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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Vinyl floor planks
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xtolekbananx
Member
# Posted: 27 Nov 2018 10:08
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I wonder if anyone here used vinyl floor planks in a cabin. The cabin floor is not insulated and it is basically 3/4 inch treated plywood on floor joists that sits about 10 inches off the stone pad. It is used almost every weekend in warmer months and 1-2 times a month in winter, it does gets down to negatives in winter. I just wonder if the vinyl planks will survive temperature jumps.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/LifeProof-Multi-Width-x-47-6-in-Seasoned-Wood-Luxury-Viny l-Plank-Flooring-19-53-sq-ft-case-I114813L/300461633

Those are the ones I'm lookng at, floating, click installation and waterproof. If now what would you recommend.

darz5150
Member
# Posted: 27 Nov 2018 11:07
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I have something similar in my 5th wheel camper. Its usually not heated in the winter months. I installed it during warm weather. It might shrink a little in the winter, but so far no buckles or complaints.

Eddy G
Member
# Posted: 27 Nov 2018 11:18
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Hey There,

Our cabin is of similar construction.
The cabin had 1" boards for flooring and I added 1/2 subflooring plywood over that for several reasons.
We've used vinyl plank flooring several areas in our cabin.
I picked it for some of the wet locations.
The bathroom/laundry room is roughly 9' X 12'.
There is a shower, sink, washer & drier unit, compost toilet, well water tank and the electric water heater in there.
I think this is going to be its 3rd winter and so far its held up very very well.
It's easy to work with, cut and shape, goes down easy enough. I just let it float, no tacks, glue or anything.
It will expand and contract with the temperature.
Most of the year its fine but in extreme cold the seams do open up in a few spots.
I think that's a big part of the install.
If installed better it would be a lot less noticeable. The bathroom was our first time installing it but since then we've used it in a hallway and bedroom with better success when it comes to the seams opening in colder weather.
I'd give it a big thumbs up over all.
We've got wood in the living room and industrial rubber in the kitchen....Haven't finished the indoor porch but may go vinyl there as well when the time comes...Two bedrooms on the second floor are to far away to think about right now...hahaha

justinbowser
Member
# Posted: 27 Nov 2018 12:17
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My experience mirrors the above comments. Our "portable" cabin came with a 3/4" plywood floor which I overlayed with 7/16" OSB to which we glued the heavy vinyl plank flooring. It was close to 100 degrees (no AC) when we put it down and last week we were up there with a couple nights in the 20s and noticed a lot of previously tight end-gaps were close to .1". I suppose this is better than expanding and buckling!

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 27 Nov 2018 16:02
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I suppose it would be ok, given some minor shrinkage/expansion, but i always thought vinyl flooring looked so....well cheap.....and they don't wear well down the road.....you only get 1 chance to do your cabin
I would get some decent engineered wood flooring for that price...$2.79 sf is high for vinyl laminate.....

just my $.02

rockies
Member
# Posted: 27 Nov 2018 19:50
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One problem with vinyl floor installations (sheet vinyl as well as vinyl planks) is that the subfloor can be too soft. Heavy appliances, or even chairs, can dent and rip the vinyl when they are moved.

You should add a 1/4" thick layer of tempered Masonite hardboard under the vinyl to eliminate this, filling the seams so that the seams don't show through the finished surface.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/masonite-1220-x-915mm-5mm-underlay_p0240113

naturelover66
Member
# Posted: 28 Nov 2018 12:30
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I put down allure trafficmaster country pine planks in my cabin 6 years ago in Northern Michigan. Its a 3 season cabin. Its seen 90 degrees and 20 degrees. They have not moved and look fine.


This isnt the best pic. .
Cooper at the cabin
Cooper at the cabin


FishHog
Member
# Posted: 28 Nov 2018 18:06
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Quoting: Borrego
always thought vinyl flooring looked so....well cheap.....and they don't wear well down the road.


old school vinyl perhaps, but new planks look great in my mind. Mine have been in for 4 year. I get a bit of warping around my woodstove in the winter, when heating up from neg temps to hot temps in a short time, but otherwise are wearing very well. Easy to clean and waterproof.

xtolekbananx
Member
# Posted: 28 Nov 2018 18:21
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Thanks for the replies. I think I will go with it. I found cheaper planks 4 mm thick for 1.79 sq ft. Will put cork underlayment to kill the imperfections in plywood floor.

rockies
Member
# Posted: 28 Nov 2018 19:10
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I wouldn't put cork under the vinyl - cork is even softer than most plywoods. Anyone sitting in a chair will leave indent marks (or worse- tears) showing in the vinyl. You need a Hard substrate like a 1/4" Masonite board.

gsreimers
Member
# Posted: 29 Nov 2018 18:02
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I won't use it again. I put vinyl plank in my 12 by 12 bunkhouse summer of 2017. After the winter it shrank and separated in 3 or 4 seams. I will probably tear it out and replace it with glued down sheet vinyl eventually.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 30 Nov 2018 12:51
Reply 


I installed snap together laminate flooring in my cabin right over plywood, did use the blue foam pad under it. Looks great, no issues at all, gets very cold in winter, but its all "floating" to no glue bonds coming apart etc.
flooring.jpg
flooring.jpg


smallcabin
Member
# Posted: 30 Nov 2018 17:23
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I installed MAN MADE material (aka laminate flooring) last year. It appeared there's no significant or noticeable gaps on the floor panels. I hope it stays that way for a very long time.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 30 Nov 2018 17:54
Reply 


smallcabin, I have it at home too, in my entire house except bedrooms and it never gaps. Its pretty dense stuff so no expansion/contraction with temps/humidity, so its pretty stable stuff and it "float" as needed so the planks dont separate or pull from each other.

Absolutely
Member
# Posted: 30 Nov 2018 19:16 - Edited by: Absolutely
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I used vinyl in my unheated 8 x 12 bunkie and it's been fine so far. I like that standing water won't bother it - teenage boys aren't particularly careful about wet bathing suits / towels / spills. I haven't had any issues so far and I'll likely use it for the building the composting toilet is going into.

I was quite particular to make sure that there was nothing on the subfloor before I laid it down as the vinyl is quite thin and I figured anything under it would be apparent.
Vinyl1.jpg
Vinyl1.jpg
Vinyl2.jpg
Vinyl2.jpg


rockies
Member
# Posted: 30 Nov 2018 19:31
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I was leaning towards vinyl planks for the bathroom and entry but I didn't like the seams. Besides possibly separating I'm worried about standing water seeping through and causing mold and rot in the subfloor.

Tile floors are out because I don't like all those grout lines (and possible water infiltration to the sub-floor). What I am considering is using linoleum, which is a natural product (unlike vinyl) and has anti-static and anti-bacterial properties.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/working-linoleum-flooring

cspot
Member
# Posted: 30 Nov 2018 21:18
Reply 


I like the vinyl planks that I put down this summer in our cabin. When cold a couple of the seams open up, but once the cabin warms up they close back up.

Great Outdoors
Member
# Posted: 30 Nov 2018 22:47
Reply 


xtolekbananx, that is the exact flooring I plan on putting in my cabin living room. I like the look of it and it seems quite durable (I had to scrape really hard with a key to make it noticeable).

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