Housing Trends

Housing Trends

People often times ask me, what are the latest trends?   Visiting other camps is a great way to see the latest and greatest and also to gain a sense of what it takes to implement these great ideas.   Trends fall into various categories when talking about camp.   There are programmatic, trends, staffing, and maintenance trends, just to name a few.

I find that a trend for the larger and high usage camps to have a predominance of cabin structures with bathrooms within the cabin.    The finish is “modern but basic”.    At the heart of this type of camping is comfort and convenience.

These facilities are equipped with electricity, lighting, showers, flush toilets, and sinks, and storage.  Many camps have also made the adjustment to provide air conditioning to provide for added comfort.

Another trend is for campers to stay at camp for shorter durations, but the more successful camps continue to provide six to eight weeks of overnight camp.  Cabins prove more practical and durable for longer stays as does the ability to provide storage.

Construction Trends have been in line with more durable products that have arrived on the market over the past 10 to 15 years.  Siding material such as cement based siding and metal roofing are used more frequently.   These products require less maintenance and long facility life.    Interior walls need to be able to withstand cold temperatures when the camp is winterized.   These interior walls can be made of plywood, OSB, or a wood panelling.   The maintenance of T-111 siding is very important as it has to be protected against water, sunlight, and heat. Painting or sealing is mandatory and must be repeated every few years. T-111 siding is strong and does have a long life as compared to other sidings.  OSB Boards have a rough surface texture and might be painted.

Flooring can also consist of a variety of materials.   If the floor is raised, a plywood floor on top of the supports is typical. The plywood can be sealed, painted, or covered with a durable vinyl.  Wood planking provides a nice finish particularly when stained and varnished.  Some camps carpet the floor, but this is often hard to keep clean.