Container House Flooring

Every house needs a floor and your container house is no different. Shipping containers usually come with a wood floor. Wood because it offers some flex with heavy cargo and ocean movement. A wooden floor is for most natural and has an attraction.

As a general guide shipping containers have a wooden floor inlay to help support the cargo in ocean voyages. The wooden floor is subjected to cargo life. A floor in your container house needs to be clean, attractive and workable. Wood can offer all of these things as can carpet, vinyl even concrete.

Flooring is important for our container house. A floor is seen, walked on and gets dirty so needs to be cleanable. Our container house floor can be wood, vinyl, carpet or concrete. We have a choice of many options for flooring. We will take a look at a few of them in this article. Read on…

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Types of Flooring

Our shipping container comes with a wood floor insert. If the condition is reasonable it may be refurbished. A good sanding, cleaning, and oil or lacquer finish applied can produce an outstanding floor finish. There are other options to consider that will provide an attractive floor finish with their own characteristics of appeal.

1. Wood flooring adds a warm, natural look to any room.
2. Vinyl flooring is durable and cost-effective.
3. Carpet flooring provides comfort and insulation.
4. Concrete flooring is low maintenance and easy to clean.

Concrete is special as it can be polished, muraled, engraved, painted or tiled. The choice of floor covering in a shipping container is primarily to cover the metal floor which is corrugated and needs to be flat to walk on. So even with vinyl or carpet floor covering there will need to be a base floor for the cover to sit upon. Wood is a good base for carpet and vinyl.

Flooring Choices

There are numerous choices for floor coverings from wood to concrete and beyond. In a container house the floor covering is also covering the metal container floor. The metal floor is corrugated and not suitable for standing on. Here are a few suggested floor covers that can be used in your container house.

1. Bamboo Flooring: Bamboo flooring is a great choice for container homes as it is durable and environmentally friendly. It also has a natural look and is easy to install.
2. Hardwood Flooring: Hardwood flooring is a classic choice for container homes. It is strong and durable and will last for years. It also adds value to the home and is easy to maintain.
3. Laminate Flooring: Laminate flooring is a great choice for container homes as it is affordable and easy to install. It is also easy to clean and maintain and comes in a variety of colors and styles.
4. Cork Flooring: Cork flooring is a great option for container homes as it is eco-friendly, comfortable, and easy to install. It is also very durable and can last for years.
5. Vinyl Flooring: Vinyl flooring is a great choice for container homes as it is affordable and easy to install. It is also easy to clean and maintain and comes in a variety of colors and styles.
6. Carpet: Carpet is another great option for container homes as it is soft and comfortable. It is also easy to install and maintain and comes in a variety of colors and styles.

Wood Flooring Options

Oak flooring, maple flooring and cherry flooring are all good choices for a wood floor. Other species include bamboo (which is actually a grass), walnut, ash and mahogany.

Ebony, cherry, live oak, or bamboo are the most durable choices for wood flooring. These extremely hard woods (and wood-like bamboo) wear well and are more resistant to minor damage than other options.

There are typically five main types of hardwood floors in use today. They are: vinyl, laminate, parquet, solid and engineered hardwood flooring.

Vinyl Flooring

For a realistic hardwood or stone alternative, plank vinyl is the cheapest choice for rivaling the look of pricier flooring. Unlike sheet vinyl, planks come in small sizes, making the entire installation process easier.

Vinyl flooring comes in sheets, tiles, and planks and is predominately manufactured with PVC, resulting in durable, waterproof flooring that can be installed anywhere in your home. It requires little maintenance, just regular vacuuming or sweeping and the occasional mopping, and is one of the least expensive flooring options on the market.

Vinyl planks can be glued down or installed with a peel-and-stick, or click-and-lock system. Installation is generally easy to tackle, even for those who may be new to home improvement projects.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate is made up of a composite of materials. It mimics the look of hardwood or stone. A photographic image is embossed on to its surface.

While laminate is comparable to vinyl sheets in terms of cost, it’s is not as durable as vinyl. It can not be exposed to heat. It has a short life span of around and is not waterproof.

Laminate is installed as a floating floor, which means the pieces click and lock together rather than being glued directly to the sub-floor.

