Bamboo Flooring: Installing Bamboo Flooring, Reader Questions

Note: Consider installing a vapor barrier prior to installing any wood flooring, but especially a bamboo floor. My preference is href="http://www.ravenind.com/RavenCorporate/films/VB/vaporblock." rel="nofollow" target="new">Raven Industries. But you can also read articles in the Moisture Proofing section of this site to learn about various options available to you.

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We just bought bamboo flooring for our kitchen and I plan to install it this week. Can it be done without a nail gun? Or is it simply too hard to be done with a manual hammer?
Arlene at August 5, 2007 04:55 PM
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To answer your "asked" question, I highly recommend a nail gun because it's faster and easier than a hammer. It's been a long time since I've seen wood floors laid with a hammer instead of a nail gun.

An issue you didn't ask about relates to letting the flooring acclimate before installing it. You didn't mention where you live, but if you are in a dry climate, as I am, you'll want more than a few days for the bamboo to dry out to match your climate. If you don't, the wood will shrink in place as it dries, and that could cause cracking and splitting.

Good luck. You'll *love* your bamboo flooring.
The Flooring Lady at August 5, 2007 05:06 PM

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Are some brands of engineered floating bamboo better than others? Do you have a recommendation? Thanks!
RG at August 29, 2007 09:59 PM
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A designer in my area who's chemically sensitive promotes Plyboo products to her clients. Her Plyboo floors are beautiful.

I have Natural Cork bamboo floors. They installed nicely and look good. I don't like the pre-finished surface though. If I had it to do again I'd go with an unfinished bamboo flooring material and finish it in place.
The Flooring Lady at August 30, 2007 02:40 PM

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I live in a waterfront condo with concrete floors. Would bamboo be suitable and if so what type of installation would be recommended ?
Thank you
H G at November 23, 2007 01:30 PM
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As long as you acclimate the bamboo to your home then it would be a fine flooring for your condo. Be sure with the concrete floors to have a good vapor barrier to protect the bamboo from any moisture the concrete would want to wick.

A vapor barrier can be provided through a film you lay on the concrete before installing the bamboo or the glue you use to glue it down. I am partial to the glue-down method.

The vapor barrier company I like is a href="http://www.ravenind.com/RavenCorporate/films/VB/vaporblock." rel="nofollow" target="new">Raven Industries

The glue I like is a href="http://www.bostik-us.com/products/index.asp?fa=subCategoryPages&divisionId=2&categoryId=2&subCategoryId=49&subCategoryPageId=31" rel="nofollow" target="new">Bostik's Best flexible urethane adhesive .

Enjoy that bamboo!
The Flooring Lady at November 23, 2007 02:36 PM

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Will bamboo hold up in a summer home where there is no heat on during the winter. (New Jersey where the temperature can drop to the freezing area) I have been told that it is not a good because of this.
Kmg at January 19, 2008 05:06 PM
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I haven't ever experienced freezing my bamboo flooring, other than my bamboo flooring scraps being in an unheated shed. I don't know why bamboo wouldn't hold up any differently than wood. Temperature extremes are hard on any natural material like bamboo and wood. But we use wood all the time outdoors -- in fencing, decking, benches and steps.

Bamboo flooring is engineered which adds dimensional stability to it. Before it's made into flooring lots of the moisture of the bamboo stalks is dried out of it, but you still need to acclimate it to your location before installing it.

Check with the manufacturer to see what they say about it, though they probably don't know anything about freezing temperatures and their bamboo flooring. And then proceed according to your wishes and knowledge of what your warranty covers.

The Flooring Lady at January 19, 2008 10:22 PM

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My wife likes the bamboo, but everyone at the flooring store today told us that it scratches easily. True or false?
Chad at February 9, 2008 06:59 PM
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:~) There is no black and white answer here. There are many variables impacting the situation you are talking about. To start, all natural materials can be damaged and some easily.

The age of the bamboo when it's harvested makes a difference as to strength and scratch/dent resistance; the older it is the sturdier it is. The way it's processed will impact the sturdiness as well -- too much carbonizing weakens the cells. Vertical and horizontal cuts also impact the hardness of the floor; horizontal cut is stronger than vertical cut. The hardest bamboo floor you can buy is a horizontal and un-carbonized (natural) that's made from 7 year old grasses.

After experiencing bamboo flooring that was pre-finished I would not go that route again. I'd finish my flooring in place so the gaps, nail holes and imperfections arising from installation can be filled and sealed. I believe that will make the most durable and easy to care for bamboo floor.

