Flooring question - to laminate or not to laminate?

sylvenwolf · Post by **sylvenwolf** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 9:56 am

This year, we would like to try to put some flooring in a bjurt we are building. We were thinking snap together laminate flooring might be a neat option - kind of swanky, and a neat surface out on playa. However, we weren't sure how it would hold up to the heat, expand, etc. Also, we are not sure what the best method for securing it inside the bjurt would be.

A bjurt, showcased here: http://www.bendersbjurts.com/DIY/ , is yurt'ish, but should unfold into full structure size in a few minutes, if we fabricate it well (yet another item up for question ; - )) It will be rebarred into the ground a few feet at each base intersection. We were thinking there might be some good way to secure the flooring to these points, and considering whether a further structural skeleton around the perimeter of the bjurt to hold the laminate together might be needed. Any thoughts?

If laminate should be totally out of our minds for consideration, any other ideas on some slightly swank, very portable flooring options?

Thanks much,
Eleubunny and Parrbunny

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:10 am

Couldn't you look up the temperatures at which laminate is too stressed?

trystanthegypsy · Post by **trystanthegypsy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:13 am

I take it you have already ruled out carpet? "end of the roll" style places have medium-size pieces for cheap. I got mine for free. IMHO the laminate will just always look dirty.

sylvenwolf · Post by **sylvenwolf** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:22 am

So far, we've found information on minimum setup temps (64 F for 3 days) but not maximum. We are also not able to find, as of yet, details on the amount of room we would need to leave for expansion, in such high temps, or much on whether it would be needed to build more of a skeleton around the base or just leave as is for a stand alone floor - hoping some burner out there may have tried something similar and have a few suggestions (or dire warnings, etc.) : - )

Carpet's nice, but a little less portable. We figgy we can sweep the laminate off for a more polished look as needed, plus have something fun to skid around on, and maybe we can toss some interesting ruggish throws and furs on it for a little more comfiness and swankiness, as is called for.

Thx,
EB and PB

SilverOrange · Post by **SilverOrange** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 10:54 am

What kind of laminate are you using? Thickness of the pieces, etc. There's a lot of different kinds of laminate out there which could affect the answer you are looking for.

Timezone LaFontaine · Post by **Timezone LaFontaine** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:16 am

Seems as though a house that's locked up for the summer could at least reach comparable temperatures to the ~110 degrees you would likely encounter in BRC. So the laminate should be capable of enduring that heat, although eventually some sort of slight warping could occur. More likely there could be some unpleasant and unhealthy gassing off if the stuff is brand new and in a small, enclosed space like a yurt. Why not do some testing in advance on just a single panel of it?

sylvenwolf · Post by **sylvenwolf** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:19 am

Hi there,

We'd like to go as cheap as possible, so probably the thinner pieces. We were thinking, with the playa being so concrete'ish, this would be alright. We've found some for $0.69 - $0.78/sq ft, like this: http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalo ... esultsPage, so probably 6mm and some inexpensive underlayment.

Thx,
EB and PB

sylvenwolf · Post by **sylvenwolf** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:24 am

Definitely a good idea on the test - if we get a little more info and then our tools together this week, we may have a dry run at Critical Massive. To apx the temps, though, maybe need to set up some sort of heated space inside.

- EB and PB

PS Thx for the discussion all - It's been faster coming than expected, and given us some good avenues of thought, already : - )

SilverOrange · Post by **SilverOrange** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:30 am

I just ran down to my garage and looked at a couple of sample pieces of that 6mm laminate that I have. I would steer clear of it. It doesn't really snap together. It just has rounded edges that kind of nest together. In my opinion it would be a nightmare out there. Even with underlayment I don't think you would be happy with the results. Any variation in the playa surface is going to end up making gaps where the edges fit together. Unless you wanted to use construction adhesive or something to attach it to the underlayment I think you might run into problems, and I wouldn't want to be in an enclosed, hot space with the adhesive curing. You might be able to make 4' x 8' pieces by gluing it onto the underlayment ahead of time and then figuring out a way to make that work. I think it's a cool idea, but I would definitely go check some out and then make an educated decision.

Liz Estrada · Post by **Liz Estrada** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:35 am

WHO THE FUCK CARES?

just do it.

