Bamboo flooring is recently on the rise mainly due to its environmentally friendly nature, versatility, and attractiveness. In addition to it's being newly introduced, the challenge is the fact that there are many ways of installing a bamboo flooring. Sometimes it requires specific skills and techniques that mostly can be accomplished by professionals. Regardless of the installation types, important steps that can result in success such as acclimation, moisture testing, and proper floor preparation, should be performed before the actual installation. The following is a brief description of the many ways to install a bamboo flooring.
Nailed or Stapled Bamboo Floors
For a wood subfloor, the direct fastening method seems to be the preference. However more experienced installers prefer the use of staples over common flooring cleats. It is generally believed that using staples provide better holding capability without squeaks or other sounds. The same guidelines of installing hardwood also apply to that of bamboo flooring.
Floating Bamboo Floors
Floating floor method doesn't always work for all bamboos. It requires various types of underlayment for a cushioned feel and moisture protection especially for concrete subfloors. For those who prefer do it your self approach, click or snap lock floors increasingly have become a method of choice. Installment of a floating bamboo floors need wider expansion area than that of hardwood. Despite Laminate manufacturer advice to use 5/16″ as a guide, we suggest to avoid error by allowing as much expansion as possible. Another installment method is the Glued Down Bamboo Floor which is generally something that can only be accomplished by professionals.
Even though installing a bamboo floor is not something of a do if yourself, many insist on taking such approach. Below is general guidelines for a successful installment of a bamboo flooring.
Preparation
- After removing anything unnecessary from the room, you can calculate the need for flooring by comparing the area in the room to the overall length and width of each bamboo, be sure that you have more than enough box of bamboo.
- Make sure that the underlying surface is ready for flooring. Open the boxes of laminate flooring, spread the small piles of bamboo boards across the room for better contact with air, and let them acclimate for about 72 hours.
Layout and Installation
- The run of the flooring depends on the shape of the room and the direction from which the sunshine or the lighting comes in. Excepting the large windows, it's common to have the flooring runs parallel to the room's length or the light direction.
- Divide the width of the room to a full board to determine how many boards needed to cover the entire room. It is important to start measuring from the center of the room especially when you have left-over space that needs partial boards so that you can have equal partial boards on each sides of the room.
- Install the underlay tightly and in strips to provide cushion to the floor and to reduce noise. Generally, to inst
