. The fewer seams, the better looking the results. Make sure to snug seams so they disappear. Sometimes taping seams underneath with carpet tape helps.

Installing carpet tiles is easier. They’re often used in offices and sometimes in below-grade family rooms. You’ll have to scrape off the remnants of any previous floorcovering and pull staples so the subfloor surface is smooth and clean. You’ll also have to find the center of the floor and strike perpendicular chalk lines, starting at the center and working toward walls and furniture. That way, carpet squares in the center of the floor, where they are most obvious, will be full. Cutoff carpet tiles will be near walls or cabinets.

Short-pile carpet cleans up well. Spills, mud and sand come up easier than with plush carpet. Wet spots will dry faster.

Laminate Floors

Laminate floors have been round for about 35 years. They are laid over a thin foam pad but are not nailed down. The rectangular slats, which are high-density fiberboard with laminate coverings resembling wood or grouted stone, snap together to become one giant slab. Seams are barely visible. Laminate floors must have about a quarter-inch of play at the edges so they can float with temperature and humidity changes. Edges get moldings to cover the gap.

Installation isn’t particularly hard. You will need a chop saw to shorten some pieces and a jigsaw to cut around wall protrusions and cabinets.

When you’re done you have a wood-look floor that’s water- and mud-resistant but not waterproof. It cleans up easily from spills and tracked mud, and salt and sand don’t soak in. Dogs may need a little time to get used to its lack of traction for their claws, but they will, and claws won’t scratch it—not even after a decade of use.

For a little more color, warmth and cushion, you can spread an area rug over top, with a nonslip layer in between.

Vinyl Plank Flooring

Vinyl plank flooring comes in two types. Both, after installation, appear similar to a laminate floor, with a wood grain look.

One style of vinyl plank is a floating floor that’s installed over a thin foam pad. Floating vinyl planks adhere to one another, but not to the pad. The second type installs more like traditional vinyl tiles, with a peel-off back that exposes an adhesive that sticks directly to the plywood subfloor.

Vinyl planks are easier to work with than laminate. They cut with a utility knife. No saw is needed.

Vinyl planks are waterproof and impervious to mud, sand and salt. They won’t stain easily and wipe clean with a sponge mop or, after a spill, with a paper towel. They hold up well against claws.

Photo Credits: ciker.com

When water gets inside an RV, the problems it causes are a lot bigger than each of those tiny drops.

Some water damage is easy to see because it marks interior surfaces.

Other water damage is harder to see because it’s inside walls, ceilings and floors. Framing can rot. Sidewalls can delaminate. The hidden damage may be the most sinister because it may include dangerous mold.

Water can enter an RV anyplace the outer shell is breached—and an RV has many openings, some intentional, others not.

Here are the places leaks are likely to occur:

• Roof and roof coating
• Skylights and vents
• Mounts for accessories, such as solar panels, antennas, ladders and horns
• Windows
• Doors, both entry and storage
• Utility hookups
• Corner seams

Leak Prevention

Every four to six months, check any Dicor coatings over seams and around equipment mounts. Look for cracks, both large and small.

Also make it a habit every four to six months, during prolonged good weather, to pull a few screws. Many screws are under decorative covers, which you’ll have to pry off gingerly to avoid breaking. (The older non-metal covers are, the more likely the sun has baked them into a brittle state. If you break a cover, replace it.)

On campers with corrugated siding, be sure to check some screws on corner moldings.

Look over the backed out screws. If the threads are rusty, water is entering.

You also should check your EDPM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) roofing. You don’t need to re-seal the roof surface, but you should clean it with a medium brush and mild detergent that does not contain petroleum distillates every six months. Keeping it clean will allow you to better identify any breaks or weak spots.

Leak Detection

The most obvious sign of a leak is a water stain on an interior wall or ceiling, or delamination of cabinetry where water soaked it. Mildew or mold also may appear. Unfortunately many leaks simply don’t show on a surface.

Water migrates inside walls and ceilings, so the leak may be in front of, behind or beside the damage. For that reason, try to detect leaks on the exterior. One method is a pressure test. You can pay to have this done by a dealer or shop, usually for $200-$250, plus a labor charge if the shop does the repairs.

