Preparation of Slab

It is necessary to ensure that the slab is dry before proceeding. An easy way to determine this is to tape a sheet of black plastic to approx a square metre of the slab, cover and allow to sit for several days. This is best performed in wet or humid conditions. If no beads of moisture are apparent at the end of the test it is reasonable to assume that the slab is dry. All new slabs, however, must be sealed with a suitable epoxy type sealant. Both Sika and Bostik manufacture suitable products for this purpose. NO WATER BASED SEALANTS ARE TO BE USED. Check to see if a curing period is required for the product used before proceeding.

Some slabs will require a degree of leveling. Suitable filling compounds are available from hardware stores. Also ensure that the surface is dust free before laying.

Glueing of Bamboo Flooring

Successfully glueing a bamboo floor requires allowance for expansion of the bamboo therefore spaces are required against walls or contact edges. It is advisable, particularly in larger rooms, to allow a minimum of 15mm. Where the home is still under construction it is recommended to keep the gyprock up 18mm from the slab in any rooms over 6 metres width. This will allow for extra expansion if required. We recommend use of 19 mm width skirting for this purpose.

Again, NO water based adhesive is to be used. Sika and Bostik manufacture glues specifically for this purpose, although other suitable brands are available. Commence the laying process by spreading the adhesive, using a 6mm V notched trowel, lengthwise along the wall from which you wish to start. It is advisable to spread only about 3sqm at a time. The boards can be tapped together using an off cut of the flooring to ensure that the joints are tight. As you complete each 3sqm section, ensure that the surface is clean of any adhesive residue before commencing the next section.

It is necessary to select planks from several boxes of flooring as you proceed. There is a natural colour variation in the flooring which is an attractive feature providing that the variation is spread across the room. It is also recommended to vary the length of the bamboo board as you commence each row. Otherwise, the eye can determine the regular pattern of the floor, which for most people is an undesirable feature. Once a reasonable section of flooring is complete, placing some of the unopened boxes over the laid floor to assist adhesion is recommended.

Where the room involves internal edges or where the floor meets a sliding door, etc, allowance still must be made for expansion. This can be achieved by using a coloured elastic gap filler, matched to the floor colour, or using a more discreet 15 x 15mm quarter round mould to cover the joint. We carry a range of mouldings for this purpose. In any wet areas or against external weather doors it is necessary to incorporate waterproof gap filler between the bamboo and the door. In kitchen areas particular care must be taken to seal any edges with a flexible waterproof gap filler, particularly around sink or dishwasher areas.

As each room is completed check over the floor for any small gaps that may have appeared in the T&G joint. This may have occurred due to slight unevenness of the floor or minor variations in the plank size. These gaps can be filled with the selected coloured gap filler, giving the finished floor a professional appearance. Acrylic type gap fillers can be used for this purpose and Selleys make a suitable coloured range. Any residue should be immediately removed using a damp cloth. Once the floor is almost completely dry polish any off any slight remaining residue with a dry soft cloth. I personally prefer a colour tone fractionally darker than the floor itself. As the floor expands some of this filler may be extruded which can be easily removed by cutting it back to the surface level.

Once the job is complete make sure all "gap spaces" are removed before the skirting is installed. This should be done approx 24 hours after the floor is glued. I would be happy to be contacted for any further clarification or information regarding the laying process.

Floating of Bamboo Flooring

All of the principles regarding expansion as set out in the guide to gluing over concrete apply also when "floating" the bamboo floor. The bamboo can be floated over almost any surface as long as it is stable and reasonably smooth.
When the floor is being floated over a concrete or tiled subfloor it is necessary to incorporate a moisture barrier type underlay. Generally the underlay comes in rolls with stick down edging. Premium Floors at Acicia Ridge stock a quality underlay called "Quite Step" which we use. When your floor is being "floated" over a ply subfloor it is not necessary to use the underlay with the moisture barrier and the other underlay is less expensive.

Normally it is best to run the planks length ways along your longer wall since expansion is more pronounced across the floor than in the length run of planks. Only place sufficient underlay to get started and as the job progresses add a further run of underlay as you go. Our flooring is the Tongue & Groove variety and the T&G is glued together using a PVA glue.
We use a Cross linked Aquadhere glue for this purpose. I recommend you purchase it in a 1 Lt. plastic bottle then fill smaller more easily used squirt bottles to run a fine bead of the glue on the UNDER side of the tongue right around the plank. You don't need much of the glue to fix the planks to-gether, and the excess glue will only be extruded when you tap the planks to-gether. That is the reason you place the glue on the underside of the tongue since if you do so on the upper side any excess glue will be deposited on the upper finished surface causing considerable problems with cleaning it off.
If for some reason you do get the glue onto the upper surface it is necessary to immediately remove it from the surface. Next day the glue will be almost impossible to remove without damaging the finished surface of the floor. Therefore it is prudent to only install three or four Sq M of flooring, then check that section before moving on.

Personally I think "floating" is the best option when going over concrete. It works out cheaper is more easily done and does not require the concrete to be sealed using expensive twin pack sealants which give off fumes and in most cases require a curing period before the floor can be glued to it. Some people consider "floating "may result in a "drummy" artificial feel to the floor. This may have been the case with some cheap ply backed floors, but the bamboo flooring is heavy and when installed with a quality underlay the floor will present as a regular nailed down timber floor underfoot.

Professional Assistance

If you are thinking of installing the floor yourself remember we offer a service whereby a professional installer will spend four hours with you getting you started. This service is $200 but it may well be worth the cost to give you the confidence to do the job more effectively.

If you have further questions you can always call me on mob 0402-106-952, or email me at larry@bamboobrisbane.com.au