Flooring Suggestions in an unheated cottage?

[jeannec]

Hi - I've been scouring the net for a creative solution for my ugly torn, dirty, and AQUA vintage 70's vinyl flooring in my summer cottage.  It is unheated and abnout 32" from the dirt floor beneath.  There have never been any moisture problems since it is well ventilated and the floor has always been dry (in fact, I have found years of old 1940s era full color newspaper ads!  But, wood won't work, tile won't work, laminate won't work - and vinyl just isn't what I'm visualizing for this cute 1930's cape cod beach house. :'(
It gets freezing in the winter (-10F) and warm (90s) but well shaded in the summer.  Its all of 800 sq feet, so it should cost too much, but on the other hand it is an extra expense as its a second home.

There is subflooring in the living and dining rooms, but not kitchen, bath or bedrooms. When you lift up the vinyl - hey - there's the dirt!

I would so appreciate any suggestions for this place.
Thanks,
Jeanne

[glenn-k]

Hi Jeanne.  I don't think I am visualizing this right.  Do you mean you can see the ground through cracks between boards and the vinyl is on them or the vinyl is sitting right on the ground?  Ceramic tile can be put on vinyl over a sound wood floor -but maybe that's not what you want.  Vinyl is added as a slipsheet under ceramic tile over wood to allow the wood to expand and contract without messing up the tile and without the need for cement board under it.

Welcome to the forum.

[jeannec]

  Thanks for your reply!  I'm sorry for the confusion.  The cottage is built on piers, about 32-36" from the ground.  At one time someone started to dig underneath the house to pour a foundation, which never happened.  So, the floor that we walk on is about 3' above the dirt.  I lifted the aqua vinyl and underneath the main rooms there is a subfloor made from particle board. Under the lovely aqua vinyl in the bedrooms and bath, there is nothing but the wood floor that you would find on a porch - does that make sense?  Some of the wood boards have large knot holes and you can see the ground underneath, albeit 3' down.

Unfortunately, I don't think that tile can work because of the fluctuations in Cape Cod temperatures. Any other suggestions?  Thanks!

[glenn-k]

Ceramic tile is used about everywhere.  At our other place I was speaking of temps run from 40f winter to 115f summer.  No problems for us with a solid floor.  You can add a particle board underlayment also then whatever floor you want on top of that.  

[Bouncer]

If you can get the floor level you could go with floatting wood floor like pergo. It will expand and contract with the weather if put in right. (make sure to leave a 1/4" gap all around the wall).
Kevin

[ShawnaJ]

Tile works everywhere, even bathrooms and outdoors on patios.....but you would probably have to put some subflooring in the rooms that don't have it

My lovely military provided home has what looks like tile and wood floors but it is actually all vinyl....anyway to cut costs I guess.

My brother in law was really impressed, he thought it was real.

[Sassy]

If you have to go vinyl, I have a friend who put what looked like wood planks in her kitchen/dining room area - I commented on how nice it looked & she said "it's vinyl" - sooo, if you can't go with wood or tile, there are some nice looking vinyls other than "aqua"! Now, we know some people who built a strawbale house & put in cement floors that they painted & the kitchen has a very pretty tourquois/aqua color that has subtle shading... you wouldn't think it would look good, but it does.  

[Amanda_931]

If you want to go a bit greener than vinyl, real linoleum (the lin part is for linseed oil) is a very old product that is making a comeback.  

Wikipedia article with links to Armstrong who's back making it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleum

But I'd be surprised if you didn't need a smooth surface underneath.  Particle board expands when wet, does not go back--not for kitchen or bath underlayment, IMNSHO--in my not so humble opinion.  And at one stage I believe it was made with formaldehyde, and offgassed.  OSB probably  has fewer problems.

(I really really hate pergo and similar products, possibly because the one installation I've seen--in a store--looked like nothing you'd want to use after a few weeks, never ever looked clean--although harsh cleaners may have been responsible for some of that--also if you are considering it, check to see how it can be repaired--at one stage the answer was, it couldn't--start over)

[ShawnaJ]

Yep, that's my kitchen, dining and foyer, all vinyl that looks like heart of pine flooring, various sizes even with 2 inch "planks" in between the 6 in "planks". Very easy to keep clean even with two dogs in the house, just sweep and mop.

[Sassy]

Glenn corrected me...    he said the cement floors weren't "painted" but "acid etched"   excuse me, Glenn for my error  

[jeannec]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions - I might try to creatively paint some sheets of OSB and have it "float" on the floors.  I'll keep you posted on our final decision. Now I have to decide trim colors for the exterior before I work on the interior.  This flooring thing will be decided in the next few months....maybe after the winter and the vinyl will stay put for the winter (sigh :-/). Thanks again!  

Jeanne with the Cape Cod Cottage

[Amanda_931]

Oh, yes, we forgot to mention the painted roll roofing concept for floors.  From a Backwoods Home article.  Let me see if I can find it.  But there you might be able to get by without a solid base.

Here it is.  We've posted this a bunch of times.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/lee92.html

It is pretty devious starting off an article with an exaggeration but now that I have your attention let me tell you about a floor surfacing method I have been using over the years that performs better than what you are used to. It is waterproof for outside applications. It is easily repaired when damaged. It is slip resistant and easy to clean. It can be fitted into difficult or complicated locations. It comes in any color or style you can imagine and can be redecorated easily at any time. Best of all, it allows you to express your artistic talent. Plus this surfacing method isn't limited to being used only on a floor. With proper care it could quite possibly last forever.

A good, long lasting floor needs a solid, fairly smooth subfloor. Concrete certainly qualifies but the most likely surfaces are plywood or an old floor that needs refinishing. When I show you how this system is applied you can decide what will be involved in preparing the surface for your individual project. I have had some interesting results covering less than uniform floors by using this method.

[jeannec]

I'd love to see that - it sounds cool!
Jeanne

[Amanda_931]

I don't think any of us has actually done this.  But we keep thinking about it.  And if it works for a porch it won't have the shrinking problems of vinyl (not sure when or why that happens, but it might be related to hot or cold)