Refinishing a carbonized strand bamboo floor - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

sipulsinac · 06-19-2009, 07:45 AM

A recent project of mine had a H/O installed bamboo floor in the scope of work. The H/O purchased their flooring from a national flooring chain and contracted to have the flooring installed themselves. The installation was flawed, but in the course of completing the project, some finish damage occured despite having installed a hard surface floor protection film and 1/8" masonite. Now the H/O is demanding that I replace the entire floor, before they will agree to close the project.

According to the manufacturer, the flooring has multiple coats of a factory applied water based aluminum oxide semi gloss finish. Every flooring sub I've talked with has a different opinion and refinshing process. I want to sand the bamboo to the bare wood fiber and re-finish it with oil based polyurethane for color consistancy. I can't justify replacing the whole floor (800 sf) and am only going to get one shot at site refinishing. Has anyone had to site re-finish a (prefinished) bamboo floor?

floorinstall · 06-20-2009, 07:00 PM

don't even try to refinish the floor. Replace the effected boards and call it a day.

Metro M & L · 06-20-2009, 09:21 PM

I'd love to hear from someone who has tried to refinish an alox bamboo floor. I've done a couple hundred oak and fir floors but haven't done an alox yet. I know they make specialized brushes to cut them and a local flooring company told me 'it'll sand just like normal wood' but I'm pretty sure that's bs.

Floordude · 06-21-2009, 01:13 AM

After you have it refinished, it will still not satisfy her. Seriously! You will be replacing the whole thing, instead of a board, or section replacement.

She is not going to let you do the replacement either, it will be the original guys or no one in her eyes. They will inflate the rate to teach you a lesson, to be more careful. The judge will agree with her in the end.

mrghm · 06-21-2009, 06:59 AM

as the GC you should not have allowed the home owner to have work done control by them in your site.

i suggest you have a walk through with the owner and identify the problems one by one then if you have a couple of minnor issues here and there fix them,

if the floor in general has been surfaced scratched a re-coat and avoid ripping it out but if boards are damged on edges then it is the installers issue not your crew dropping stuff.

good luck hope you dont get screwed over

Floordude · 06-21-2009, 10:49 AM

In the marketing of the bamboo, they boast a warranty on the finish. She paid for that finish warranty, which refinishing will totally void. No site applied finish, will match the durability of aluminum oxide, especially an oil based cheap poly. If you want to get close to the durability, but still no where near the aluminum oxide. Try Bona, Traffic, or Basic: StreetShoe. Go price those finishes, instead of the Minwax oil.

Watch... She will have it redone, and hand you a bill, and you won't even get a chance to get the bamboo they remove, your going to eventually be paying for!! Guess what happens then?????

**Floorwizard** · 06-22-2009, 03:01 PM

Floordude is right on the money...

sipulsinac · 06-23-2009, 06:43 AM

Thanks to all for your posts and comments. I went ahead with sanding and refinishing three small sections. Results were mixed at best. I'm going to replace the whole effing floor and get it over with.

Bud Cline · 06-23-2009, 03:07 PM

Quote:

I went ahead with sanding and refinishing three small sections.

Don'tcha jus' love it!

After 100% of the comments said "Don't do it", he did it anyway.

Floordude · 06-23-2009, 08:10 PM

Yep, and now a couple of board replacements have just turned into a new floor.

The writing was on the wall.