Installing Bamboo Flooring - Comments
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You want to level the area where you removed the tiles, maybe with the scraps you pulled up if they are in big enough pieces. Then you can lay the bamboo on top of the old flooring.
You have several options for laying your new bamboo flooring: nailing, floating, and gluing. You are wise to be concerned about the glue VOCs. The best glue I know of is Bostik's Best flexible urethane adhesive, but it's not VOC-free (no glue is that is worth it's weight, from what I know). And even with lots of ventilation for that one room the glue will off-gas for a long time.
Floating often requires gluing, so it may not be an ideal approach either. Nailing may be your best option. Be sure to have a nail/staple that's long enough to go through the bamboo, the tile and into the subfloor.
The Flooring Lady at November 23, 2007 10:13 AM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at November 23, 2007 10:13 AMHello. I'm on the 4th floor of a 5 yr. old condominium complex.
Per the condo association, I had to purchase 1/4" cork underlayment. I have also purchased 6mm polyethylene film to go over the concrete slab.
My question, can I float (everything)?
My plans were to:
-Remove carpeting and tack strips (done). -Make sure the concrete slab is flat and free of debris (in progress). -Lay down the polyethylene film (next) -Lay down the cork underlayment (floating, no glue) -Lay down the bamboo (floating, no glue).
What do you think? Am I on the right track?
Thanks...
Joe
Joe at November 27, 2007 11:18 PM
Posted by: Joe at November 27, 2007 11:18 PMThings to consider for you float your bamboo floor are whether you are going to click or glue it, how much expansion space to leave around the perimeter, how you'll abut this to spaces like a fireplace, and how long to acclimate it before installation (give it longer than most manufacturer's suggest). If the bamboo flooring manufacturer says the product is able to be floated you can proceed in generally the direction you are headed.
My concern is that with three layers of material floating, you are going to get product wrinkling as the bamboo expands an contracts. My suggestion is to forget the vapor barrier and glue the cork underlayment to the concrete. The glue will act as a vapor barrier and keep the cork in place when the bamboo shifts. The best glue for the job is Bostik's Best flexible urethane adhesive . Then you can float the bamboo over that. You should be quite happy with the results.
The Flooring Lady at November 28, 2007 08:40 AM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at November 28, 2007 08:40 AMWe are putting down bamboo floors on concrete I keep reading that we need a moisture barrier whate exactly is that
susie at December 2, 2007 07:57 PM
Posted by: susie at December 2, 2007 07:57 PMA vapor barrier can be created in several ways, but it keeps moisture barred from entering a designated space. The point here is to keep moisture from being wicked through the concrete into the bamboo flooring.
Since you are probably gluing your bamboo to your concrete, the glue can act as the vapor barrier, assuming you use the right glue. I favor Bostik's Best flexible urethane adhesive for projects like you are tackling.
Another option for a vapor barrier is a product that looks like black plastic sheeting. Raven Industries makes a fantastic film vapor barrier you could put down on your concrete floor prior to installing a floating bamboo floor. I have concern that as the bamboo expands and contracts it will either move the film or tear it -- and in either case it won't be effective.
The Flooring Lady at December 2, 2007 09:20 PM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at December 2, 2007 09:20 PMWe purchased some bamboo flooring for our house and started installing it with polyurethane glue. Unfortunately it got messy and we ended up getting glue fingerprints and smudges all over the floor. I tried mineral spirits to get it off and nothing happened. What do I do? Do I refinish the floors after I am done installing? Do I tear up the floors and start over? Please help.
Eric Hanson at December 8, 2007 11:47 AM
Posted by: Eric Hanson at December 8, 2007 11:47 AMI had a similar problem with glue on my bamboo floor. We used paint thinner and Q-tips, very lightly dabbing at the glue smudges and prints until the glue was gone so as to not damage the finish. Then we rinsed the area carefully to remove the paint thinner, and all was good.
Let me urge you to test it on a scrap first to make sure it works for your glue and with your technique. If it doesn't work, let's brainstorm on some other ideas.
The Flooring Lady at December 8, 2007 12:21 PM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at December 8, 2007 12:21 PMHi, I have pretty much the same question as Mack: I have 3/8" particle board over cardeck(basically tongue and grooved 2x6s), I'd like to leave the PB in place and nail/staple through to the decking. Have you heard on anyone who's done this successfully? We're using 5/8" bamboo flooring.
Russ B at December 9, 2007 11:40 AM
Posted by: Russ B at December 9, 2007 11:40 AMI haven't personally heard of that approach. Why do you feel you need to go through the PB to the decking? Why isn't into the decking sufficient?
The Flooring Lady at December 9, 2007 03:07 PM
Posted by: The Flooring Lady at December 9, 2007 03:07 PM
Good question. The decking is oriented in the same direction that we want to run bamboo. I'm worried about evenness(?) if I nail it directly to the decking.
Russ B at December 10, 2007 12:03 AM
Posted by: Russ B at December 10, 2007 12:03 AMComment Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11
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