During a pressure test, compressed air is pumped into the RV. Soapy water is sprayed onto seams—around windows, doors, roof-mounted equipment, essentially all the areas listed above. If air is escaping, the soapy water will bubble. The same gaps, though quite small, that let air out probably let water in.

You can perform an air test yourself, even without specialty equipment. Make a hard cover for a small exterior opening, such as to a storage area, and cut a hole to accept the end of a shop vacuum hose or leaf blower outlet. Insert the hose and duct tape the connection, log with the edges of the patch, turn on the pressure and spray the soapy water, then look for leak-indicating bubbles.

Another method is to spray canned smoke inside where you suspect a leak, and have another person outside to look for escaping smoke.

Leak Correction

Frequently, all that needs to be done where Dicor is cracked is to plug the cracks with more Dicor, applied with a caulking gun. Clean the surface first with a rag dampened—not soaked—with mineral spirits so the new Dicor will adhere. Dicor, which is self-leveling, seeps into the cracks after it is applied.

Warning: Mineral spirits can harm EDPM roofing, so apply sparingly. The best thing to do is wipe areas where mineral spirits were applied with a cleaner that does not contain petroleum distillates.

If there’s a crack in the EDPM, Dicor is compatible and can be applied to seal the breach. Use the same procedure as for cracked Dicor.

Also look for loose Dicor. It would probably cause a major leak around mounts or large breaches, such as for vents or skylights. Remove loose Dicor and the item it’s sealing, then reinstall and reseal the accessory. If there’s evidence of water damage in the ceiling or in sidewalls, spray with a disinfectant, then dry everything out with heat and lots of airflow before reassembling and installing a new bead of Dicor and screws. Dicor is compatible not only with EDPM, but also with wood, fiberglass, plastic, steel and aluminum.

Replace rusty screws in the proper size. Coated screws will be less prone to rust.

If you’re sealing corners, consider a tape such as Seal-Tite. Once you’ve removed the insert trim, which hides screws, remove the screws, molding and old sealant, such as tape or putty. Stretch the pressure-sensitive side of the flexible tape over the opening, being sure to close gaps due to the irregular surface of siding. Then replace the cleaned molding coated with underside beads of sealant along the two edges, and new screws. You may want to add new insert trim in the molding for better looks.

Tiny houses are all the rage. One-bedroom and even no-bedroom homes with all the amenities of home—but a fraction as big—are the darlings of shelter magazines, lifestyle websites and TV feature shows.

And you have to admit, they’re pretty neat. Don’t take our word for it; check out diminutive domiciles at the 2019 Georgia Tiny House Festival in Macon, GA, one of the biggest and best-attended festivals of its kind in the country. The show site this year is bigger, at Central City Park in Macon, GA, a little over three hours from Crossing Creeks RV Resort and Spa.

The show runs from 9 a.m., Friday, March 1, to 5 p.m., Sunday, March 3.

All for Charity

The Georgia Tiny House Festival, presented by the United Tiny House Association, Eatonton, GA, is in its fourth year. The primary purpose is to spread the word about the benefits of and choices in small housing. Proceeds from the show, which charges admission to attendees age 13 and older, helps local charities. Children 12 and under and military/first responders, past and present, enter free. Seniors receive half-off at the gate.

Everyone gets in free at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 1.

Primitive RV campsites are available for either one night or two, in either small (10x20 feet) or large (20x40 feet) configurations. You will be boondocking; be prepared.

Details below.

What’s a Tiny House?

A tiny house, depending on the unit, can serve for off-grid living, on-grid living, wilderness living, or urban living, according to the Tiny House Association.

Some tiny houses—think destination trailers—are built on chassis and have wheels and tires for towing. They may resemble traditional travel trailers, small cabins or cottages. Destination RVs have plumbing and electrical hookups just like more conventional RVs. Some also are set up for boondocking. Destination trailers are well-appointed, typically with a living/dining room, possibly with sleeper sofas in the living room, kitchen with full-size refrigerator/freezer, bath, laundry and queen-size bedroom. Some have a second bedroom or stairs to a loft bedroom suitable mostly for children. Many have small porches.

Destination trailers are just that: trailers best used at one site you may rent long-term or own, such as at Crossing Creeks. (Not all examples will be allowed in to all facilities, so check with management before you buy.)

