Lake house log cabin flooring: hardwood or engineered or laminate???
4 years ago
Hello! We just purchased a log cabin on a lake. Built in the 1930's. The floors are in terrible shape, so we are laying new floor over top of the old (after the original floor is repaired as needed, of course). We REALLY wanted hardwood, but as I've read up on flooring, I'm not sure if it's the right choice. This is a vacation home--we will visit in all seasons, but won't be there all the time (once the pandemic is over, in any case--we plan to spend most of our time there for the next year or so). We are installing a new HVAC system
/central air and natural gas. We fell in love with hickory, but then I read that hickory is unstable and now I'm worried about cracking/warping, etc., and so wondering if 1) we should consider another type of solid hardwood, like oak or acacia; 2) use engineered hardwood, so we still get a little of the hardwood we love but with more stability; or 3) use laminate, which some of our friends on the lake have and love for its durability/water resistance. The more I read online, the more confused I get (temperature and humidity considerations, etc.)--would love any opinions/advice--thanks! (Ignore furniture in picture and the strange wall on the right--that is sellers' stuff!)
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PRO4 years ago- 4 years ago
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Hardwood floors throughout?
Comments (35)Actually, DH had reservations about wood period. He thought the tile should go throughout the house, and I said NO. He installed the Bellawood in the front rooms of his Cape up in Massachusetts, and it was the narrow boards of the select ash, very light, and it was gorgeous. That house has lower ceilings than here, and it was basically more individual rooms and not going to be open concept like our living/dining/kitchen/laundry will wind up being. And, our cottage with beadboard could better use the 5" wide boards, also select ash. It sits in my Teahouse under lock and key, with the heat or a/c keeping it properly conditioned for use. I got a bit more than DH estimated we needed, thinking he would skimp on what amount was required, and so there will be enough to have a little left over.....and I will have no problem extending the back porch/addition another foot all the way across, and to floor the tiny new entry as part of the living room. If that doesn't quite make it, well, I can put tile in the entry. It was MoonPie who hiked his leg on everything, even just a tiny squirt on the house plants, the chair legs, the bed covers that hung down far enough for him to reach, the laundry basket, the garbage can.....I became expert at recognizing what HE did and what Dixie might do. She specialized in the bath mat, since she knew business should be conducted IN THE BATH ROOM. Which is why I am so impressed with Dolly and her arriving at 7 weeks of age already, in effect, PAPER TRAINED. And she cannot yet go outdoors to learn about grass, because she needs her final shots to avoid parvo virus. What a charmer she is though....See MoreLuxury Vinyl Plank vs Engineered Hardwood
Comments (46)So let's talk the about the difference between an engineered hardwood and a vinyl plank. And there are more than just the difference between the two flooring options. There are many differences within each type of flooring. For example: engineered hardwood flooring can come in different thickness overall and vinyl planks can come in different plank styles (glue down, WPC and SPC). Let's break this down for you guys a little further. Engineered hardwood is an incredible option for an authentic with longevity in mind. Typically is worth less than it's hardwood counterpart (hardwood) but in some instances, depending on the wood species, a high end engineered hardwood veneer could be worth more than a low grade hardwood such as your North American (domestic) species. Engineered hardwood is more often on the 7/16" side of thickness and that is your more price friendly thickness. You can special order a thicker 3/4" board, but that will come at a heftier price because it's added layers. The added layers create a more stable plank that expands and contracts at a lower rate than it's 7/16" counterpart. Engineered hardwoods always should and for the most part come prefinished with an aluminum oxide coat. This very coat is your barrier against everyday beatings from walking traffic and dropped items. This coat is very tough but no floor or finish is indestructible. You will have dents and scratches pop up over the years. Depending on the company, you can buy "refinish kits". Although, technically you cannot refinish aluminum oxide, the kits just help you hide the scratches until you decide to do a professional refinish to your floor. Lastly, let's talk about refinishing your hardwood floor. Please have a professional do it! And it is very expensive to do this job. Depending on your floor size it can cost well over $3,000 USD. At this rate, you are in the market for a high level LVP. Which brings me into the luxury vinyl plank spectrum. As you all are aware, LVP's are dominating the flooring market and they should be. They do a very, VERY good job at imitating a hardwood or stone surface and multiply the longevity all the while. Vinyl has come a long way in the last couple of decades let alone the last few years as far as planks are concerned. There are plenty of options and so, so many different brands all wanting you business. Luxury vinyl planks can be divided into two different categories in the market right now: glue down or floating. The first generation of vinyl planks are your glue downs. They are still very popular and serve as one of the friendliest DIY repair floors. You simply heat the old damaged plank, peel it and put a new one down. The floating aspect of planks gets a little more complicated as you can have a WPC (wood polymer composite), SPC (stone polymer composite) or a loose lay style. And you can look those up to see the complete difference in each to see what's your most needed. I'll lightly go over each to explain what they are. While all three styles are virtually waterproof, you