[matthewcims]

Hello, Dont spend much time in the flooring sub forum, Question a hardwood guy could give me some insight.

When I do hardwood floors most installs are T&G 2 1/4" Pre finished boards. I use 2 1/2" nails with flooring nailer into OSB subfloor. The builder usually picks up the floor and I install. Where my question comes into lie here is a new product.

Builder asked to he could do bamboo floors. Cheaper/Likes the look better blah blah.

I installed bamboo floors before for a costumer (I think he ordered product from Lumber Liquidators, Was a 4 to 5"width....) They where hard ass rock. My staples bent/split/shot back into gun. Made the easy install twice as long.

My question here is, Is there a differant way when installing bamboo? Different gun? turn pressure way up?. Is all bamboo just that hard? Any suggestions?

 

[ArtisanRemod]

Use nails instead of staples in hard species. Make sure nailer has a good drive shaft in it. Yes, bamboo is that hard. Check that you have enough pressure to seat the cleat, but not drive too far and split the tongue. Us a good floor adhesive in lieu of top nails if you feel your finish gun isn't up to the task.

 

[ccoffer]

If it's strand woven, don't bother trying. Glue it.

 

[Metro M & L]

Bamboo goes down fast when glueing. I'm doing one next week. Actually looking forward to it.

 

[MIKE ANTONETTI]

What do you put down to protect plywood floor, a nailed down underlayment ? Surely you wouldn't glue to secondary layer of subfloor.
I think I as a homeowner, if this floor fails and has to be removed would be going to court.

 

[Metro M & L]

The bamboo is the secondary subfloor. LOL. Do you want it to stick to the floor or not? make up your mind sheesh. Do tile setters put down secondary durock? Hey if they're paying I'm happy to do it but in my experience cadillac bids don't win jobs; you gotta start out ford taurus. If it's a builder who's supplying his own materials maybe yugo or tricycle.

 

[ccoffer]

Kick the scumbag lawyers out of your mind.

Think. Do.

 

[PrecisionFloors]

What do you put down to protect plywood floor, a nailed down underlayment ? Surely you wouldn't glue to secondary layer of subfloor.
I think I as a homeowner, if this floor fails and has to be removed would be going to court.

Seriously?

 

[ccoffer]

Shin kick a lawyer in the balls. Make the world a better place.

 

[MIKE ANTONETTI]

Well yes seriously how do you remove that in the future when using urethane adhesive ? Will it separate? Who has done it? Or do you just pile another layer of flooring over the top of that one in future ? Seriously !

 

[MIKE ANTONETTI]

I would have to recommend it be a Floating installation over a 3n1 pad.
Still interested on that splinter rip up if anyone here has done urethane over plywood?

 

[Walk On Wood]

18g Powernailer easily shoots thru stranded bamboo. You'll have to drill+handnail or glue (or both) at the walls.

 

[pinwheel]

Best answer is to choose something besides the garbage bamboo.

 

[PrecisionFloors]

We should never allow tall buildings to be built. I mean you might have to tear them down one day.

 

[PrecisionFloors]

Best answer is to choose something besides the garbage bamboo.

Not all bamboo is garbage just most. You have to pay to get quality product (basically just like anything else). Then again if the world were ran with unlimited time and money budgets this thread wouldn't exist.

 

[Copperhead0425]

an ET&F gun with 2'' nails worked pretty good for me, I just nailed the crap out of it and used a flooring nailer on the rest........ yeah I know there really expensive nails but they were free to me lol

 

[jamestrd]

Hello, Dont spend much time in the flooring sub forum, Question a hardwood guy could give me some insight.

When I do hardwood floors most installs are T&G 2 1/4" Pre finished boards. I use 2 1/2" nails with flooring nailer into OSB subfloor. The builder usually picks up the floor and I install. Where my question comes into lie here is a new product.

Builder asked to he could do bamboo floors. Cheaper/Likes the look better blah blah.

I installed bamboo floors before for a costumer (I think he ordered product from Lumber Liquidators, Was a 4 to 5"width....) They where hard ass rock. My staples bent/split/shot back into gun. Made the easy install twice as long.

My question here is, Is there a differant way when installing bamboo? Different gun? turn pressure way up?. Is all bamboo just that hard? Any suggestions?

im guessing the problem was more in the thickness of the material rather than the hardness.

staplers come designed to fasten 3/4" materials and drive the staple/nail at the right 45 degree angle.

a bamboo will be 5/8 at best which causes you to send the nail deeper on the tongue causing splits.

never saw a 21/2" staple but once you get the shoe adjusted with boot attachement try using a shorter staple..less shank wont bend as easily..( and yes..that is what she said)

 

[jamestrd]

I would have to recommend it be a Floating installation over a 3n1 pad.
Still interested on that splinter rip up if anyone here has done urethane over plywood?

thinking into the suture of failure? why not think upon successful install?

you can't float a bamboo floor unless its an engineered floor and not even all can be.

 

[ArtisanRemod]

Another case of regional preferences imo. Mikes from Florida, not much nail down I'm guessing.

 

[MIKE ANTONETTI]

No not much at all , but if it were a regional preference I would say gluedown not naildown, it's a not having to kill myself preference in having to remove a decor change.
Removing ceramic tile from some mechanics who actually achieve a good bond is insane amount of work to remove, slab of course, chips (small) fly 30 ft , my face and hands are cut up, no reason a floor should be fastened/bonded so well.
I recently bought a few nailers , two 445, and one stapler, trying to get to the big leagues, no got em just in case one day , try not to turn down work too often.