Bamboo Flooring >> Bamboo Flooring Installation

Bamboo Flooring Installation

Bamboo flooring installation can appear to be a complex task for some of us. In reality it can be carried out with relative ease by a competent do it yourself enthusiast. If the correct  procedure is followed, the floor installation will be accomplished within a reasonable time frame too. 

Whether it is bamboo laminate or any other kind of similar flooring, for those thinking of carrying out their own flooring installation our recommendation is to follow the manufacturers/suppliers guidelines and instructions. Although very similar from one to the next, there may be some differences due to the way each type of floor is manufactured. It is advisable to follow the guidelines as they will have been tried and tested and will help to make sure that you can enjoy your bamboo floor for many years to come.

You should let the bamboo floor planks acclimate before actually starting to lay them. This is done by placing them in the room that they will be installed in to for several days. The acclimatization process should take place at the temperature that the room is expected to be at normally after the floor has been installed. Therefore if the room is a permanently air conditioned one then the air conditioning will need to be on for the duration of the acclimatization. This one step will help ensure that your floor will not warp or buckle after it has been installed.

Additionally, all sub floor surfaces should be clean, smooth and dry, as anything that isn't will affect the adhesion of the laminate to the sub floor. Doing this wrong, may not become evident for some time, perhaps years in some cases, so it will pay to get it done right the first time.

Even if you are a competent handy person you may want to invest in some books that specifically refer to flooring installations.

There are many flooring installation 'experts' available, but not all will be right for the job. 

Of course, not everyone will wish to tackle the job of installing their floor themselves. They may instead wish to get a contractor to carry the work out for them. Most flooring suppliers will either have a team that can carry out installations or they will keep a list of the qualified installers that they work with on a regular basis. 

If you have obtained a list of installers from the company you bought your floor from, it would be a wise move to make some calls to the installers themselves to ask some questions. The following are just some examples of what you should ask:

After going through your list of installers and eventually drawing up a shortlist, you will want to request a quotation for the laying of your floor. Try to have as much information as possible available to hand when making your call because the installer will certainly have some questions of their own for you. You may be asked some questions similar to those below:

Once you have received your quotations, you will need to make a decision on who to use for installing your bamboo floor. Pricing might vary substantially, but always try to take all things into consideration before making a firm decision on a fitter for the job. Essentially, it will usually pay to go with the contractor that has a proven track record. Whether they will be the cheapest or not is another matter. If you find that a quotation is excessively high, you may want to try and negotiate one that is lower. A bit of persistence can often pay dividends, so speak up and simply ask if they can do the work a bit more cheaply. 

Generally speaking, you should be able to get a good idea of who you can trust to carry out the job properly at a fair price simply by going through the steps mentioned above.

So, congratulations, you are almost there. If after installing your floor you'd like to tell the world all about the classy new addition to your home or workplace and how much enjoyment it has brought into your life then just drop us a line. Or maybe things didn't go as planned, for better or worse, and you'd like to share your experience and tips with others that are thinking of buying or installing a bamboo floor. Either way, we'd love to hear from you! 

Have you bought your floor yet? See our tips for finding and buying bamboo flooring