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Wendigolake
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2016 20:19
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My cabin is in Northern Ontario and like a lot of people here, I do not use my cabin in the winter and therefore it is unheated all winter. I need to put down flooring in an addition this coming season. We have have vinyl flooring before but it does not last very long before it cracks from the cold. Does anyone have any experience with laminate flooring in their unheated cabin? I have gotten conflicting reports from flooring companies and various friends as to how it will stand up to very cold temps. I am trying to not spend a fortune on flooring but I want to have a flooring that will last a lot of years. The walls of the addition are T&G pine.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2016 21:00
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Our neighbor in the mtns used genuine Pergo about 12 years ago. Still looks good after that many unheated winters.
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razmichael
Member
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# Posted: 23 Dec 2016 22:24
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This has come up before on other threads so you might try a search. I put cheap laminate in my cabin (northish quebec) and have seen no issues through 3 un-heated winters.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2016 08:15
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I think the trick is in the installation. These flooring materials should be installed as "floating floors" with the foam underneath and a pinch of space between the "plank" and the walls or door frames etc, allowing for a bit of expansion & contraction space. Installed tight and they can / will buckle up. That applies to that type of material regardless of how it's used. (year round heated or not) But like anything else, the quality of the product counts and I would be somewhat hesitant about some of that thinner & cheaper material out there.
And remember the "Lumber Liquidator's Laminate Flooring" fiasco. REF: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/lumber-liquidators-laminate-1.3459763
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FishHog
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2016 10:24 - Edited by: FishHog
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going into the second winter with vinyl plank in mine. My only issue is when we fire up the wood stove on after arriving to a very cold cabin. I get a bit of buckling right around the wood stove when we have it really hot trying to warm the place up. Its minor, and doesn't concern me. Time will tell, but so far I'm happy with it.
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Eddy G
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2016 16:08
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The vinyl cracking surprises me a little only because I have heard and read so many good reviews on it.
I'm sure there are a lot of factors involved. Material quality, insulation, installation, etc....
A large part of our cabin is being remodeled and presently gutted out. I'm planning on using vinyl planks so I'm very interested on where this thread will go.
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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 24 Dec 2016 20:17 - Edited by: KinAlberta
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Our cabin in Alberta has linoleum tile in it. Except in a couple locations where water was allowed to sit on it (from driving rains dripping down from a chimney pipe), the adhesion and joints are basically like new. If it had been waxed at some point I imagine it would be like new as the wax would have sealed the joints and protected the surface.
If you look at old schools many had lino on their floors and still do and it's in great condition decades later.
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Eddy G
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# Posted: 25 Dec 2016 09:58
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I re-read the post and realized we may be talking about 2 different things.... I'm guessing and believe "Sheet vinyl, vinyl tile vs vinyl planks all have very different characteristics..
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Wendigolake
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# Posted: 25 Dec 2016 10:19
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i think this post has drifted somewhat. I was originally interested in peoples experience with laminate flooring. I have attached a representative pic of what I am hoping to install.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 25 Dec 2016 11:12
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I have the laminate wood looking floor in my cabin, unheated winters, this is the snap together stuff that floats on a thin foam pad. Never an issue. I dont think it expands or contracts much, its very dense, in fact, when cutting it, it looked like plastic, not very porous. So its expansion rate is probably very little. It gets real cold over at my cabin, close to the 0 mark, and mid teens for highs right now.
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Wendigolake
Member
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# Posted: 26 Dec 2016 10:06
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Thanks toyota_mdt_tech, that's the kind of feedback that I am looking for.
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DRR
Member
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# Posted: 26 Dec 2016 11:10 - Edited by: DRR
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I had Pergo flooring installed when my cabin was built in the summer of 2014. It still looks the same. No warping or any problems and it can get down to -40.
I've attached some early pics of the floor. Hope that helps.
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Shadyacres
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# Posted: 26 Dec 2016 12:14
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I have some pergo max and also cheaper stuff from Lowes in my cabin. This is the 3rd year and I have not had any issues what so ever. Like Steve S said , the trick is to follow installation procedures and make sure you have enough space for expansion.
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Wendigolake
Member
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# Posted: 26 Dec 2016 19:53
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Thanks everyone, that is the feedback I was looking for.
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medic149
Member
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# Posted: 4 Dec 2022 10:17
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Interested if anyone has used engineered hardwood for their flooring.
We are on the edge between vinyl and engineered hardwood.