Jesus H. Fucking Santa Claus.

SilverOrange · Post by **SilverOrange** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:37 am

Just keep digging that grave Liz. Just keep digging...

Liz Estrada · Post by **Liz Estrada** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 11:41 am

as you wish, paco.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:10 pm

If anything it's going to shrink, not expand. Wood absorbs water when the air is humid and the water causes expansion. On the playa it should shrink as water is removed. At CM you will be in a high humidity environment, so you will get expansion.

However, being a laminate, you should find greatly reduced expansion and shrinkage due to the lamination process. I think that in the end you should have very little shrinkage or expansion.

Liz Estrada · Post by **Liz Estrada** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:21 pm

in the end you should have very little shrinkage or expansion.

that doesn't sound like much fun at all...

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:37 pm

> However, we weren't sure how it would hold up to the heat, expand,
> etc. Also, we are not sure what the best method for securing it inside
> the bjurt would be.

I'm pretty much with Liz - just go for it. I would be less concerned over expansion/contraction during the week than I would be about the substrate. We've got a laminate flooring in our house, and it's on dead flat substrate so there are no obvious joints. You aren't going to have totally flat playa to lay it on, so there'll be some uneven-ness between joints.

Securing the flooring to the ground would be a consideration, since you aren't going to nail it to the substrate. If the bjurt goes to the ground, I'm not sure the wind would get under the floor and lift it up.

On the whole, my philosophy is have a back up for everything. So do the floor - it sounds like a fabulous idea - but have an alternative in case it goes horribly wrong. It seems to me to have more potential for good than harm.

Token · Post by **Token** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:49 pm

The ballroom dancing camp that was in the 9 keyhole couple years ago brought out a full parquet dance floor.

I know that party rental places rent those out for weddings and whatnot.

Might be worth looking into.

oleg8888 · Post by **oleg8888** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:50 pm

laminate - always wanted to do it

Go for it, who cares, even/uneven, it'll serve the purpose.

Check craigslist, people sell leftovers

Do report back after BM, it'd be nice to know what happened
With pictures please...

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:18 pm

If anything it might potato-chip upward from moisture underneath. Yes, there's moisture out there. And you'd probably need to put it on some substantial plywood to keep it from flexing. Rental dance floor laminate sections are at least 3/4 thick.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:24 pm

MOzy knows.......

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:48 pm

What about poor man's laminate, i.e. packing tape?

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:35 pm

I don't think the material integrity is the problem for just one week. Does plywood de-laminate and buckle? I would be more concerned about how it will work on a soft subfloor. if your subfloor is soft and uneven, you will be stressing the joints as you walk over the strips, which might cause buckling and separation. bare foot pinching ouch, or constant re-organizing of all those 8 inch strips. the laminate flooring I am familiar with needs to be pretty well whacked along the edge as you add each piece, or fit down and lock, both methods benifitting from a hard flat subfloor. then what happens when you dance and jump? The parquet approach might be to pre-affix the strips into panels so you have fewer joints so close together, perhaps offsetting the lengths would help give it more strength on a soft base. Still I think laminate flooring would look very cool, and agree... hell, what the hell, try it! I saw some on sale at Lowe's and I thought of burning man too! It's so dense and compact in it's original packaging.

sylvenwolf · Post by **sylvenwolf** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:07 am

Hi there,

We ended up putting down a small laminate porch - Worked fine - need to get better stuff to put around the edges as frame next year, though - In fact, our camp,The Golden Cafe, will, if budget allows, be putting down a laminate dance floor this year : - )

- Eleu

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:28 pm

I'm glad you did it.

illy dilly · Post by **illy dilly** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:08 pm

sylvenwolf wrote:Hi there,

We ended up putting down a small laminate porch - Worked fine - need to get better stuff to put around the edges as frame next year, though - In fact, our camp,The Golden Cafe, will, if budget allows, be putting down a laminate dance floor this year : - )

- Eleu

Details Man! Details!
How? Worked? Didn't Work? Problems? Solutions?

Flooring question - to laminate or not to laminate?

Flooring question - to laminate or not to laminate?

re: more on the lam

re: How thick is your lam?

re: testing

Laminate on playa = Success!

Re: Laminate on playa = Success!