really can't go wrong with any and will have a good product in each one. WPC's are a click based plank which does not require an underlayment, hence being labeled a "floating" floor. The foaming agent in the core of the plank helps with sound absorption and makes the plank a little more friendly to stand on. It's a thicker overall plank and you should think about how the trims will be affected. SPC's are a click based plank which also does not require an underlayment which helps reduce the installation cost. The core is limestone based and makes it very rigid and tough. It's extremely dent resistant but for the most part is lower in wear layer for some reason. You can however find plenty of SPC's with a higher wear layer, nearing 28-30 mil, but it will cost you more because you will have a high dent and scratch resistance. And finally you have your loose lay planks which are the ultimate form (as of now) in easy maintenance and installation. They do not require an underlayment, do not use a click system and don't need any adhesive (although some installers recommend gluing the perimeter). They have a friction backing which let you lay the plank adhesive free without any movement on its end. The plank itself is waterproof and pretty dent resistant. While engineered hardwood does cost more and is less maintenance friendly, it does add value to your home with the hardwood veneer. The ability to refinish gives you a long floor life but the cost of a refinish is a setback in itself. Luxury vinyl planks are a low cost and long lasting floor option but adds little to no value to your home. The endless options of styles and colors gives you endless customization to your home at a far less price. Either option can last a while but at this time vinyl planks are a better option for any household with multiple members, both human and furry alike. I hope this little bit of information helps in the short and long run. Just a flooring dude....See MoreVapor layer (thin, poly-stuff) used under hardwood or engineered wood?
Comments (13)If you need the subfloor evened out, you need to do more prep work. An underpad isn't going to solve the problem of a rolling subflooring. If you want your floor height to be raised, you can used self-leveling cement (SLC). It will add both height and will level the subfloor. Yes it is FAR more expensive than 3mm foam underlay....but it is the right thing to use if you FLOAT your hardwood. If you must nail down the floor, then the SLC may not be the way to go. You may have to lay down a new layer of plywood. Again, this is not cheap but it is certainly the way to go to keep things nice and level. If you do not level out the subfloor, you will have a floor that bounces and clicks and creaks and cracks every time you step on it. If it were me, I'd look at 6mm cork underlayment (loose laid) and then FLOAT the hardwood over top. The 6mm cork is rigid enough to "eat" 1mm of wavy subfloor as well as prevent bouncing and clicking. Do NOT nail through cork. It doesn't like it. Thousands of sharp pieces of metal piercing cork = crumbling cork. It isn't a nice thing to live through. Again, it is up to the homeowner to specify the flatness of the subfloor is to be within the manufacturer's requirements (part of the contract) and then pay the contractor what is needed to get it there. After the subfloor has been dealt with, the installation of the wood can begin. If you are installing in a home where humidity is a concern, you can do yourself a favour and plan the installation for the FALL or the SPRING. We call these the "shoulder seasons". The shoulder seasons usually sit at the mid-point between the summer HIGH HUMIDITY and winter's LOW HUMIDITY. Make sure the wood acclimates for a few weeks in the areas you want to install (yep...out of the box; properly stacked and racked by the professional wood flooring installer you hire independent of Lowes). At this point in the year, fall is almost over. Winter is coming in the next 4 weeks, which means it may be too late to purchase, receive, acclimate and install the wood before winter hits (and the humidity drops due to winter heating conditions). Spring would be my goal. And please use someone other than the 'guys' at Lowes to do all of this work....See MoreFlooring for bar/game room in log cabin - hardwood or LVP?
Comments (3)Unfortunately we don't have any photos of the space that are super relevant, because it will be completely gutted and rebuilt. Here's a pic of the space as is, but we will be combining the two rooms into one, and getting rid of everything else! (I suppose we will keep the window trim and the beams the same!)...See MoreRelated Professionals
Henderson Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · San Jacinto Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Hickory Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Chatsworth General Contractors · Hibbing Flooring Contractors · Livonia Flooring Contractors · Jefferson Valley-Yorktown General Contractors · Midlothian General Contractors · University Park General Contractors · Makakilo City Architects & Building Designers · Gainesville Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Bell General Contractors · Mentor General Contractors · Spencer General Contractors · Warren General Contractors
4 years ago- 4 years ago
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago- 4 years ago
- 4 years ago
- 4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
Sorry, I missed that part. The original wood floors can't be saved? They are warmer than tiles.
I have oak cabinets and aa white oak floor in a natural shade, some light and some dark, and we live on a lake. I don't see a problem with logs and a wood floor. We need to refinish our wood floor, but it is last on our list to remodel. My lakehouse looked awful because the previous owners put light oak wood veneer on the walls, oak on the floors, oak crown molding, and even a suspended ceiling with oak ceiling grids. Oak sort of exploded in there. Your logs are beautiful!
My narrow oak flooring is from the 70s or 80s, I think. Newer floors have much wider planks. - 4 years ago
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