Starting from scratch!!!

[BiffleFan]

O.K. guys. This may sound repetitive but I should be getting my drop down frame soon. My questions are how to start on the floor? I am thinking of a sandwich type. Can you walk me thru it? The frame will be 2x3 square tubing. I will be wanting to put pedestals in the floor,flush mount. Am i to be concerned about them rocking with insulation sandwiched inbetween. I want to do everything right on this one. Any help will be much appreciated! The house will be a 7x16 Thanks.

[love to hunt]

Floor:

If you are set on insulating the floor I personally would lay down 3/4" marine grade plywood and have the underside sprayed with foam. The 3/4" will easily hold your pedistal seats securly and if you use the large bases it will be even better.

I have done the sandwich thing before and spraying seems to be a better way IMO.

Easier, less weight, less time.

I personally don't insulate my floor but that is me.

[BiffleFan]

Love to hunt... I am still debating whether or not to insulate or not. Hopefully this will be my last one for a long long time so I have to consider it, I have not insulated previous houses and have gotten by O.K. But at times the floor does get cold in socks. Was wondering if it would help the floor dry off alot faster or not? Thanks.

[love to hunt]

It does have its advantages, 1 being you don't have to bank so much to keep you floor warm. As far as drying the floor I don't believe it would make a difference. Drying the floor will be speeded up with a circulating fan mounted on the celiing.

[HarryG]

You do want to insulate the floor. Especally if you put in an upper bunk. I have been in a few houses that ceiling area is too hot and the floor is cold. That is not efficient. I think spray would be the best.

[End of the Line]

I used 5/8 floor and 2" of insulation. Then a teflon backer to protect it from the elements and help it never to freeze in. Just another idea.

[HarryG]

Hmmm Teflon. I have seen the stuff but never knew what it was. Do you think it could be added after the insulation was installed? I have 2” glued the bottom of the floor. I was thinking about adding some more pink foam. I do have the room but did not want to because it would be too close to the ice and it would get damaged. Good Idea!!!

[love to hunt]

I will probably get toughly chastised for this but I will make may point and drop it.

Please don’t take offense or think I am picking on anyone. I am not. Maybe I am missing something, or it just isn't clear to me.

Floor insulation has been a debate on this forum before and it is well known that I am an advocate of not insulating the floor for a few reasons.

1) I have never understood why you would insulate a floor then you cut 6 or 8 12" holes in it.

2) Any time you sandwich or layer plywood, foam, and ply wood you create the possibility of trapping water, and possibly rotting your floor. I have seen it and have helped to replace it and it was not fun. Carpet will also do the same thing so it must be completely dryed.

3) Hot air rises and cold air falls. That is why your top bunk is Africa hot and the floor feels like the South Pole. A fan to circulate air from top to bottom is the fix IMO. Along with a good grade of marine carpet I feel your tootsies will be nice and warm.

If you must insulate your floor I would spray it in. That way it is sealed and water is taken out of the picture.

End of the Line, I like your idea and that looks like it might work very well. Let me know how it holds up as I am really interested to see.

My floor is not nsulated and I fish in sock feet.

[Reynolds]

Quote "That is why your top bunk is Africa hot and the floor feels like the South Pole"

I don't think there could ever be a more accurate description of what it feels like to sleep on the top bunk.

[HarryG]

Well, you have actual proof. When I insulated my house, I did some research. I was told to put twice as much insulation on the floor as the walls. It seems that if the floor is cold, it will cause warm air to rise causing your head to be hot and feet to be cold. Very uncomfortable. I don't have a fan in my house and the floor is warm enough to walk around in my socks too. But I think I will be getting one.

BTW, You should never get chastised for an opinion. That is why this forum is so great. Open and honest discussion about Ice Fishing. We all should welcome different and even opposite opinion. Just keep em coming.

[love to hunt]

HarryG,

You are a true gentelman, and thanks for the kind words.

Your theroy makes good sense.

[End of the Line]

Heat takes the least path of resistance to escape, if all is equal, heat does rise and will escape going up.

[backlash 1]

I believe the old saying,cold is attracted to heat. I have a forced air furnace in my drop down house, which I used for 1 year without insulated floor. After I insulated the floor, the difference was just night and day. The furnace doesn't run nearly as much.

[hovermn]

Is that all you've done to the house is insulate the floor? I go back and forth daily whether I'm going to insulate the floor of the next fish house. The current house's floor isn't insulated and the house heats up fine with a decently warm floor. One complaint that I have is that ice will tend to build up at the nose, furthest away from the furnace if I've moved a few times that day, or catch a few fish from those holes.

Have you noticed a difference in how fast the floor drys up?

[backlash 1]

Before I insulated the floor was always comfortable to walk on barefooted, and the forced air fan always kept it dry. But after I insulated the floor it is just so much easier to heat. I used 1 1/2 pink underneath between crossmembers, glued up with foamboard adheasive,screws with fender washers, and all edges caulked with foamboard adheasive.

It took me 1/2 day to do a 7x17 and was a real pain, but I consider it a very good upgrade.

Guess it all depends on how much you use the house, and if it would increase your enjoyment level by haveing it more energy efficient??