Bamboo floors are not only much cheaper and more durable than most hardwood floors, they are also relatively easier to install. Most bamboo floors come with “snap-on” (or tongue-in-groove) or “glue-on” mechanisms for convenience. These installation methods also offer added stability.
While the video at the end contains most of the essentials in the installation process, there are still a few details left out which we aim to cover to give you a relatively complete tutorial.
Room Climate
If you live in a relatively mild environment such as Victoria or Tasmania where humidity is not really a factor, you can skip this step as it is only a precautionary measure to prevent unnecessary warping of the boards after installation. For those living in Queensland, particularly the northern part (places with less than 35%, or more than 60% humidity), you should let the boards acclimate themselves to your room. The best way to do this is to spread the boards out in small piles across the room and leave them there for a few days. Make sure to keep the room conditions consistent while your boards are adjusting.
Subfloor
Whether you are starting from scratch or simply remodelling or replacing your old floor with bamboo, you need to be aware of the kind of subfloor you will be working on. The kind of subfloor you have will determine the materials and steps you take in the installation process.
If you have a concrete subfloor, you will have to use glue to hold the bamboo boards to the subfloor and glue to hold the boards to each other. If you are working on a wooden subfloor, you have the option of nailing the boards to the floor for added stability.
Depending on the type of glue you are using, you can either apply liberally or sparingly. In the video below, the guy used Liquid Nails, an adhesive that only require a couple of lines per board. But other flooring adhesives need to be applied liberally to ensure a tighter bond. Check the instructions of the adhesives you are using. It would also be helpful to ask your bamboo floor supplier for good adhesives. They will often be more than willing to suggest a number of suitable adhesives that will work best with their flooring product.
Extra Boards
If this is your first remodelling project then you should know that mistakes will usually occur in the cutting process. I don’t think I need to remind you about the importance of taking safety precautions during this step of the process. Since you are going to use power tools to cut boards to shape, we recommend you make use of all safety gear including safety goggles and gloves.
It is recommended that you should be prepared to buy some extra floor boards in case of mistakes in measurements and the cutting. You will probably end up with a lot of irregularly shaped boards at first, but you will soon get the hang of it. So don’t panic and make sure you take your time when you are measuring and cutting the first few boards.
When you are laying down the boards, remember to leave an allowance of around 1 millimetre between the boards as allowance for wood expansion. See the video tutorial for more details.
Proper Floor Care
Bamboo, like any other wood will benefit from proper care. Cleaning with a soft broom and mopping with natural cleaners are good maintenance practice. In case of dents or scratches, scratch or burn repair kits are readily available in most hardware stores. Place rugs or runners to protect high traffic areas from high heeled shoes. Use curtains to protect the floor from harsh sunlight so your floor will not be discoloured prematurely.
Make sure to watch the tutorial videos below for more tips:
Video Tutorial Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXQypw6sQc0
Video Tutorial Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvynX4zqmfM
There you have it. Installing bamboo floors may be easier than installing hardwood floors, but the process still requires a certain amount of skill to achieve the look you are going for. Things may not go perfectly at first, but the beauty about using relatively cheap materials like bamboo flooring, is you can afford to make a few mistakes. Plus, the feeling you get after seeing a job well done will be more than enough to make up for the irregularly shaped boards in your workshop. We hope that with this guide you would be well on your way to performing remodelling projects with ease.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
