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standbyme
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2015 06:33pm
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Renovating 5 seasonal cabins in the lakes region of New Hampshire. Need to make decisions on flooring and countertops. The small cabins will be unheated for the winter months. I would like to use a vinyl plank floating floor but nervous about temperature extremes and seam failure. The countertops pose similar obstacles if I choose economical Formica. I know you can't beat natural products.....hoping to save a few bucks. Maybe this is not the line item to cut corners on?
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Don_P
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2015 07:10pm - Edited by: Don_P
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Can't say if it's good or bad but this CEU web course on flooring ad came in the mail today;
http://links.hanleywood.mkt6839.com/servlet/MailView?ms=MjQwNDk1MjAS1&r=MTA2ODk3MzU1N DYyS0&j=NjgyMDQ3NjMwS0&mt=1&rt=0
Yes, plastics move mostly in response to temperature where wood moves mostly in response to moisture.
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bobrok
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2015 07:24pm
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Gonna be watching this thread with interest.
I want to do something with my floor and my situation is the same with the camp being unheated in the winter. I threw down cheap vinyl goods as a stopgap while remodeling inside. I was told to not glue the floor down or even perimeter glue it due to freeze/thaw, so I didn't. The result is sheet flooring that buckles (think ski moguls) all around. It's served it's purpose but I'm now also looking for a solution.
I will say, though, that we have had Formica type laminate counter tops for the 9 years we've owned our place and there are absolutely no problems with them.
Go figure!
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2015 07:32pm
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Don't know about vinyl floor, but we still love our ceramic tile, over cement fiber backer board, over OSB. That's after 5 or so winters with warm / cold cycling as we use it on a weekend in winter and then it freeze again.
Formica counter top is a year older and has no issues with the warm / freeze cycling either.
Our neighbor in the mtns has a laminate floor. It must be 7 or 8 years old now. No issues that I can see when I visit.
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skootamattaschmidty
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2015 10:15pm
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I have a maple hardwood on the floor in the main part of the cabin and the same as the others, it only gets occasional use in the winter and no issues at all with the freeze thaw cycles. It's been down about 12 or 13 years now. In the back part of the cabin I put down laminate and it has been down five years with no issues. The counter top is Formica and has been there about the same as the hardwood and also no issues.
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AK Seabee
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2015 10:35pm
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My neighbor used the floating vinyl plank flooring last year. It worked great for one season so I installed it in my loft this summer. It was easy to install you just have to be careful putting it together. Once it sticks there is no moving it.
I dont know what brand the neighbor used but I used Allure Plus since the glue strips were twice the size of the other brands I will know more this spring but I am happy so far.
Plus for the product is it is textured and looks like wood planks. The vinyl makes cleanup simple.
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Topper
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# Posted: 26 Nov 2015 01:30am
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AK, If installed on the main floor, do you see any concerns with water seeping between the planks?
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AK Seabee
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# Posted: 26 Nov 2015 02:08am
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My neighbors floor is fine. I am testing in the loft this year and will have more info this spring. I hope to use it on the main floor if all works out well.
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ShabinNo5
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# Posted: 26 Nov 2015 06:15am
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We installed reclaimed 3/4" oak flooring on 3/4" plywood and have not had any problems. The Shabin is only heated during weekend visits. Temps have ranged between -35 and 90.
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Topper
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# Posted: 26 Nov 2015 02:07pm
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Quoting: AK Seabee My neighbors floor is fine. I am testing in the loft this year and will have more info this spring. I hope to use it on the main floor if all works out well.
Thanks AK. I too am looking into the different flooring's available.
The vinyl planking has potential -- if it is waterproof. Or, if I could work around it, such as placing tile or some such at the entry?
Looking forward to an update.
Thanks again & a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 27 Nov 2015 06:49pm - Edited by: KinAlberta
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Have two old cabins with glued down linoleum floors (1950s). They have survived roughly -40 F to +85 F. They sit unheated most of the time but for a few decades one saw regular winter use so survived rapid heating and cooling. A few spots of glue failure occurred where water was left to sit on the tiles (ie wet rug under a dog dish, water leakage below a chimney.)
I have tiled countertops too (under a decade old). Also performing well.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 28 Nov 2015 10:27am
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I have Formica on counters and the laminated flooring (snap together, no glue, nails, floats on a thin foam pad) and have zero issues. I was told how its will snap apart etc. Apparently it doesn't change size too much when cold vs warm. Its all been fine.
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Don_P
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# Posted: 28 Nov 2015 11:12am
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Pretty neat table of thermal expansion coefficients and a link to their calc, it gives a sense of how much materials move in response to temperature change...remember some materials move more in response to something else, for instance wood will move more in response to moisture change than to temperature change. Pay attention to ceramics, concrete and masonry.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/linear-expansion-coefficients-d_95.html
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bobrok
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# Posted: 28 Nov 2015 01:55pm
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Quoting: Don_P Pretty neat table of thermal expansion coefficients
Dang! Thank you Don_P!
I was mentioning this thread to my son, the engineer, and 1st thing out of his mouth was "thermal expansion coefficient".
1st thing out of my mouth when he said that was "huh?"