Cork Flooring

Cork is a soft, eco-friendly alternative to composite flooring. Cork tends to be softer than other moderately priced flooring options. However, it’s softness can also be its downfall since it can scratch and dent easily.

Cork does not fare well in rooms like bathrooms, where high humidity levels will cause the material to crack and break.

Cork is made from the cork oak tree. It is a renewable resource and is used to make floor tiles, planks, and sheets. Increase in cost is based on thickness, quality, and finish.

Carpet Flooring

Carpet is soft to walk on and great at dampening sound. Carpet does however show wear and tear much faster than other kinds of flooring. It shouldn’t be used in bathrooms or other places where the presence of moisture can lead to mold.

There are a wide range of carpet materials, and quality levels. No matter the carpet, you can expect it to last 10 years or longer if you vacuum regularly and immediately treat stains.

Carpet tiles come with their own adhesive backing. All you have to do is make sure the floor is clean, peel off the stickers, and affix the tiles to the floor. Carpet laying however, requires accuracy. Otherwise, wrinkles, bumps, and weak seams will ruin the result. Because there is little room for error when installing wall-to-wall, a professional carpet layer is advisable.

Concrete Flooring

Concrete in recent years has become a popular finish for floors. Hard wearing and durable a concrete floor can be an option. Generally concrete surface finishes are either honed, polished or a buffed finish. Concrete is a very versatile material for floors.

Concrete can be finished with stain, dyes, stenciling, metallic coatings, and highly polished coatings. Epoxy floors and polyurethane coatings will provide better chemical resistance and overall durability in these applications.

A polished concrete floor can look superb but concrete does required care and damage can occur. The other thing to consider in a container house is that concrete adds extra weight to the build. Although looking attractive it also requires a permanent fixture.

Tile Flooring

Ceramic Tile are durable and makes an excellent inexpensive flooring option. Porcelain tiles are another option when installing floors particularly in damp areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. They do wear better than conventional ceramic tile.

Tiles require a base floor, either wood or concrete. Also consider slip. Matt finish tiles offer better friction than glossy tiles, making them non-slippery. Glossy tiles can be slippery. Porcelain and ceramic are some of the longest lasting flooring materials available, and they require little maintenance.

Cleaning tiles is less intense than say a carpet clean which can stain. Cleaning tiles will usually consist of a sweep and mop scenario. Tiles are hard wearing and they are also a hard based surface. If you are standing on tiles for a time (kitchen) it can become uncomfortable.

Rugs and Mats

Using rugs and mats to cover areas is a great idea. Rugs can sit under tables and chairs. They will protect the surface of the floor material be it wood, concrete, vinyl. If you have tile floor covers then a rug or mat will be a cushioning if you need to stand for a while.

Rugs and mats can add a little color to the room. A wood floor can look lively with a colorful rug or mat in place. At the same time the mat is protecting that area of the floor from surface damage.

Container Wood Flooring

Your shipping container comes with a wooden base floor. If replacing your existing floor isn’t an option, you can always refresh it inexpensively.

Wood floors will transform with just a little sanding, paint, stain or varnish. A wood floor can look fresh and new with specialized paint and sealant. Whatever your budget, you can certainly get an updated look without spending a ton of cash.

One thing to be cautious of with a shipping container wood base floor is that it may have been exposed to chemicals. Not to ignore exposure to sea water and moisture. You need to examine the existing wood flooring if you intend to attempt recovery. If it has damage or stains, replace it.

Conclusion

Flooring is important for our container house. A floor is seen, walked on and gets dirty so needs to be cleanable. Our container house floor can be wood, vinyl, carpet or concrete. We have a choice of many options for our flooring.

A wooden floor is very attractive and features well in any home. I would suggest a concrete floor can be as appealing when polished. Staining options are always intriguing and imaginative as are mural type floor artwork. Particular street art could look appealing on our floors. Vinyl flooring has many finishes that are pleasing and affordable.

Flooring forms apart of our container house. A floor provides atmosphere, depth, warmth, and comfort. A floor also requires cleaning. A carpet gets a vacuum, while a wood, concrete, tile, or vinyl floor get a mop and sweep. A home like any other home is alive with a broom.