"Forever" floor out of asphalt roofing?

[noobiechickenlady]

This is a very interesting article from backwoods home.
What about vapors? Doesn't asphalt put off fumes or is it just when it's hot?
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/lee92.html
I have a gaping hole in the flooring in my kitchen, due to a tiny weak spot at the corner of one of the sheets of subfloor.

I have to get under my house to fix that, and can't yet, due to the mud. But once I get the weak spot repaired, I'll get to redo my floor. I can get the rolls of roofing for cheap cheap or maybe even free. Free is gooood.

Thoughts?

 

[SKR8PN]

I am thinking that would make one HECK of a durable floor! I wouldn't worry about the vapors. The roofing will have "out gassed" by the time you purchase it, and the paint will seal in any remaining odors it might give off.

 

[big brown horse]

Noobie, that is really cool!

 

[2dream]

It looks great but......wonder how often you have to repaint it since it is never sealed with anything other than paint? With all the traffic in and out around here I would be repainting every month. Anybody have any insite on how often they think repainting would need to happen?

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I was thinking the same thing. Work boots tend to wear paint off quick. There ARE special floor paints that are much more durable. If you had a permenent final finish that you wanted, you could do the final coats with that. Still save on the overall cost.
Or a tough clear epoxy.

 

[sundance creek]

boy I sure like this floor..wearability is a concern but longevity is a bigger concern.
I,m just at the stage of my house that flooring is next..giving this some thot.

Gord in Ontario

 

[THEFAN]

HMMM.... I get it but.... If your going to do this, why not just tile it in the first place. I get the art look and cost but still... Tile is very nice. looks nice, feels nice, and helps with the value if the day ever came that you had to sell. Don't get me wrong it is for some but I can't do it myself. Don

 

[big brown horse]

Tile is wonderful, but if you are on a budget? Is it the colors that you don't like?

I agree I don't like the loud colors painted on the floor, but I think it would look great with a faux stained-concrete finish.

 

[THEFAN]

Tile is wonderful, but if you are on a budget? Is it the colors that you don't like?

I agree I don't like the loud colors painted on the floor, but I think it would look great with a faux stained-concrete finish.

I know the budget is the big thing with people. Tile can be cheap if bought right. I did my kitchen floor for 3.00 a square foot. The the clean up of the floor is worth it. Then yes tile gets expensive. I payed 8.88 a sqaure foot on my hearth and that was me putting it in. ARGH!!!! but I degress. I personally think the feel of the floor would just not fly. I am sure for some it would be fine. I will be honest it looks cheap. I peronsally think , now this is just my worthless 2 cents. If your going to do it do it right and be patiant. It took 1 yr to get my tile floor done in my kitchen. Had to do it in the right order and payed cash for my tile. saved up for it and freed up cash for it. This fall we finally got the heart done and the woodstove is almost in. I just think it is a patiance thing and yes finances too.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

The main attraction to me was the longivity of the floor, combined with the texture. I don't like the feel of tile. It's too hard on my feet.

Many people have used asphalt roll roofing for stairs & walkways & the like. Once painted with a few coats & maintained occassionally, they last the life of the wood. If it's that great for exterior uses, wouldn't it be more durable inside? Plus, for tile installation, you'd have to use a ton of leveler if your floor has a slight sway to it (like mine...) With the roll roofing, you just mimic the sway.

The paint jobs shown certainly left something to be desired though
Like BBH, I'm thinking of a faux stone finish, rather than the loud blocks in the pictures.

With this, you can use your imagination and customize your floor whenever, just for the cost of paint, which you can get preeeetty cheap, if you can deal with off-tinted colors. The most horrible colors you can imagine can look great when marblized.