Now it's up to you to decide if the bamboo is for you. It receives compliments from everyone who sees it. It's easy to care for. I love mine.
The Flooring Lady at February 10, 2008 07:46 AM

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We had carbonized bamboo installed and finished by a professional in October, by November the boards begain to separate from one another. They same installer removed the flooring in Janauary and installed new bamboo two weeks ago and again a few baords have sepearted from each other. The isntaller had installed brazillian cherry throughout our home a few years ago without issue. Is this typciall of bamboo?
Rob at February 12, 2008 08:09 AM
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I'm guessing you didn't acclimate the bamboo to your home first. Given the humid climate bamboo is grown and manufactured in you can imagine how much moisture it holds. Even if you live in a humid area of the U.S. it's not as humid as where bamboo came from. And your home is even drier than the general climate of your area.

I harp on how important it is to acclimate bamboo flooring (cork too) before installing it. I live in an arid region and it took months for my floor to get dry enough to install -- and I had it stacked outside the packaging indoors during most of that time.

If you want to try it again be sure to open the bamboo packaging and let it sit in the areas you'll be installing it until the hygrometer reads something like 10-11% (or see what your installer recommends as a reasonable moisture content for your area). Then you can have it installed with no problem. My bamboo floor has been installed for two years now and I'm not having any separation or buckling.
The Flooring Lady at February 12, 2008 08:43 AM

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Thank you for the note the installer delivered the unfinished bamboo to our home 21 days befreo install. The bamboo was removed from any packaging and straps at delivery.
Rob at February 12, 2008 09:25 AM
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Then a few other ideas include the bamboo may not have old enough when it was harvested. Or the flooring is defective from a manufacturing perspective. Or, 21 days wasn't enough time for your bamboo to acclimate.

Who is the flooring manufacturer? Have you contacted them about this problem?
The Flooring Lady at February 12, 2008 09:46 AM

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Bamboo flooring doesn't seem to have the natural temperature warmth of wood flooring. Is there any truth in that?
Allen at April 3, 2008 11:01 AM
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I don't even know what that means. Can you tell me more?
The Flooring Lady at April 3, 2008 11:08 AM

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Your original comment was under a href="http://www.theflooringlady.com/best_kitchen_flooring." rel="nofollowBest Kitchen Flooringa. Read this comment thread to find what I like best for my suggestions on sealants.

Maple is a beautiful wood for flooring (and cabinets), but it's not as sustainable a product as bamboo. Your environmental position and preference for which looks better in your home will be the determining factor. And the same sealant recommendation applies to maple as bamboo.
The Flooring Lady at April 10, 2008 08:41 AM

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I was thinking of using Bamboo in a remodeling job of my family room. I live in Florida and have been told that the humidity may cause a problem. What do you think?
Cindy at May 18, 2008 10:02 AM
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The only reason I can think of as to why somebody would tell you that is because sunlight does bleach it, but that doesn't have anything to do with humidity. Anybody ever give you an actual reason *why* it's not suitable for humid areas? Is it possible that a salesman was trying to steer you towards a more expensive flooring?
The Flooring Lady at May 18, 2008 10:54 AM

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I had to laugh when I read your post: I was told I bamboo was better in humid areas and I shouldn't put it in my arid-region home.

My thought is that bamboo grows and is generally processed in humid climates and would be great in similar climates. Mold could be an issue, but then it would be with almost anything!

I love my bamboo floor (but I'd get unfinished flooring if I had to do it again so I could have a smoother finish without the seams between boards). My one suggestion is to be sure to let it breathe outside the packaging -- inside the rooms it's going to be installed in -- for several days, if not weeks, before putting it on the floor so that it's had time to adjust to your living space.
at May 19, 2008 07:35 AM

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I live in a very dry, desert climate, and have been told that bamboo flooring will crack over time because of the humidity difference? Should I stay away from it?
Jen at August 22, 2008 10:49 PM
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Hi Jen,

Bamboo flooring has only been around for a rather short time (since 1993), so who really knows what will happen in the long run in a desert climate? I haven't personally heard of complaints like this. I would think it should be fine. Chances are, you're buying somewhat locally, so it's already going to be in this 'desert area' for a while before you bring it home...then of course, you should acclimate it to your home before laying it. This is something you should do with any wood flooring before it's laid, just to prevent issues associated with shrinkage/expansion due to temperature and humidity.
The Flooring Lady at August 23, 2008 12:27 PM

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Jen,

My wife and I live in a high desert climate and have bamboo floors, going on three years now. We were told the same thing but proceeded anyway. Our approach was to acclimate the bamboo flooring for several months to make sure it had dried out throughly before laying it on our radiant heat floors. It was a bit inconvenient going through that process but has been worthwhile.

