Engineered wood over old linoleum (ground floor of beach house).

[CTyankee]

Is this a good idea? The linoleum has some rust around the floor's edges. It can be damp there. We've heard yes and we've heard no on this idea.

Does anyone have any experience with engineered wood flooring in such a situation?

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

1. Interesting problem.

The moisture is an issue. I would wonder if that is not so difficult to cure really. The edges of curse boarder the walls, is it mostly along the exterior walls where the moisture or dampness collects? What is it in measurement from floor to ceiling? A slightly raised sub flooring may solve that issue although the dampness will remain under the new floor. What is the condition of the exterior siding or the foundation at floor level? That in relation to the moisture. You could put a vapor barrier down plywood sub flooring over the top than your new flooring over the top of that. That would raise your floor about i/2 inch plus the thickness of your new flooring.

On the other hand you may be able to look around inside and out along those walls ,find the problem and cure it. no more moisture, no more problem. Than redo your floor!

Got any pics to post? Every picture tell a story!

[CTyankee]

2. It's my daughter's house, not mine so no pics. But there isn't a BAD

rust issue. It's just that there is some moisture due to the fact that it is a beach house so naturally it is at a lower sea level. There just may be nothing that can be done in a beach house EXCEPT

it is only around the bottom of the linoleum floor so I think my daughter is feeling that raising the level by putting the engineered wood on top would help. I will tell her what you said about the vapor barrier down sub flooring and see what she says. I think her whole point is to get rid of the cause of the rust that appears on the floors now (this is a 1970s house) and cover it over.

What is engineered wood anyway?

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

3. It is a factory manufactured pre finished flooring

that is made out of wood and other materials. You can simply type to search engineered wood flooring and it comes up . seems to me they did some research . That no doubt is the way to go.

You have pre finished factory manufactured wood flooring that installs over what ever is there without nails, Real wood flooring completely finished ,you choose the color .

But the product you mention is made of wood and other composit materials including stone . I would say goggle it,that is just the way to go for that particular issue.

What I am going to do is look into that product line myself. clearly it would work well in finished basements with cement floors where there is moisture problems.

And, doing a through inspection of the exteriour siding is also the thing to do. Now ,you don't think the moisture problem has always been a problem do you? What I am getting at is a beach house will require maintnance for that very reason. My guess is walknig around the outside looking for areas where water gets in at floor level or what ever level and correcting that,will cure the problem. Some caulk,a little replacement siding some nails, may be all it takes. Check the gutters and soffits too.

I'll bet neighbors have all the ways and will be glad to share the ways of keeping water and moisture out of the house.


Here it rains a lot so moisture becomes a common problem. It's just closing up points of entry. Some cau]k ,some nails ,some siding ,sometimes a little water stop cement. Basic home fixy stuff.

[CTyankee]

4. Dtr is basically on an island in New England. Doesn't get much snow if at all.

This past year was an exception.

great ideas you offer. Will relay to her. It's a nice house, if outdated.

We're all excited about it...

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

5. New London doesn't either

which happens to be one of the mysteries of it's location.Lots of cool islands and coves in New England.But the New London area has it's very particular unique weather.A fitting name for the city.

Indeed, indeed in doubble deed my mind is wondering about the eastern sea board today!

Should be a interesting and fun project.

Good luck.

[Warpy]

6. You're going to want a vapor barrier the way it's suggested above

because, while engineered flooring won't twist and warp from moisture the way natural wood does, it can still grow molds and have the surface damaged from moisture.

In fact, if this were a house I intended to keep and pass on to children, I'd be tempted to rip out the whole floor, examine what's under it for dry rot, repair what needs repair, and install a new subfloor that's protected from moisture and the engineered flooring over that.

However, if it's on a coastline that's subjected to destructive storms, I'd just put down the moisture barrier, slap down the new subfloor and pop the laminate over that.