Bamboo Flooring Installation and Maintenance

Bamboo flooring is often the choice of home owners who prefer its look and environmental quality. Being naturally resistant to bugs, it is also durable and adds beauty to the home. If bamboo wood is your flooring choice, here are tips on how to choose, install and maintain them:

Finding the Right Bamboo Floors for You

The first thing to consider when buying bamboo flooring is the color. Because it comes in many colors and hues, it's a good idea to consider the space where you're going to set it up.

If you want to get the best value for your dollar - high quality at a lower price - there is one basic thing that you must make sure you do: canvass at least 3 sources of bamboo so that you can compare their offerings.

After determining the color that you want, you need to decide on the style of bamboo flooring that you need. You can choose from 3 different makes. There is engineered bamboo floor, which is in fact the laminate version of bamboo. Secondly, the most durable version is strand-woven bamboo floor. Third is solid bamboo flooring, which is in fact similar to hardwood flooring in that it is made directly from the bamboo material and is available in varying lengths.

Another consideration you need to take is the size of the room where the flooring will be installed. If it's a small room, you will want to go with fine-grained bamboo, also known as vertical grain. For bigger rooms, you will be better off with horizontal grain because this provides wider grain for the bamboo flooring.

Installing Bamboo Flooring

Once the bamboo flooring has arrived, place the planks in the room where you will be using them and let them air for about 2 to 3 days. Acclimatization is important in most natural flooring to make sure they adjust properly to the room's temperature and humidity level. The bamboo can then shrink or swell accordingly, so you will be ready for any warps or gaps later. Make sure the room temperature is maintained during the acclimatization period and that no moisture is present in the room.

One of the most important factors in how successful your flooring installation is going to be is: how well did you prepare the sub-floor - that is, the surface on which your new flooring will be laid. The basic requirements for the sub-floor are: (1) It should be not have high-moisture content, and (2) It should not have any bumps or pock-marks that will interfere with the alignment of the floor.

If you want to take damage protection a step further put down an underlay such vinyl or a similar material. When fixing your bamboo floor to your sub-floor, glue works best for concrete, while a floating installation is good for heated flooring, and nails will work well for a wood sub-floor.

Before you start affixing your bamboo flooring permanently, lay it out to see which arrangement will look best. Natural fibers often have a slight variation in color and knowing where to put what will help you achieve the look you want. When you have your sub-flooring prepared, choose the straightest wall and start from there.

You will need to leave a gap of about a quarter-inch to a half-inch between the starting wall and the first row of flooring. Mark up this starting line. This gap is provision for any future expansion and will be covered by molding. The first row should be made up of the straightest planks that you can select from your supply, because they will become the guide which will eventually determine how the rest of the planks will line up with each other. Use the drill to create pilot holes that will later be used by the finishing nails - these holes must of course be spaced out evenly. Then face-nail the floor planks through the sub-floor.

For the next row, drill 45-degree pilot holes through both ends of the tongues in the planks and every 10" along the length of the flooring. Make sure the end joints of adjacent rows are not aligned. They should be at least 6" away from each other. Drive finishing nails to fasten. Using a short piece of tapping block, tap this row tightly next to the first row. Avoid hitting the bamboo floor directly because this will damage the wood.

Carry on with this method until you each the final row. Ensure that you have each row snug against the last. For that you will need to use a block and pry bar for the tapping before the baseboard molding.

How to Maintain Bamboo Flooring

Treat bamboo flooring as you would other types of wood floors. Regularly clean it with a cotton mop or soft broom to prevent the accumulation of dirt, dust and sand. Sand and other rough dirt can scratch the surface and break the finish, making the bamboo flooring more vulnerable to damage and moisture.

Vacuum regularly, making sure to use a brush attachment to clean up any gaps. If spills occur, wipe with a dry, soft cloth immediately. Repair finishes as soon as wearing begins and keep the beauty of your bamboo flooring by using paste wax to protect the finish and keep the shine.

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