We have liked the floors enough that I'm going to install them in my office this winter, after they have acclimated to the office space.
Randy -- Colorado at August 23, 2008 03:55 PM

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I'm researching bamboo flooring these days, which is how I found this site. But also I found on a manufacturer's site that they recommend applying a coat or two of water-based polyurethane on their pre-finished floors. Their logic is that it adds a bit more protection than their finish coats and fills in the gaps caused by the beveled edges of each plank.

They say that at the very least high traffic areas should get extra coats. And watch out for high heels!

I see several people have wondered about that on this thread so wanted to let you know it's a recommended practice, at least by one flooring company.
Chris at August 25, 2008 04:06 PM
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Thank you Chris, and yes, I agree with the info you've found. The bottom line too, is to make sure that this isn't going to void your warranty. Most manufacturers have certain products (or types of products) they recommend for this, which is why it's important to give the flooring manufacturer a call or email to find out what's recommended.
The Flooring Lady at August 25, 2008 10:28 PM

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I was told not to use bamboo because in my humid area (Houston) the humidity would cause the floor to warp and buckle. Specifically if I didn't keep my house temperature controlled and windows shut. Is this true?
Kathy at January 31, 2009 08:49 AM
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Hi Kathy,
"Who" told you this? How are you planning to install it? I would cerainly think floating it would work just fine as this method allows more for contraction/expansion due to humidty and temperature variances. I would suggest calling the manufacturer(s) of the product(s) you like and getting info straight from them. Always be sure to check out the warranty info thoroughly too.
The Flooring Lady at February 1, 2009 05:16 PM

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Can bamboo flooring be glued down to concrete?
Would this application be less noisey? Also would it be OK to install it this way in the humid Southeastern US?One more question Have you ever seen a bamboo floor that has been refinished?
debbie at March 15, 2009 12:25 PM
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Hi Debbie,

Yes, some can be glued down -- I'm pretty sure this has been covered in this thread. There is also a great, environmentally-safe(-ish) glue listed too.

I don't think that the glue down method would be any quieter. Most of the noise comes from walking
on the floor, though of course not all. I do recommend putting cork under it for insulation. If you have the headroom, one of those moisture-barrier floating floors would be a good first layer because you could insulate then. Many floor companies recommend humid over dry climates. I haven't seen a bamboo floor that has been refinished, but most of them can stand several refinishes before you are through the first layer.
The Flooring Lady at March 16, 2009 08:46 PM

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I would like to install bamboo flooring in my sunroom. When I am away, the temperature can rise to 140 degrees and below 0 degrees. Can a bamboo floor take these extreme temperatures? Thank you
Charlene at August 21, 2009 09:12 AM
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I do mention heat and durability in my article. I would contact the manufacturer of your flooring to discuss the specific details of your floor.
The Flooring Lady at August 24, 2009 09:53 AM

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I would like to install bamboo flooring in my bedroom. My contractor is recommending unfinished versus finished, claiming that unfinished will provide a tighter fit resulting in less problems. Do you have any thoughts on this?

I'm in Colorado where it's very dry, will I have issues with shrinking? We had a very humid summer, which is rare.

Also, my downstairs kitchen and hallway flooring is red oak. Is it a faux pas to install a different wood and color upstairs? The paint in the bedroom is the same as downstairs (green). The natural bamboo (light) would really go well with my paint and furniture in my bedroom.

Thanks for your thoughts!
David at October 11, 2009 09:40 AM
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David,

I would use what looks best to you, regardless of what is downstairs. You could also stain the bamboo to be a color you'd prefer. I do usually recommend using finished products, or sealing the floor after staining because it will offer better protection for the floor, and will last longer.

The Flooring Lady at October 15, 2009 01:44 PM

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A contractor is trying to sell me a little different variety of horizontal bamboo flooring. Instead of the full 5/8" thickness, it has a much thinner top layer (about 1/4") on top of other wood material similar to many types of engineered wood flooring. This would be installed in a high humidity beach environment. Do you have any comments on this type of flooring?
Bill at October 14, 2009 07:56 PM
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Bill,

Bamboo is an engineered floor, with the processed grass strips layered and glued to make a dimensionally stable flooring product. Given its native climate where moisture ranges widely during the growing season, it can be used in places wood floors are usually avoided, like the in bathroom and kitchen and on radiant floors, because it is used to moisture fluctuations. If you are unsure about the choice, make sure to ask you contractor questions, and have it covered in your warranty or contract.

The Flooring Lady at October 19, 2009 08:50 AM

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Don't do it!! We were very excited about installing bamboo and hate it, hate it, hate it! No, you can't dent it...but it scratches from the slightest sideways movement! It scratched while being installed, it scratches from sliding any furniture, floor lamp, rug, etc. It looks and sounds like we are walking on formica, lacking the warm look of a wooden floor. The product we used is Ambient.
Hoskins at November 19, 2009 08:02 PM