Many Shapes, Sizes

Tiny houses come in many more shapes and styles. Some are factory-built and intended for permanent onsite use, with connections for well pumps and onsite sewerage. Others are conversions of things as widely divergent as shipping containers and school buses. If you’re laughing at the thought of shipping containers, you’ll be interested to know that some conversions are so high-end that they make it onto the pages of slick architectural publications.

At the 2018 Georgia festival, which was the world’s third-largest event displaying tiny houses of all types, 92 tiny houses were on display. That number is expected to grow this year. The tiny houses on display are open to tours, including some that are lived in full-time but are shared for three days with the curious.

School Bus Conversions

Converting school buses has become so popular that the show’s workshop on the subject is sold out. Keep the workshop in mind for next year. Even if you don’t want to convert a school bus, a type of RV that some parks don’t allow, what it teaches about electricals, structure, plumbing, cabinetry and furniture-making is valuable to many RV owners looking to do some of their own maintenance and improvement.

Workshops, Talks

Admission includes talks and workshops by people who’ve studied small houses, manufacture them or live in them. These events are scheduled daily.

2019 Georgia Tiny House Festival

• Venue: Central City Park, 115 Willie Smokie Glover Drive, Macon, GA 31201.
• Dates: Friday, March 1-Sunday, March 3, 2019.
• Hours: Friday, Saturday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Cost:
• Friday, 12-4 p.m., $10, age 13 and older.
• Friday, 5-8 p.m., free all ages.
• Saturday or Sunday, $20 at the gate, age 13 and older; seniors, half off
  at the gate.
• Saturday and Sunday combo: $35 at the gate, includes admission both days, age 13 and older.
• Discount tickets: online in advance until Feb. 28, 2019; Saturday or Sunday, age 13 and older, $15; Saturday and Sunday, $30.
  Free admission, all times: Age 12 and under; active/retired/discharged military, law enforcement, and on-scene first-responders with valid photo ID
  Dry campsites: Limited number, available in advance online: small, 10x20 feet, Saturday night only, $27.37; small, 10x20 feet, Friday and Saturday nights, $48.47; large, 20x40 feet, Saturday night only, $43.19; large, 20x40 feet, Friday and Saturday nights, $80.12; up to six people per trailer, each must have event ticket age 13 and older
  Directions: Macon Central City Park is just over a 3-hour drive from Crossing Creeks RV Resort and Spa

If you need a few reasons to stay at Crossing Creeks RV Resort & Spa, or to own an RV lot here, all you really need to do is check out a few mileposts.

Crossing Creeks is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northeast Georgia, very near the state’s highest point. It’s seemingly removed from the hustle of the everyday world. It is, in every sense of the word, an escape. Hiking, fishing, canoeing, biking and many other activities are as close as you could possibly want.

And yet Crossing Creek is a stepping stone to history and culture, including beautiful cities in several states. If you’re on your way from the mid-Atlantic, Northeast or Midwest to Disney World, the Universal Orlando Resort movie theme park, Cape Canaveral or any other Florida attraction, Crossing Creeks is a great place to stop for a night or a few days. The full-service RV campsites and spa facilities, including a pool, will get you refreshed before you head out on the final leg to your destination. (Sure, you can stop again on the way home.)

Crossing Creeks truly is a destination in and of itself, but don’t forget to consider how much there is to do within hours and even minutes of the RV resort. Check out a few mileposts to see just how many great places to enjoy are less than a day’s drive away:

Fishing: A few feet. Rock Creek in Blairsville and other streams have trout waiting to be caught. Lake Nottely, 9 miles away, has lots of bass, rainbow trout and black crappie.

Boating: 9 miles. Lake Nottely has more than 100 miles of shoreline. Boaters love it as much as the anglers do.

Spectacular views. 20 miles. Brasstown Bald is the state’s highest point, and it’s half an hour away. The viewing deck offers a sightline that stretches well into North Carolina on a clear day, and as far as the Atlanta skyline to the south. The fall view is breathtaking.

Appalachian Trail: 24 miles. The nation’s best-known and perhaps most beloved marked nature and hiking trail is so close. You’ll find several well-marked day hikes along the Georgia section of the AT. The trailhead is only 48 miles from Crossing Creeks on Springer Mountain.

