Nail-down: In this method, the bamboo floor is nailed down to a wood sub-floor. It is the traditional way of bamboo wood floor installation using a pneumatic nail gun with nails, cleats or staples. All solid flooring and many engineered floors can be installed this way. It is recommended to use some sort of underlayment (either felt paper or foam), overlapped, under the bamboo for protection against moisture migration and as a noise reducer. Planks should be started square with the room and parallel to its longest dimension by positioning with a chalk line, leaving a minimum 1/4" expansion space from base plate or wall. Ensure starter rows are firmly in place by wedging, face nailing or using adhesive. Once initial rows are secure, second and further courses shall be blind nailed directly above tongue at a 45-50 degree angle to the face. The floor joists (floor support beams) must be marked to guide installation procedure. Also, the location of floor joists should be marked on the felt paper with chalk lines.

These markings will identify where nails and staples should be driven to make a solid connection with the sub-floor. The nails or staples are rammed at an angle through the tongue and are hidden by the next piece of flooring. This is why it is sometimes called blind or secret nailing. Fasteners shall be spaced at 10-12 inch intervals with a minimum of 2 fasteners per piece and a fastener within 3 inches of each plank end. In addition, there are adaptors for other models that can be used. Once starter rows are placed, the next planks should be nailed directly above the tongue at a 45 degree angle. A face nail might be needed in doorways or tight areas where the nailer can't fit. The last two rows will also have to be face nailed in the same manner. A good eye should be kept on nail / staple penetration. NOTE: Particleboard does not provide adequate holding of the nails and is therefore not considered an acceptable sub-floor material. Glue down: A glue-down wood floor is installed in a similar way like that of flooring tile.

It can be used for installation on both concrete sub-floors and on plywood. Light Bulb Resistance CurveBamboo flooring should be glued down using a moisture resistant flooring adhesive (especially urethane type). Wall Mounted Toilet Installation InstructionsWater based adhesives should not be used for this purpose. Fishing Gear Stores In DubaiAlways use a premium wood flooring adhesive, the industry standard is Bostik's Best, but many other adhesives are very similar at lower prices. Follow the adhesive manufacturer's guidelines for safe use, storage and handling. Wear gloves and long sleeves because the adhesive is hard to get off your skin. Read adhesive instructions carefully for proper trowel size and adhesive set time.

After applying the adhesive to the sub-floor with a trowel, the bamboo flooring planks should be immediately placed with groove facing the wall. Allow for adequate cross ventilation during the procedure. Start with the outside wall and spread no more adhesives than can be worked with in a forty-minute period (100 to 200 sq. ft.). Clean any adhesive that comes in contact with the face of the plank immediately. Bamboo flooring should be square with the space and run perpendicular to the joists. Starter rows should be held firmly in place by wedging or blind nailing. Once the starter rows are secure, you can use adhesive in a Wet-Lay or Walk-on-Work method of installation. Wet Lay Method: Apply adhesive to substrate with suitable trowel, immediately place flooring onto "wet" adhesive. Walk-on-Work Method: Apply adhesive to substrate with suitable trowel and allow it to develop tack (may take an hour or more depending on temperature and humidity). Install flooring onto "tacky" adhesive. Immediately roll finished installation with 150 pound roller.

The room, flooring and adhesive should be conditioned at room temperature for 72 hours before and after installation. Make sure the floor is still aligned and be careful not to let installed floor move on the wet adhesive. Use damp cloth to immediately remove any adhesive that gets on flooring surface. Walk on the flooring foot-by-foot within 30 minutes of laying the floor to ensure a solid bond with the adhesive. Flooring planks on the boundary line of room may require weight for this bond. Floating Floor: Not all bamboo flooring can be installed by the floating floor method, specifically solid and strand woven products. Wider engineered, radiant heat or cross ply products should only be considered for floating. A floating floor is attached to itself and not to the sub floor. It is installed over various types of cushion underlayment. This method is suitable with any sub floor and is especially recommended for radiant heat or below grade installations. This method involves gluing the tongue and groove joints of the bamboo wood flooring together over an underlay.

Start first row with groove toward wall. Glue end-joints of first row by applying adhesive to bottom of groove. Lay subsequent rows of flooring by applying glue to side and end joints and fitting planks together with tapping block.Flooring Full Story 7 Most economical and easiest to install yourself "Green" flooring, including cork and bamboo There are a number of flooring types that are considered environmentally friendly, and the field is growing every year. Some options include concrete that is mixed with recycled wood products and recycled tile or stone. The three most popular and readily available "green" flooring choices, however, are cork, linoleum and bamboo. Cork flooring is a relatively new entrant to the general flooring industry, although it has been available since the 1920s when Frank Lloyd Wright used it in his designs. It is relatively inexpensive and versatile, looking like wood or colored tile, depending on how it is manufactured. >Cork flooring is made of the bark of the tree -- and the tree doesn't have to be cut down.

The bark grows back in about nine years. Cork flooring is generally 1/8" to 1/2" thick, depending on type and quality. It is resistant to dents and scratches, but can be susceptible to moisture and stains. It is generally installed in a floating style and can be placed over nearly any surface, including those that are uneven, and it can be a do-it-yourself process. Cork is affordable (*est. $4 to $10 per square foot), soft and quiet underfoot, earth-conscious and stylish. Natural Cork & More is a major supplier of cork flooring. Linoleum was invented by a British rubber company in 1860; it's composed of natural ingredients, including linseed oil, pine resins, sawdust, cork dust and limestone attached to a jute backing. Linoleum contains no chlorine or plasticizers and is nearly completely biodegradable. Linoleum is resistant to dents, UV fading and moisture, and is inexpensive, with a price tag similar to that of vinyl. Despite its durability, linoleum is very thin, ranging from 3/100" to 1/10" in thickness.

Major manufacturers include Armstrong and Marmoleum. Costs range from about $3 to $7 per square foot, and can be glued down or floated over foam. Bamboo is currently very popular and is often used as a more environmentally friendly stand-in for solid wood flooring. It is comparable in looks, installation and long-term maintenance, but most experts consider high-quality bamboo flooring to be more durable than wood. Considered to be a rapidly growing grass rather than a wood, bamboo is called a "green" option mainly because of it grows back so quickly. Bamboo takes only three to six years to reach harvest maturity, while hardwood options like oak and maple take more than 50 years before they can be harvested. Bamboo flooring is generally 3/8" to 3/4" thick, with high-quality bamboo flooring having a thickness of at least 5/8". Bamboo goes through a seven-step eco-friendly process to prepare it for flooring installation. First the bamboo is harvested, and then it is cut into three to four meter strips.

The third step involves milling the strips into long rectangular shapes; any waste from this process is used to make other bamboo products, such as baskets, paper, chopsticks and particleboard. Once the bamboo has been milled, the fourth step involves soaking it in a borax and water solution for up to 72 hours to kill any insects and prevent decay. The fifth step is optional carbonization to darken the color of the bamboo using pressure and steam. Many people prefer the darker color of carbonized bamboo, but the carbonization process also softens the bamboo and makes it less durable than natural bamboo. When all treatment is finished, the bamboo is kiln-dried for several days. The seventh and final step involves gluing layers of bamboo together under more than 1,000 tons of pressure. Most bamboo flooring products have between three and six layers or plies. Although the glue used in bamboo flooring releases small amounts of formaldehyde as a gas, most options come with formaldehyde-free or low-formaldehyde guarantees.