Engineered flooring... shed?

[matthew]

Outdoorsy stuff is a foreign-land to me to I'm hoping someone can point out my the gaping holes in my plan, if not my shed... Doing (or attempting) a trendy garden the likes of which you may see in Elle Deco etc. I want/need a shed in there, but looking around I note that:

• They are quite pricey - eg £500 for a 10x6 thing seemingly made of flimsy fencing panels; or £1000 for something made of eg 19mm tanalised softwood
• My wife (the lifestyle magazine reader) despairs of them all

As such, am planning to make something artsy/minimal/etc and considering materials. I thought of... engineered oak flooring. The price is actually feasible for eg 20mm unfinished T+G, ply back+6mm oak veneer. I figure stack them up, tongue side up, pin them to the frame, liberally apply oil/treatment to the surface and seams. If the roof overhangs a bit and/or has a gutter, it should be as durable as anything else. Or have I lost the plot?

 

[Zeddedhed]

Can't say for sure but I reckon the veneers will start peeling after ............. the first really wet day followed by a dry warm one.
Maybe a bit later, but not much.
But that's just my guess.

 

[PAC1]

I would tend to agree, but you could make some oak feather boarding. I was only talking to someone at the weekend who had Osmo'd their pine shed! But well made oak feather boarding, planed of course and then osmo it would be fit to go in the lifestyle magazine!

 

[Andy RV]

I'd go for a good quality softwood cladding such as larch, douglas fir or cedar over anything engineered.

 

[Woodchips2]

Another vote for feather edged boarding but I'd use tanalised softwood and if you want the arty farty look then stain with something bright and trendy :lol: Use building paper behind it and use one nail per fixing along the length to allow the timber to expand and contract.

Regards Keith

 

[Richard S]

Fitted some in a shower room on a boat a few months ago, called back due to a shower leak and found the floor had virtually disintegrated. It was not my idea to fit it in this environment, the boat manufacturer had offered the customer better alternatives such as Karndean but she was adamant she wanted the engineered oak. On this basis I would not expect it to hold up outside for any length of time.

 

[matthew]

Fitted some in a shower room on a boat a few months ago, called back due to a shower leak and found the floor had virtually disintegrated. It was not my idea to fit it in this environment, the boat manufacturer had offered the customer better alternatives such as Karndean but she was adamant she wanted the engineered oak. On this basis I would not expect it to hold up outside for any length of time.

What was the substrate? I've fitted engineered flooring inside - 22mm with ply substrate. Been happy with it in a kitchen - had some spills but nothing that drastic :|

 

[matthew]

I'd go for a good quality softwood cladding such as larch, douglas fir or cedar over anything engineered.

I think the softwoods tend to be a bit too knotty for the sleek look - luck of the draw, I guess. I may be able to get some green oak relatively cheaply - may be a good alternative?

 

[matthew]

Another vote for feather edged boarding but I'd use tanalised softwood and if you want the arty farty look then stain with something bright and trendy :lol: Use building paper behind it and use one nail per fixing along the length to allow the timber to expand and contract.

Regards Keith

Does tanalised wood take a stain? Never thought to try it! But consider me educated on building paper!

 

[Richard S]

Matthew
It was on a ply substrate, I think it would have coped with a bit of surface water or the odd spill, but this had got wet under the shower tray, I suspect it had been wet for some weeks before I was asked to return and the ply backing had completely delaminated and detached from the oak wear layer, the oak its self was ok, a little stained in places but still sound.
Richard