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Lino for flooring

beki

Mama Doe
I'm trying to get everything together for my new hutch for when it arrives. Seeing as I am replacing my old one as the floor is damp from bunny wee (as well as wanting something bigger) this time I'm going to line the bottom with Lino. Hoping the local carpet place has an offcut. How do I attach it to the bottom of the hutch? Also I read somewhere that you can use silicone sealant to secure the edges, is this right? I don't want wee running under it. Can anyone advise please? Thanks :)
 
I've used lino in our hutch - I cut it slightly larger round the back so that I could let it fold up slightly. So instead of it fitting the floor exactly, it curls up the back and side edges - maybe an inch or so. Stops wee soaking down. I've not glued it down tho, our bunnies don't seem bothered pulling it up but silicone would probably be ok, so long as they can't get to it. But then you can't take it out if you need to clean it or whatever.....
 
I personally have not attached it to the bottom of my shed any time I've laid the lino, as I've cut it tight enough so that there's no ripples in the lino. I then can seal around the edges easily and it holds it nicely in place. However if you wanted to then double sided tape would be my preferred method as I think it'd damage the wood the least. I wouldn't go for any stronger glues as eventually when the lino looks a bit rough it'll be a nightmare to get up.

Yes silicone sealant is great - the clear waterproof bathroom kind is the best imo. You can get it for about £8 a tube or less. You'll need a sealant gun though ideally. Just keep a cloth or two nearby and a bowl of water. All you need to do is blob it all along the gaps and then dip your finger in the water and smooth it all out with a wet finger so that the sealant is no longer blobbed all the way along but smoothed out. This means it's impossible for the bunnies to get their teeth around it which is important, but also ensures that it's smoothed into all the nooks and crannies for maximum waterproofing. I always have to go over a couple of bits when it's dry. Leave plenty of time before you put the bunnies back in as it smells very strongly of vinegar and takes a little while to dry.
 
Thanks for the replies :) I think I will have to use sealant, ruby is a chewer. Double sided tape us a good idea, I didn't think about having to remove it at any point.
 
Is the hutch coming ready built or flatpack? My enclosure came flat packed so I cut the lino slightly longer and screwed it down underneath the walls. They've got no chance of pulling it up that way, I knew mine would if they could!
 
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Is the hutch coming ready built or flatpack? My enclosure came flat packed so I cut the lino slightly longer and screwed it down underneath the walls. They've got no chance of pulling it up that way, I knew mine would if they could!

The only problem with that is if this hutch is placed outside moisture may get into the foam part of the lino from the outside and rot the bottom of the lino away over time, which will affect the actual floor itself too. This obviously depends on the build quality of the hutch, the hutch itself, where it's placed and all sorts of factors so whilst it's a fantastic idea for indoor enclosures I think the potential pitfalls are worth mentioning if the hutch is outside. Plus when/if you need to remove it you'll need to disassemble the hutch to ensure that the wet lino sandwiched in there is taken away, or else it'll just affect the new lino too.

What I would suggest is tracing around the floor when it's not assembled and cutting this shape out, then building the hutch and placing the cut piece of lino in and trimming down however much needs trimming. Much easier than having to cut out the entire thing from a big piece, but means that replacing it in the future etc should be a doddle as it's all inside.
 
Thanks yaretzi! Yes that's a point about the lino I didn't think about. Hutch will be covered but exposed to any wind and rain that gets through the tarp. I'll get myself some sealant (I may actually have some as long as it hasn't dried up) and hunt out the sealant gun. I'm so excited for my new hutch! The floor in Ruby's old one is looking pretty bad, the recent wet weather must have really affected it, I will need to try and patch it up though as I am going to need her new partner to live in there temporarily whilst I bond so I hope with a few repairs it will hold out a little. It's starting to go bouncy!!
 
You could also use a plastic knife if you have any hanging around: I used it when i was sealing the shower in my bathroom. Again, it's something you'll want to leave to air for a few days!
 
Hi :wave:
I used sealant to seal the lino on mine, then I bought some wooden beading lengths... cheap in Wickes... to fix with pin nails along the edges of the floor and up the sides in the corners so the buns couldn't get at the edges. It looks great and keeps the edges snug and tidy, and the wooden beading can be carefully levered off without breaking the lengths, if they need to be removed. That worked well for me x
 
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