Vinyl flooring ripped during storage

[Greenie]

Our 10 year old Alumascape was up on six blocks to take the weight off the tires and suspension all winter. The vinyl floor covering ripped around heat registers - it looks like the vinyl wanted to move but the floor register caused it to tear instead.
Any ideas why this happened? The low temperature this past winter was about -20F.

[450Donn]

Probably already had a tear in the flooring. The stuff used in RV's is pretty basic. Your choices are, have it professionally repaired or replace the flooring.

[W4RLR]

You can replace the flooring yourself with a kit from any big box home improvement center. It includes template paper that you lay out over the existing floor to make a pattern. You use the pattern to cut the new sheet flooring. Roll the cut flooring out and it matches. Use some quarter-round wood trim or install small baseboards to cover any gaps at the perimeter.

You can also lay down tile squares.

[wa8yxm]

That is a common failure mode in vinyl flooring .... It tries to re-roll, years after it's layed.

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

I wonder if the trailer may have flexed more than it normally would, having the weight supported where the blocks were as opposed to where the suspension attaches?

Maybe a combination of that, and the vinyl getting less elastic/flexible with age?

[Ray,IN]

Add all replies together, and you have your answer. Vinyl will shrink slowly as it ages while also losing elasticity, anything that restricts movement causes a tear at the stress points. I have seen a solid sheet of vinyl shrink enough to cause a 1/2" gap completely around the room. Extreme cold will cause exaggerated shrinkage, keep in mind vinyl must be installed above 60*F to keep from breaking. It was warm when installed, combine extreme cold and normal aging and you know the result.