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How To Install Bamboo Flooring
By Geoff Hugh, Fri Dec 9th
Not just food for pandas or the stuff of cheap picnic mats,bamboo is now being processed with modern techniques intobeautiful "hardwood" flooring that beats standard wood floors indurability, hardness, and dimensional stability. An added bonus to these beautiful floors is the knowledge thatbamboo, unlike wood, grows quickly and abundantly, reachingmaturity in five years or less. Red oak and maple, bycomparison, can take decades to mature and then have to bereplanted. Clear-cutting of forests also has a negativeenvironmental impact and threatens the planet's biodiversity. After harvesting, cutting, processing, and finishing, bambooflooring installation is not much different from standardhardwood floor installation. The important steps in installationoccur before putting in the bamboo floor. First, make sure youbuy from a reputable manufacturer who is willing to back uptheir product with a warranty. The next step in bamboo flooring installation is making sure thesubfloor is dry, clean, and
level. Dirty subfloors will not bondwell with the adhesive, and subfloors that are not dry willeventually cause rot. If not level, the bamboo flooring willsqueak when walked on. If you are competent in home repair andgood with your hands, you may be able to complete the bambooflooring installation on your own. In some cases, with certaintypes of bamboo flooring, a professional will be needed. Bamboo flooring may be glued down using a moisture barrierflooring adhesive. After applying the adhesive to the subfloorwith a trowel, the bamboo flooring planks should be immediatelyplaced. You may also install bamboo flooring using a nail gunover plywood or particleboard. Once starter rows are secure,subsequent planks should be nailed directly above the tongue ata 45-degree angle to face.
After installing the bamboo flooring, you will care for it in asimilar
way to hardwood floors; frequent dusting/sweeping,occasionally mopping,
and use of wood cleaners. With regularcare, bamboo flooring will
add a stylish, beautiful component toyour home for many years to
come.
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