Best coating for yellow tongue termite in garden shed?

[Probbo]

Hi,I am thinking of using yellow tongue termite as a heavy duty flooring for a new garden shed. I have installed heavy duty plastic sheeting to stop water coming up from beneath. Can you recommend a coating to help protect against spills and any moisture traipsed in? I would prefer not to have to sand before coating if at all possible. I see someone recommended cabots cfp, but the reports are very contradictory when it comes to yellow tongue.

Thanks in advance.

Peter

[Jason]

Hi @Probbo,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. We trust you'll get loads of help and inspiration for all your projects from our wonderful members.

Apologies for the slow reply. It's been a busy week with lots of questions from members tackling projects over the Easter break. I'm sure our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts will be happy to assist as soon as possible. Let me also tag experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @JoeAzza to see if they might be able to share their thoughts.

Have you seen the guides How to install a shed floor and How to waterproof a shed floor?

Jason

[Dave-1]

Good morning @Probbo 

Are you installing the yellowtoung termite on the ground or ar you going to have it mounted off the ground?

I would probarlly recommend an air gap and the ability for the air to circulate under the floor more then coating the undersode of the timber (Tho it would help)

Do you have a picture of the shed and also the floor area?

Dave

[Probbo]

The floor will be mounted on metal channels and will be circa 40mm off ground. On advice of builder, I have installed a fully sealed heavy duty plastic sheeting under the floor area. Ie. the metal channels sit on the sealed plastic sheeting, providing a circa 40mm gap between teh sheeting and the bottom of the flooring. The shed itsslf in located on compacted and cement infused roadbase.

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @Probbo 

Thanks for the photos, I just had a quick search online about sealing "protecting yellow tongue termite flooring" and found out that it comes with a wax barrier in the first place. I think I will wait to see what the Bunnings staff recommend about protecting the undersi9de of the yellow tongue as I dont want to lead you down a wrong path.

Dave

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Probbo,

Structural flooring, such as yellow tongue, is not designed to be used as finished flooring; rather, your flooring is designed to go over them. As @Dave-1 mentioned, there's typically a coating applied to them to prevent water from penetrating their surface during the construction phase of a home build. This protective coating also prevents paints or varnish from adhering correctly. If you did want to coat the flooring, then you'd most likely need to sand them back, which will allow products to penetrate their surface.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[Probbo]

Thanks Mitchell. I wanted Yellow Tongue due to the way it locks together and creates a solid floor. I think I have some spare vinyl flooring that I might pop over the top. I guess glue (contact adhesive) doesn't stick either, so I may need to sand anyway!! I was trying to avoid sanding while I deal with some Covid lung after affects.

Peter

[MitchellMc]

I think you'll find contact adhesive would likely stick to the surface @Probbo. Doing a test section before committing to the whole floor would be worth it.

Mitchell