IMO you have enough wood so maybe look at slate or vinyl tile that looks like slate. BTW you need to have your flue checked that is way too much smoke not going up the chimney.

Thank you--definitely will have the fireplace checked before using it!

And the chimney and the cap on the roof. I wonder if the previous owners' TV still works with that much heat on it.

Tile would probably be best. I know that Luxury Vinyl Planks (oxymoron???) has to stay within certain temperatures, so that is out. You won't be there year round. Wood laminate would not be water resistant. That leaves carpet, tile, and oak. If you are absent and the pipes freeze and break, carpet and oak would stay wet until you visit again.

Are you on a concrete slab? Tile would be great if the grout is sealed very well. I can imagine some pretty rugs on that floor.

I’d probably do pine—either heart pine or pumpkin pine.

@Peke, we're putting something over the existing wood floor. No concrete--just the original wood!

Lovely bones.I love the character of the logs. I would stay within what honors the history of the home. Tile is so cold and sterile looking. We have a mountain home and many folks have log siding. They all have various shades and types of hardwood flooring. I have hickory, and over the past ten years, it has held up 100%. We had dogs sliding all over the place, Our temps range from 90 high to 5 cold. No warping or cracking.

Regarding the soot on the chimney, you may not have a good draw. We had to add an extension atop our chimney to improve the draw and all room smoke stopped.

Enjoy your new second home!

The original floors have lasted 90 years. I think that answers the question - hardwood.

@Dana Thank you so much! That is so good to hear about hardwood and hickory in particular, as we really do love it (do you have any idea what brand yours is?). Thanks, also, for the chimney advice--this is our first fireplace, so it's good to know what to look into!

I would do hardwood. The plastic floors are not timeless. This cabin is timeless and needs authentic flooring.

Lakelife2020, you are welcome. Yes, I LOVE hickory. All the various shades are like mother nature showing off, ha! Mine is a traditional, thick, hardwood which was prefinished. I would call the company from whence it came, but it burned to the ground in a suspicious fire.

There are several brands out there. Just research and get a good thick one. Read the 1 star reviews first, that's what I do.

And regarding your chimney. Maintenance is so important!! Only burn hardwood, never pine, as the sap will coat the interior of the flue with creosote. Get the chimney professionally cleaned every year. That way, you should avoid a chimney fire. And buy your firewood in the summer. I use a moisture meter to make sure it's seasoned and not green. Seasoned firewood tends to sell out in our area by late summer. Enjoy!

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.

What are the current floors? Do they need to be removed? Asbestos assessments done?

Hickory is lovely but VERY orange/brown (you will be surrounded in wood on all 6 sides). It is also a snick more unstable (dimensional stability) than other hardwoods. It isn't the best option for a home that is vacant/empty for large parts of the year (covid not withstanding).

The good thing about laminate is it is relatively cheap and easy to install. It allows for THICK corn underlay to increase heat retention in the home and it is easy to anticipate expansion/contraction without heating/cooling for long periods of time.

Vinyl is tricky in situations like yours. It does NOT like wonky subfloors. It does NOT like it too hot or too cold (becomes brittle in the cold). It does NOT like direct sunlight (can warp and/or discolour). And it does NOT like any form of underpad.

Carpet is an easy fix if you like it. Hardwood can be used but I would go as NARROW as you can in a species that is relatively stable (white oak is slightly better than hickory...red oak is a snick better than that). I would look at an old fashioned 2" strip hardwood. It's dimensional stability will be the saving character.

Remember: the WIDTH of the plank is the START of a stable wood floor. If you START with a stable width (very narrow = very stable) you START with the best option for the living situation.

I'm a fan of cork = highly appropriate for the age. But the homeowner needs to be ready for a quirky cork floor. And cork starts out orange/yellow/brown but it gets LIGHTER. Yep. You start with an orange cork floor but in 5 years you will have blonde floors. You will LOSE the 6 sided orange box. For me that's a win.