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sweet75
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# Posted: 18 Dec 2011 08:11pm
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Hello everyone. I have been browsing this forum for almost 6 months now and it has proven to be quite useful!
To make a long story short, I have a 3 season cabin, off grid, in Muskoka in Ontario. I just acquired it this past summer (bought off the original owner who built it in 1961).
I want to re-do the floors in a finished plywood. Does anyone have any tips besides not buying from the big box due to quality and selection? Should I do a plywood sub-floor, staggered, with the finished plywood on top? Would a polyurethane finish be good enough?
Any help would be much appreciated.
I've attached a few pics of the cabin. No interior pics yet.
Thanks so much!
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Borrego
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# Posted: 18 Dec 2011 09:15pm
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check this out:
http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/2_1360_0.html
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sweet75
Member
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# Posted: 18 Dec 2011 09:43pm
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Thanks, Borrego.
I've looked at that post and am not a fan of the OSB. It did help a little, though.
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Icebear
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# Posted: 19 Dec 2011 03:45pm
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I've seen some really nice plywood floors with the sheets set into a darker hardwood, like a very large picture frame, or a checkerboard style pattern with very large checkers - you know what I mean :)
Polyurethane should be absolutely fine. 3+ coats.
Your biggest issue will be having a floor with no movement in it. I'd recommend getting a structural grade ply with less deflection, or possibly using slate and tile underlay underneath the ply.
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Martian
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# Posted: 19 Dec 2011 04:06pm
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You could use cabinet grade plywood for a nice surface, but I would think the worst part about a clear finished plywood floor would be the thin exterior layer of wood somehow getting gouged. I have plywood floors, the subfloor hasn't been covered yet, and I have 2 dogs that run in and out. The plywood is holding up really well. So well, in fact, I'm not sure I want to put down anything else as long as these two are around.:)
Tom
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fthurber
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2011 10:14pm
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If you think that you will not get a lot of wear on the floor (and no dogs) how about just pine? Many sawmills will sell you tongue & groove pine flooring and I'll bet the price is comparable to plywood flooring.
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soundandfurycabin
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2011 11:13pm
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I can't give you any advice but this is a link to someone else's ply floor project....
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/35589
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adakseabee
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2011 03:19pm
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I installed white oak unfinished flooring in my home two years ago and finished it with three coats of Minwax floor polyurethane. It is holding up remarkedly well in a suburban environment. We use several rugs, have no dogs, and sweep the floors daily. I would venture that in a rural environment, unless you removed your shoes and put booties on your dogs' feet, any polyurethane finish will take a beating. My recommendation is to use porch and floor paint if you want a smooth surface that is easy to clean and relatively easy to repair when scratched compared to polyurethane. Grit on the soles of shoes and dog paws will play havoc with a polyurethane floor if steps aren't taken to minimize or eliminate grit getting onto the polyurethane finish, a tough job in any setting, especially a rural one. But, if you like the look and are willing to work at keeping the floor clean and refinishing the floor every few years, go ahead and use floor polyurethane and enjoy the look. Personally, I'd rather be relaxing than trying to keep my cabin looking spotless.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2011 03:37pm
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Quoting: adakseabee I'd rather be relaxing than trying to keep my cabin looking spotless.
.... that's why we used ceramic tile. Love the look of wood, but with dirt, snow, etc we love the easy maintenance of the tile.
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Martian
Member
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2011 04:58pm
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With my dogs, country setting, and preference for relaxing, even though I have a pile of white oak, I'm thinking painted plywood with a few rugs. That oak will become something, but probably not flooring; at least, not mine.
Tom
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