Installing Bamboo Flooring - Comments
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we recently installed a bamboo floor, pre-finished, in the master bedroom.we have found many finger marks and oily spots on the surface. What can be used to remove these marks?
Debra Szostek at July 9, 2007 12:50 PM
Posted by: Debra Szostek at July 9, 2007 12:50 PMAre the finger marks and oily spots *in* the finish or were they put there by the installers?
If it was the installers who added the marks, try using diluted vinegar to cut through the marks. Use 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar in a gallon of water (distilled water if you have lots of minerals in your water) and either spray it on and wipe it off with a towel or terry dust mop, or use a sponge to wash and a towel to dry.
The Flooring Lady at July 9, 2007 05:26 PM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at July 9, 2007 05:26 PMCan I glue down bamboo over linoleum? It's in good shape and well bonded to the concrete. My only concern is that the adhesive says it should be used with wood or concrete. It doesn't say not to use it over linoleum, but it doesn't include it either. Thanks!
Matt Smithmier at July 23, 2007 10:47 AM
Posted by: Matt Smithmier at July 23, 2007 10:47 AMYes, you can install bamboo flooring over linoleum, or vinyl even. The condition of the floor needs to be smooth for a good installation -- which you say it is.
Call the manufacturer of the adhesive to find out if they recommend it for linoleum and vinyl. And look around to see if there are other adhesives that will work there too. I also suggest finding a low VOC adhesive so you don't pollute your indoor air and endanger your health.
Have you considered a floating floor instead of a glue-down floor?
The Flooring Lady at July 25, 2007 10:26 AM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at July 25, 2007 10:26 AMWe recently installed prefinished natural vertical bamboo flooring. Can you recommend a color/brand of putty or something we can use to fill the top nail holes and gaps? I can't find anything that would work at the big box stores.
Danielle R. at August 13, 2007 04:00 PM
Posted by: Danielle R. at August 13, 2007 04:00 PMWhen my horizontal-cut bamboo flooring was installed the installer used a putty to cover the nail holes, and the putty has slowly come out, exposing the nails. I can't remember what the product was he used, and I'll keep looking for the material, but I don't know if it was the wrong product or wrong installation.
I love my bamboo floors anyway.
Look at a furniture-finish store for such products and call an installer to ask if they sell such a product. And try MinWax products -- they tend to be reliable.
Good luck.
The Flooring Lady at August 14, 2007 07:41 AM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at August 14, 2007 07:41 AMI would like to install bamboo over lino on our main floor. There is a 1/4 inch layer of particle board underneath the lino which is nailed into the sub floor (plywood).
If nailing it down, is the particle board a concern? I've heard you are not supposed to install over particle board as the nails will not stick in particle board, but they should go through it and into the ply wood.
Can I install the bamboo in this fashion?
Mark P at August 16, 2007 04:00 PM
Posted by: Mark P at August 16, 2007 04:00 PMAssuming you are using a nail gun to install your bamboo flooring, that's one heck of a staple/nail that would be big enough to go through the linoleum, the particle board, and into the plywood. Have you considered doing the bamboo as a floating floor instead?
The Flooring Lady at August 16, 2007 06:49 PM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at August 16, 2007 06:49 PMOur house sits on a concrete slab and we need to replace the carpet and I was hoping to do that with Bamboo. We will have a pro do it but what should I expect the pro to tell me that needs to be done. Will Bamboo work over the slab?
Kerry at August 19, 2007 09:42 AM
Posted by: Kerry at August 19, 2007 09:42 AM
Bamboo will indeed work well over a slab. Be sure to install a vapor barrier between the concrete and the bamboo. And do acclimate the bamboo to your indoor climate before installing it. Manufacturer's say give it several days to acclimate indoors, but depending on your climate, you may want it to acclimate for longer than that; weeks, even months, could be necessary. Your installer can check the moisture content of the wood before installing it.
The Flooring Lady at August 19, 2007 09:49 AM
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