Whitewater sports: 26 miles. You’ll find whitewater many places west of the fall line in the Georgia mountains. The nearest spots are around McCaysville, a neighboring community to Crossing Creeks. A unique whitewater experience is in Columbus, GA, which has the world’s longest stretch of urban whitewater kayaking and canoeing—2.5 miles of whitewater passing by the city skyline. It’s 217 miles away.

Culture, Nightlife: 124 miles. That’s the distance to Atlanta, the social and cultural hub of the Southeastern United States. One of the nation’s oldest cities, it is steeped in history and filled with museums. And yet its downtown and trendy neighborhoods, including Buckhead, bubble with nightlife and fine restaurants. There’s a whole, big, glittering world just 2 hours away from Crossing Creeks.

Peanuts: Probably inches away. Peanuts aren’t hard to find in Georgia, where so many are grown, but especially in the sandy soils east of the fall line. Try some boiled—that’s the Southern way to prepare them. And check out the National Peanut Museum in Tifton, 289 miles away.

Vidalia onions: 288 miles. Vidalia and the region around it are known for the nation’s best sweet onions. Only onions grown in that specific region of Georgia can be labeled Vidalia. You’ll find them everywhere in Georgia from late summer through fall. See how they’re grown and visit the Vidalia Onion Museum.

Peaches: Everywhere. Only in Atlanta could you meet at the intersection of Peachtree and Peachtree. Buildings, streets, parks and neighborhoods are named Peachtree. All around the state are real peach trees. Once the harvest starts, you’ll find your way to great places with peach ice cream, peach cobbler, peach pie, peach preserves and just wonderfully fresh, sweet peaches. And you’ll do it over and over again.

Movie sets: Around the state. Scores of movies are shot in Georgia, or at least partly here. Some you might have heard about or seen: “The Mule,” “Black Panther” and “We Are Marshall.” A new film production studio is under construction in Atlanta. Casting agents advertise occasionally for extras. Keep an eye out. You may be able to watch a movie being filmed—or be in one!

Fine wine: 7 miles. Odom Winery is the closest—it even has a Blairsville address—but there are more than two-dozen wineries nearby, enough to make a nice tour and tasting, or maybe even two.

Golf with the gods: 378 miles. Myrtle Beach, SC, is about a 6½ -hour drive, almost due east. So, yes, you can play Myrtle Beach, replenish yourself at Crossing Creeks, and then head to Florida without going out of your way. Good deal.

Major League Baseball: 102 miles. The Atlanta Braves are playing in Sun Trust Park, in just its second year, a few miles north of the city. The stadium alone is worth the trip, but we’re talking about the defending National League East champs here. Established big league stars and exciting up-and-comers are less than 2 hours away.

Country music: Probably around the corner. It’s not hard to turn and hear a fiddle being sawed, a guitar being strummed or a banjo being picked. Any bar with entertainment around here has country bands.

The Best County Music: 232 miles. Nashville and its Grand Ole Opry are a four-hour drive from Crossing Creeks. Hit the saloons and hear ’em before they become stars.

NFL football: 114 to 230 miles. Take your pick: The Atlanta Falcons of the NFC play in Mercedes Benz Stadium, 114 miles away. The Tennessee Titans of the AFC play in Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN, 228 miles away. The NFC’s Carolina Panthers play in Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC, 230 miles away.

NBA basketball: 114 to 230 miles. Two of the cities that have NFL teams also have pro hoops: Atlanta has the Hawks, and Charlotte has the Hornets.

NCAA sports: Everywhere you turn. Blairsville is within a reasonable distance of several Southeastern Conference teams, including the Georgia Bulldogs, 91 miles away in Athens; and Atlantic Coast Conference teams, including the Clemson Tigers, 89 miles away in Clemson, SC. There are many other lesser known schools with affordable competition in a full line of indoor and outdoor men’s and women’s sports. Many of these events, outside of football, are inexpensive.

Savannah, GA: 372 miles. One visit to Savannah will convince you of two things: It really is one of the country’s most beautiful cities. And one trip is not enough.

Charleston, SC: 339 miles. That’s right—Charleston is a half-hour closer than Savannah. Charleston, one of the country’s oldest port cities, is known for its friendliness and hospitality, and it’s a looker, too.

There’s a lot more to do and see, but we’re going to stop now. We don’t want to bore you ... not that we could.