Now I've got some readin' and learnin' to do courtesy of your post and link.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 28 Nov 2015 03:23pm
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In the hottest portion of the summer, here in NM, we occasionally see a section of concrete sidewalk where the contractor did not provide for expansion. All of a sudden we end up with a "tent" or a gable roof section of sidewalk. I should have taken a photo of one of them, but never have. The pressure builds up and 'bingo' we end up with the speed bump to beat all speed bumps. I'd like to actually see it happen once. Eventually the city has the section broken out and repoured.
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FishHog
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# Posted: 28 Nov 2015 07:15pm
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech I have Formica on counters and the laminated flooring (snap together, no glue, nails, floats on a thin foam pad) and have zero issues. I was told how its will snap apart etc. Apparently it doesn't change size too much when cold vs warm. Its all been fine.
Same here. Although only about 6months old at the new cottage, but no issues after 10 at the old one, so that is what we did again.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 29 Nov 2015 03:40pm
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I think any floating floor system will work. The key thing is that the floor can move with changes in temps or moisture so it doesn't buckle or pull apart at the seams.
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BaconCreek
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# Posted: 1 Dec 2015 10:04am
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We used tongue and groove pine from Lowes. It has done great for 3 years. I had thought about the vinyl tongue and groove plank from Home Depot but read on another forum that freezing can be a problem and you could end up with gaping seams.
Our counter top is formica and it has done fine.
According to our weather station we have had high temps of 99 and low temp of -19.
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hueyjazz
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# Posted: 1 Dec 2015 05:10pm
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I've had the Allure vinyl plank flooring installed going on three years in my cabin bathroom. No issues. This cabin is only used on weekends during winter and on weekdays goes into deep freeze. In fact these last two winters a really deep freeze. I think it's very critical you leave a gap at the wall edges to allow for any expansion. Easily hidden by wall mounding
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suburbancowboy
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# Posted: 1 Dec 2015 06:02pm
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It really depends on how big the space is you are covering and the time of year you install it. I have mine in a 20 X 20 foot space at my cabin and installed it in the summer. I noticed after the first winter that some of the seams split by about 1/16 inch. I think that if I had installed it when it was cooler the problem wouldn't have been as bad. I love how easy it was to put in and you can't beat the cost. I would use it again but install later in the year.
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 1 Dec 2015 09:16pm
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I used Allure country pine laminate flooring in my three season cabin up here in Michigan... Its been five years and it hasnt moved. Looks great!
Lisa
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Topper
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# Posted: 10 Mar 2016 12:59pm
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Quoting: AK Seabee My neighbors floor is fine. I am testing in the loft this year and will have more info this spring. I hope to use it on the main floor if all works out well.
AK Seabee
How did the flooring work for you?
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AK Seabee
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# Posted: 10 Mar 2016 09:47pm
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Topper,
I am heading to the cabin tomorrow for a week. I will have updated information when I get back.
I was however at the cabin about three weeks ago. The loft floor looked good as new, no defects. I honestly dont think there will be any negative issues with the flooring even though it never really got cold this year. -25 F is the coldest recorded temp in the area.
I will more than likely use the same material on the bottom level.
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Topper
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# Posted: 10 Mar 2016 10:25pm
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AK Seabee, thanks for the quick response.
Enjoy your time at the cabin. Will be waiting for your update.
We didn't get really cold up here either this year.
Thanks again.
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Topper
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# Posted: 10 Mar 2016 10:29pm
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AK Seabee, do you ever get up to Fairbanks?
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AK Seabee
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2016 02:12pm
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Topper, not as often as I used to. My last visit to Fairbanks was about three years ago.
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Topper
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2016 06:04pm
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Quoting: AK Seabee Topper, not as often as I used to. My last visit to Fairbanks was about three years ago.
If you do make a trip, let me know.
The jeep & the sno-go are loaded, & in an hour or so, will be heading to the cabin for the weekend.
As an aside, in a previous post I believe you mentioned being from NY. I was born & raised in the Catskills...
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Julie2Oregon
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2016 06:21pm
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Regarding flooring, does some of it depend on soil and foundation? The reason I'm asking is that at my former home in deep South Texas, I had porcelain tile in my bathroom and kitchen. It developed cracks. We had clay soil (and, in Texas, rain is often feast or famine -- flooding rains or terrible drought). Foundation shifting is common.
Because of this experience, I'm very concerned with choosing a foundation that will deal with any ground changes and flooring that will accommodate different conditions, too -- soil and weather.
Does that make sense?
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CLguy
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# Posted: 28 Mar 2016 07:57pm
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I did the main floor in my cabin with click together vinyl planking by Mannington last fall. It has just survived the first winter of being cooled to -30C and warmed to + 25C with zero issues. It does expand and contract some with the heating and cooling. They recommend leaving a 1/4 inch space all around for this reason. Am now planning on doing the bathroom and both bedrooms with it as well.
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KSalzwedel
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# Posted: 28 Mar 2016 10:46pm
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Allure plus is waterproof and in my cabin bathroom. Love it. After 3 years looks great. Not too much freeze/thaw cycling because we live here, but the couple of weeks we have had were fine.
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