No HVAC in restored cabin

[Ray in Texas]

My question is what would be the best wood floor to use in a restored rock cabin without HVAC, engineered or solid? I have had sales people tell me either would work or neither would work. I find it hard to believe that neither would work since solid hardwood floors were installed long before HVAC systems. Even today many homes in the Northern states do not have AC and just open their windows in the summer.

The floor is the last major step to complete a ​

restored 1880s era one-room rock cabin. It is pretty air tight except for around the replicated windows with the rope, pulley and weights. The walls are 14 inches thick. The subfloor is 5/4-inches comprised of 3/4-inch Advantec and 1/2-inch OSB. The additional OSB was installed to enable running the floor parallel with the joists. It is supported by pier and beam with a 6 mil vapor barrier underneath and will be above grade. Interior dimensions are 15x40 feet.

I live in South Central Texas between San Antonio and Austin. Temps often break 100 in the summer and seldom go much below freezing in the winter. It is rare that it does not get above 32 during the day. It does get humid here and I know that would be the biggest problem.

I know the best solution is to install an HVAC system but I'm trying to avoid making the house too modern.

Thanks for any help.​

 

[Ernesto]

Engineered is more stable, meaning it moves much less than solid.
There is some really good 3/4 engineered during looks out there

 

[Ray in Texas]

Thanks, Ernesto. I actually had found an engineered floor that would look great, buy it's only 3/8-inch thick and the top later is only 2mm thick, which I've heard can't be refinished. With the subfloor I have would you recommend floating or nailing? Does either method have an advantage with the humidity?

 

[Ray in Texas]

Also, with engineered flooring does the species of wood matter regarding humidity? Seems like it would but the plywood layers below also seem like they would minimize it.

 

[highup]

I was told that engineered floors can have about 10% the expansion rate as a solid hardwood. But a high end 13 ply engineered is going to be a whole lot stronger dimensionally than a 3 ply.
I think that 3/8" wouldn't be very stable under the conditions you describe. You're not going to find a manufacturer that approves of this installation. I'm betting in the old houses without HVAC there sere a lot of creaks and gaps in the floors that opened and closed from season to season.nothing as pristine as the prefinished stuff available today.
I'm thinking a specific cut wood would be more stable...... like a 1/4 sawn wood. That's gonna get a wee bit spendy. So would some 5/4 wood. I'm still thinking thicker is better.
How fancy are you trying to make this place. 2x6 lumber might work if you get a deck grade. That would be a huge upgrade the from dirt floors of old.
How large is the room?

 

[highup]

Not sure about this for your use and humidity concerns, but it would be rustic. Minimal work for finishing. Leave it rough.
https://www.twincreeksloghomes.com/2x6-southern-yellow-pine-tongue-groove-flooring-1-grade.html

 

[Ray in Texas]

highup, thanks for the replies. First thing I looked at was the yellow pine. But, as you and a lot of people have said, the engineered won't expand and contract as much.

Room is 15x40. Stone walls are undercut to avoid the impossible task of installing baseboard along the jagged rocks. Another reason why the prefinished engineered sounds good. I've also thought about how difficult it would be to stain unfinished wood tucked into the undercut stone.

I really don't want it too fancy. I want to look at least a little bit as if the floor is something that could have been installed back then. The engineered wood I mentioned above is reclaimed long leaf pine heartwood. If it was thicker it would easily be the winner if engineered is the best way to.

 

[highup]

Floors back then expanded and contracted.
Instead of temperature how much are the humidity swings summer to winter? How far from the coast is the cabin?

 

[Nick]

Post back if you need Installation guidelines ..

 

[highup]

Dug this up for you. Seasonal wood moisture content by month.
I can't get a small jpg to load up so here's a link.
Read the description near the top at page 4, then scroll down to the locations in Texas.
Maybe Nick and Ernesto can do some input on how this equates to your project.
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base_images/zp/equilibrium_moisture_content.pdf

Take note on other locations far inland just to see how much more the moisture content swings during the year.
Is this going to be just an occasionally used cabin?

 

[highup]

One more. It's a bit of duplicate info in different wording.
https://www.woodworkerssource.com/shop/mois.html

 

[Ernesto]

Quarter/rift sawn moves less than flat sawn.