What to use in hub-style house for flooring?

[Mistermojo]

I am in the process of swapping my sled house for a hub style so I can stand up and move around a bit so my back and knees don't get too stiff. As I was reading the tip post, someone mentioned about using the treadmill interlocking floor pads. I am wondering what else people have used to give some warmth and dryness? outdoor carpeting? Tarps? Etc..? I have a standard portable buddy for heat and whatever the solution it has to fit in the back of a Ford Explorer.

Thanks,

Mojo

[Lusid]

I just lay a few carpet pieces down (commercial grade squares)

[ClownColor]

Carpet with thick rubber backing or a rubber mat, like for a truck bed liner (cut), or look around menards horse section.

I use the carpet with rubber backing and then it doubles as a cover for my sled when puuling out my fishing gear!

[20lbSloughShark]

I have always used an old peice of carpet, but if I could have anything, I would use interlocking foam. Takes up less space, and does not get "stringy" like carpet.

[paceman]

I have been using a peice of old carpet. I simply cut out the corners for the holes. I also work pretty good to lay it down first to mark the hole locations and then move it to cut the holes. very nice to fish on a carpeted floor. The only drawback is that it will freeze to the ice and it tough to pull up, and it is pretty heavy when frozen. I would look at a smaller peice of carpet and perhaps one that is rubber backed...

[CrewJones]

i shovel, and lay town 2 bigger rubber floor matts from wally world and use to smaller back seat carpet type for my marcum and the heater. The key for the heater is that you have all floor mat in front of it so it doesn't melt the snow.

Now with the slush I dont shovel i just lay all the floor mats down and fish, I will put my heater on a 5 gallon bucket to get it up further off the ground now.

Buy some coat hooks for your flip over they help keeping your shell out of the bottom of the sled.

[mrklean]

i have a wood floor for mine i built for spearing, cost about $20 love it

[TruthWalleyes]

Good boots and keep your heater off the ice.

[OnAFly]

2 sets of interlocking foam pads from Menards and an old tarp. I have 1/2 the shelter for fishing and one half for sleeping overnight.

[paceman]

I had thought about an old tarp but I was thinking the tarp would get pretty slippery when wet? It would be really easy to fold it up and to dry out...

[OnAFly]

I had no problems with the tarp being slippery under the mats, but that was also when it was 0F outside, so it might not be so good when it's above freezing.

[CamozKool]

I bought something called a shack mat, its basically a thin rubber backed carpet that rolls up to about 15 inches long and 5 or 6 inches wide, very light weight, I haven't fully used it yet as I have become accustomed to using a chair or bucket on the ice and wearing good boots with cleats, the lantern seems to keep the warmth managable as my hub is insulated, although it hasn't been used in the really cold like below zero...if I need to kneel on the ice I will use the mat folded or rolled up or the bucket lid (one of those cushioned ones)... I don't bother shoveling because I believe snow cover helps keep the noise down under the ice...

[NCLaker]

Good boots and keep your heater off the ice.

+1 ... however if I have someone with cold feed concerns, I do have some old rubber car mats that they can use.

[slipperybob]

I used to run a 4x6' floor matt for years but have been using those 2x2' square locking exercise matts for the last two years.

[Holepatrol]

I like the locking foam idea with a tarp under that.

[Thunderfoot]

I got some mats from walmart that are intended for standing/working on concrete all day. They are foam of some sort, kind of seem like rubber but very soft, they melt easy! They have like a diamond plate design on them. I put one under my chair and the other in front of it, (between the holes and in front of the heater). Though, if you have one foot on the ice and one on the mat they can slip out from under you quite easily!

If you use carpet be sure to get some with a good rubber backing. I've used scraps before and it really sucks when they get frozen down. They tear apart and you end up leaving a mess on the ice. They can also be quite heavy when they get wet.

A small piece of plywood in front of the heater to impede melting, and then a car mat under your feet for warmth works excellent.

[deerminator]

Interlocking foam mats. They fit nice into my sled and are very quick and easy to put down. Nice to have verus everything sitting on the ice and getting wet.

[Freedom81]

I bought an Onyx Arctic Shield 6'x8' insulated hub-style house last year and it came with a floor made out of the same material as the house. I never tried it, as I didn't think it would be warm enough or durable enough for me.

So, I bought 2- 3'x3' rubber stress mats(what most bartenders stand on; looks like swiss cheese) and 2- 3'x4' indoor/outdoor entrance mats(rubber backed) from the homed epot for around $80. I would lay the stress mats down and then the indoor/outdoor mats on top of them, and it worked great. Kept my feet nice and warm. The only drawback for me was the weight, especially when I was pulling my gear out via hand-pulled sled.

This year I decided to try the floor that came with the house and I've been using it all season long. It's super light and has worked well to keep my feet insulated from the ice. The only negative is it does soak up some water and become waterlogged, usually when used on bare ice(after drilling holes). However, I will continue to use it as I'm mostly satisfied with it. I just hang it up to dry after each use, along with setting up the hub to dry.

I actually saw this set-up at the ice show 2 years ago when I bought a Fatfish 747i and was looking for a floor for it. I asked the rep if they sold the floor by itself, and he was adamant that they would not sell the floor separately. I told him to tell his boss that there is definitely a market for this product and he just shrugged me off... More sales would probably just be a hassle for them!

One of these years I'd like to build a wood floor to use when I'm able to drive a vehicle out.