As much as I don't like "floating floors" when I walk on them, I know that we will have to use this type of floor with expansion space on 4 walls.
Hope to hear some good experiences and updates to this thread.
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travellerw
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# Posted: 4 Dec 2022 13:01
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We have "waterproof" laminate (no not vinyl plank) in our unheated cabin in northern Alberta. Its our first winter with the flooring but it has seen -26c. We do use the cabin so the flooring is heat cycled. So far no problems.
I will say that there is definitely some shrinking in extreme cold. When it was installed, all the edges were hid under the baseboards. In extreme cold you can see some of the edges, but they disappear as the cabin heats up.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 4 Dec 2022 14:19
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Quoting: medic149 As much as I don't like "floating floors" when I walk on them
You mean the soft squishy feel? Me either so I didnt use underlayment on our back porch. Seams to be holding up just fine for the last 3yrs. I believe its engineered wood but really a cardboard type material with a hard shell and pattern.
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Grizzlyman
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# Posted: 5 Dec 2022 10:02
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medic149
I’ve done a few floors with engineered hardwood- mostly glued to concrete in basement. Engineered hardwood is in our unheated cabin as well in N minnesota.
I wouldn’t hesitate to use. Personally I think it’s superior to vinyl- as it is a true wood surface- but that’s just my opinion- I like wood.
I floated it in our cabin- but as mentioned above really do not like the “squishy†feel. I was determined to NOT have a squishy floor… so after doing reasearch, taking to several experts, etc… I used the “best†underlayment available and am very disappointed with the fact that it still has some squishiness. It’s not terrible or anything, but it is perceptible. If I was doing it again, as Brett mentioned, I’d forgoe the underlayment and put directly on subfloor. I don’t see why you couldn’t float it directly on subfloor assuming subfloor is not warped or has High spots or anything like that.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 5 Dec 2022 11:02
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Quoting: Grizzlyman . I don’t see why you couldn’t float it directly on subfloor assuming subfloor is not warped or has High spots or anything like that.
This was my thought also. What is a 1/16th of an inch piece of foam really going to do..maybe allow it to slide? In that case just use underlayment paper.
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medic149
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# Posted: 6 Dec 2022 21:54
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Thanks for all of the info. I am kind of the same mind as Grizzlyman. I like the engineered hardwood better than vinyl. I think a thick engineered hardwood would maybe decrease that "squishy" feeling, which I absolutely hate!
I've been researching this for weeks and it comes down to most people using vinyl because of the lack of heat and humidity control. But then other people said they've had no problem with engineered hardwood.
I think each install is unique, unfortunately.
As of today (this moment in time) I am leaning towards engineered hardwood, floating, but not sure on the type or thickness of pad or if I'll even use a pad.
Hopefully, we can make up our minds and do it correctly without wasting money.
Thanks again to everyone who has chimed in so far.
AJ
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 6 Dec 2022 22:16
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Maybe to add a little more to this conversation..
I actually called 4-5 manufacturers of vinyl and laminate flooring. Not a single vinyl flooring manufacturer would warrant their product in an unheated building. All the laminate flooring manufacturers had no problem with warranty in an unheated space. Not sure thats a big deal as most won't warrant a DIY installation anyway.
Now some further information.. My wife reminded me that we have laminate (just standard Home Depot stuff) in our 5th wheel trailer. Its been there for about 8 years and weathered some stupid cold winters (-40C ambient temps multiple times). It still looks like the day I installed it. Not a single gap has opened up.
I don't really have a suggestion for the "squishy" feel other than installing on tar paper. I can't see how there would be problems without the foam.
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medic149
Member
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2022 07:56
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Thanks Travellers!
Very interesting that laminate companies would still warranty. That tells me they don't have an issue with the environmental factors.
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2022 11:52
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Quoting: travellerw I actually called 4-5 manufacturers of vinyl and laminate flooring. Not a single vinyl flooring manufacturer would warrant their product in an unheated building. All the laminate flooring manufacturers had no problem with warranty in an unheated space. Not sure thats a big deal as most won't warrant a DIY installation anyway.
For what it's worth, our cabin neighbors installed vinyl plank 2 years ago. Weekend cabin that is unheated when they are not there. Last winter saw some -30F temperatures up there. The floor still looks fine. 20x24 ft cabin.
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Steve961
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2022 14:50
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I installed laminate flooring in my unheated, when I'm not there, northern Wisconsin cabin over 11 years ago and it still looks like new.
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