Best Flooring for Non Temperature Controlled Areas

As you choose your flooring, temperature becomes one of the factors that you must put into consideration. But, there are certain spaces where temperature naturally fluctuates and isn’t controlled. 

Do we have flooring for non-temperature controlled area? Definitely, floorings come in different makes, materials, and style. Therefore, you can get flooring that’s suited for areas where temperature, among other elements, keep fluctuating. 

Flooring that you need for areas such as cabins and beach houses along the coastline need plenty of thought. If you’re into selecting the best floor for non-temperature regulated area, this post provides you with ideas on how to get one. Read on. 

What’s the Best Flooring for Non-Temperature Controlled Areas? 

Choosing a flooring is very vital decision for any homeowner. It’s super-important to have a flooring that can adapt to changes in temperature regimes. When it’s cold and freezing outside, you need to get flooring that can insulate your space. 

When it gets overly heated in your space, a flooring that can resist the effects of heat and somehow lower the temperature is the best bet. The same applies to flooring for humid conditions – you need a flooring type that doesn’t grow molds easily. 

Best Flooring Ideas for Hot and Dry Areas 

Generally, hot temperatures can damage some floors. Flooring in such areas can discolor or even warp thanks to extreme hot temperatures.  Let’s find out which flooring best suits this environment. 

  • Hardwood flooring

Hardwood for floors has been a trend from the 17th century and it’s still on the go. That’s why hardwood flooring is dubbed a timeless flooring. 

This would be a perfect flooring for the hot and dry climate areas like the semi-arid areas where it’s hard to control temperatures. 

Make sure to source the wood from the local area. This is important for purposes of acclimation. If it’s not locally sourced, make sure to acclimate for the hardwood not to warp or shrink once it’s inside your space. 

The problem with hardwood flooring is that it’s expensive to buy. Yet, maintaining it regularly can bring higher expenses because you want to hire a professional to handle it when there are problems you can’t do yourself. 

  • Vinyl Flooring 

Vinyl flooring has come in handy in nearly all types of conditions. In the hot dry climates, having a vinyl flooring is a big plus. It perfectly controls the temperature of your space even if your area is having serious fluctuations outside. 

Vinyl flooring is also one of the long-lasting flooring solutions. It’s affordable and easy to install – making it a go-for material for flooring any day. 

If durability is one aspect that evades you in your routine choice of flooring, you can’t go wrong with vinyl flooring. The flooring does well particularly on concrete slab foundations. 

Even with that, vinyl flooring falls short under extreme sunlight conditions. You don’t want to expose it to peak sunlight as it could easily discolor. If you are residing in hot temperature areas, and perhaps the sun is shining through the roof, you should cover your flooring with curtains. 

  • Tile Flooring 

Tile flooring is a contemporary style that’s doesn’t come with a lot of work especially maintenance. There are different types of tiles. You have the ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles to choose from. 

The big advantage about tile flooring is how they remain cool even when temperature rise to the ceiling. For this reason, they are the best among the many types of flooring for non-temperature controlled areas. 

While installing these tiles, the prerequisite expansion joints must be left to allow for the expansion and contraction of the tiles due to temperature changes. Replacing a broken tile on the floor is pretty straightforward compared to other flooring types. 

  • Engineered Hardwood Flooring 

Dry air can be detrimental to the normal wood used for flooring. However, engineered hardwood has been found to resist better the effects of hot temperature and dry air. 

This is a stable flooring thanks to its 4-5 layers of timber that have been pressed together and prefinished. With this kind of structure, even with extreme temperature recordings, the floor won’t crack or warp. 

It takes time installing this flooring type. You may need the help of a professional installer to have the work done well and correctly.

See also Discontinued harmonics flooring 

Best Flooring for Cold Climates 

When you decide to visit a coastal cottage, you can be guaranteed of cold, chilly nights. The last thing you want to encounter is a freezing ice-cold surface as you step on the floor in the morning. 

All these problems can disappear with the correct choice of flooring that’s suited to the cold conditions. As said earlier, having a floor that can resist the water elements and help keep your space warm is going to be helpful. 

Remember there are no radiant heat systems or such things. The temperature is not controlled at all. 

Vinyl Plank Flooring 

If there’s a type of floor that you don’t want to miss out on as you launch in cold areas, it’s the vinyl plank flooring. Coming as a multi-layered product, vinyl plank flooring features four layers. 

It has a topmost layer that consists of aluminum oxide. This layer is made to help prevent light scratching and scuffs. There is the clear film layer for protection against serious tears and ripping. We have the design layer and the backing layer. 

With all these layers, you can be guaranteed of solid insulation in your flooring. This means vinyl plank flooring is suited for cold areas. It will add warmth to your space and leave you in the perfect state you wanted. 

Also, this flooring is resistant to water and moisture elements. The layers do not allow infiltration or movement of water particles – hence, your space remains dry all the time. 

Carpet 

Carpet is one of the best choices when that time to spend a night in a cabin arrives. Most carpets are designed with insulation in mind. Hence, you’ll be assured of keeping warm in cold climates. 

You want to, however, ensure that you choose a deep pile carpet for the best outcomes. Deep pile carpets are made with thick fibers that can act as a blanket as you walk on the carpet. 

When choosing the carpet for your flooring needs, ensure it’s darker in tone. This can retain a lot of heat compared to other colors. 

Laminate Flooring 

Laminate flooring works the same way as vinyl flooring. While it resembles wood, it’s a good choice for cold climate thanks to the natural insulation properties it has. This insulation is key to your warmth and comfort. 

You can add an insulation layer of foam underneath the laminate flooring to make it even a better insulating floor. 

Does Vinyl Flooring Need to Be Temperature-Controlled? 

Generally, a rise in temperature does cause the vinyl flooring to expand, especially if it’s exposed in sunlight. If extreme temperatures persist, the flooring will buckle, curl, and peak. 

What this means is that there is a temperature range within which vinyl flooring will perform optimally. Therefore, this flooring can do well in areas that are temperature-controlled. 

That said, the perfect temperature for vinyl flooring should vary in between 15 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius annually. Anything more or less than this range can damage your flooring. 

When controlling temperatures, make sure to check the glass doors and windows as they can intensify the heat transmitted to the flooring. You can use blinds and curtains on these doors and windows to minimize any excess intrusion of heat on your flooring. 

You also want to have door mats at entrances to limit the effects of other elements like mud, dirt, and sand that can leave your flooring in poor condition. 

See also Can You Put Rugs on Vinyl Plank Flooring

FAQs: Flooring for Non-Temperature Controlled Areas

Can I use laminate flooring in an unheated room? 

You can use laminate flooring in an unheated room because it’s less likely to expand or contract. Just make sure you choose the correct design that matches your space décor. 

What type of flooring is best for unheated cottage? 

You would be better off with either laminate wood planks or vinyl plank flooring. These two types of flooring are not only elegant, but also waterproof and provide awesome insulation properties. 

It’s also easy to install the flooring in your space with just a little knowledge required to do the installation. 

Does Vinyl flooring crack in cold weather? 

Vinyl flooring doesn’t expand or contract as hardwood would do. As a result, it cannot crack in cold weather especially when it’s installed in a floating manner rather than the glued-down way. 

If it’s stuck to the subfloor with an adhesive, it might become brittle and crack. 

See also Costco Vinyl Plank flooring

Final Thoughts

You need to think carefully over the flooring for non-temperature controlled area. It’s not just any flooring that you install in a certain area. 

If you have taken care of temperature fluctuations, that’s perfectly fine to install any flooring type. But if there’s no control of temperature, make sure you choose a flooring that can adapt for the best results. 

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