Donnette

When it actually comes to the time for the bamboo flooring installation to begin you will notice that the methods used are not that different from those used for installing other hardwood floors. However the most important parts of the process will take place before you actually begin to lay down the first few strips.

Below we provide you with some guidelines which will help to ensure that the installation of your bamboo flooring goes smoothly.

1. Start by ensuring that the sub floor on to which you are laying you bamboo flooring is both clean, dry and even. Unfortunately if you are using adhesives to help secure your flooring in to place it will not be able to bond with the sub floor correctly if it is dirty and will eventually start to rot over time.

Also it is vital that the sub floor is level or you may well find that every time you walk on your new floor it will squeak. It is also important that no moisture be allowed to become trapped between the sub floor and your bamboo flooring as this can cause damage to it over the long term.

2. After you have ensured that the sub floor is clean and even you need to remove any old nails or staples you find in it from the previous flooring that had been there. By allowing these to remain you will only be causing damage to your floor as time goes on.

3. We are now getting to the installation phase and before you start to lay each piece of bamboo flooring it is important that you check them for any defects. Why spend all that money on a floor with defects that will make it look cheap and unattractive.

4. Next you need to measure the floor space exactly and then divide this by the number of boards you have. Once this is done you can calculate exactly just how many you will be using. You should then lay out the boards as a dry run so that you can see how the color and grain of each board looks before you can begin to install it. By doing this you will end up with a floor that is enhanced by every nuance of the bamboo.

5. Now we come to the final stage of the bamboo flooring installation and that is actually the laying of the boards as directed by the manufacturer's instructions. It is important that you follow the manufacturers instructions to the letter or the warranty provided with the flooring may become invalid.

Ernest Jarquio is a dedicated family man hopelessly addicted to do-it-yourself projects. For more information, visit his website, where he discusses various subjects such as bamboo flooring installation, Morningstar bamboo flooring and glueless bamboo flooring. There are various articles on the different aspects of hardwood, bamboo, laminate, tile and vinyl flooring.