Installing Bamboo Flooring

There is nothing like bamboo for that oriental touch to your home. It is reasonably durable, although it is a bit expensive and may need a bit more care than regular wood flooring. But overall, it gives a distinct touch to the house. That is why many people are opting for installing bamboo flooring, rather than concrete or vinyl flooring. This is one of the very interesting and of course challenging DIY project for many a homeowners. Were you also thinking of installing bamboo flooring? Great then! Take a look as to how to do that!

How to Install Bamboo Flooring?

We need to know what all are the supplies you need to lay a bamboo flooring. You will need -

1. Measuring tape and pencil
2. Safety gear
3. Hardwood hammer and rubber mallet
4. Ring shank nails, hammer and nail set
5. Miter saw or miter box and hand saw
6. Tapping block
7. Oil based glue

Get hold of these things and we are ready to get started on how to install bamboo flooring!

Pointer 1
Preparation is very crucial for installing any kind of flooring. The requisite measurements have to be taken. Then the room has to be cleared and the surface has to be prepared for laying the flooring. Stacking the flooring after unwrapping for three days or so in the room to get the bamboo used to the temperature in the room is advised. Remove the edge strips and underlay and screw loose floorboards in the floor joists lying below. Fill the irregularities in the floor by using a leveling compound before bamboo flooring installation.

Pointer 2
What you need to do next is to take stock of how should the flooring run in the room. Laying it to almost the length of the room is normally what is done. Sometimes, you can have the flooring in correspondence with the windows and the light coming in if the windows are large. Hence check that out and also know a bit about bamboo flooring durability, that will be useful.

Pointer 3
To know how many full boards you would require, you will need to measure the dimensions of the room. The partial boards then come into picture. To get an idea of how many partial boards would you require, divide the space remaining after you have measured the width into 2.

Pointer 4
Now we are in business. Installing the under lay has to be done for the bamboo flooring. It should be laid in strips. One piece has to be butted against the other, but it should not overlap for installing bamboo flooring.

Pointer 5
After that you would need to nail the first two rows and then setting the nails. That has to be done through the bottom part of that interlocking groove. Using a hardwood hammer the other rows will be laid consequently. Ring shank nails can be used by having a space of 8 to 10 inches between every two of them.

Pointer 6
Next, the seams between rows have to be offset. The remainder of a last board after you cut in a row at length can be used for beginning the next line of boards. An important thing to remember here, especially when you are looking at how to install bamboo flooring over concrete is that when you nail the bamboo flooring boards, make sure you nail them exactly above the tongue. The angle should be at 45 or 50 degree.

This is a generic idea of what you will need to do. You will surely get a manual to help you further with bamboo flooring installation. You can also understand the bamboo flooring pros and cons with the help of that manual.

In case you have got pre finished boards, you can finish installing bamboo flooring in a day and can use it as well. Now here is something about the finishing touches to the bamboo flooring.

After laying down all the bamboo flooring boards, for the finishing touch, the bamboo skirting boards can be easily glued in place. Further, you can stain bamboo in any color and see the manual for what is required for keeping a bamboo flooring in good shape. Take care that every board has been carefully fitted.

Well, as you can see, it is all a day's work, but even if it doesn't, don't worry. Installing bamboo flooring may take time. Ask a professional to do it for you if you cannot. But then the cost of installing bamboo flooring or bamboo flooring cost will go up as compared to you doing it yourself! Oh and yes, please do not forget to use the safety gear! I am floored now! All the best! I sign off here!