Hi,

I'm installing my first floor soon. I've chosen 3 3/4 x 5/8 Bamboo which I purchased with 15 lb felt paper. I'm installing it on the first floor in a livingroom and dining room area. I'm installing it on top of an existing hardwood floor.

I've removed the quarter-round from the baseboard. I've decided to leave the baseboard attached. Due to the age of the house (50 yrs), removing the baseboard could damage the old plaster, causing additional work/time/trouble.

I understand that by doing this, that any expansion room I leave for the floor to expand will have to be covered with the new quarter-round in order to prevent any visible gaps. I plan on using 5/8th inch quarter-round, but this hasn't been purchased yet.

I'm just about to finish up screwing the entire existing hardwood/wood subfloor to the joists to get rid of existing floor squeaks using 3" screws.

A friend, with a couple more floors experience than I, has suggested duct-taping the 15# felt paper down vs. stapling it down. While this certainly sounds easier, I can't help but think this is cheating and most sources that I've read indicate that stapling is THE method. My friend's point is this: "Where's the felt paper going once the floor is nailed down?" I intend to lay the paper and the floor on the same day (or the same weekend, etc) so there will be minimal-to-no foot traffic on it.

so questions,

1> Is duct taping acceptable for 15# felt paper?
2> If not, is a hammer tacker loaded with 1/4" staples OK?
3> How much expansion gap should I leave around the edge of the bamboo? I intend on leaving 3/8 - 1/2" (giving me 1/4 inch coverage with 5/8th quarter-round)
4> I intend on renting a pneumatic floor nailer. While I plan on following the instructions of the nailer, what is a normal air pressure setting on my compressor?

My house is always 65 - 75 degrees year round with normal humidity levels. (Pittsburgh,PA)

Thanks.

Keith

Hey Keith...Happy 2007.

Great you're installing bamboo. I have installed it eveywhere in my place and love it.

What is the height of your current baseboard? You're correct that if you removed it, it could slightly damage your drywall. But the reason I ask the height is you could remove it and just buy a taller baseboard. The taller baseboard would cover any imperfections left by the removal of the old. I have 5.25" baseboards with a nice English lip. They're really nice.

Installing over existing floors should be fine, but I've never done it so I wont give you too much input on that. What I will say is that I would use a nail long enough to go through your existing hardwoods and also into the subfloor. This will ensure a secure installation. It wouldn't hurt to stick some glue under em too. I hope your existing floors are nice and level, bamboo can buckle if the foundation it's being installed on is not consistent. My place I had to remove particleboard and reinstall plywood over the subfloor before installing the bamboo.

1) I have never used duct tape to put down the moisture barrier. Use the stapler.

2) Yes

3) Your gap suggestion sounds good to me. You really don't need that much. Bamboo doesnt expand too much side to side.

4) I keep my compressor at 120psi for nailing bamboo floors. Make sure to take some practice shots before starting on the real thing. It can take a while to get the hang of a rental.

Good luck, let me know how it goes.

Aaron

When you go to remove the baseboards, cut the caulked top edge with a razor knife. This keeps from ripping the paper on the sheetrock.

When trying to pry off the baseboard and getting I bite behind it, use a 6" putty knife against the sheetrock, to pry against, so you don't damage the sheetrock.

Reuse the old baseboard after you clean it up along the top where there is left over caulking. Also scrape the caulk line off the sheetrock. The floor installation raised the height of the existing baseboard by the thickness of the flooring, 5/8" Bamboo???


Bamboo will shrink and swell at twice that of Red Oak. Don't be fooled. It will also shrink and swell in 6 directions, instead of 4, when talking about wood.

Aaron,

The longest staple, or cleat for that matter, for a flooring nailer is 2". Typically, 5/8" thick bamboo is fastened with 1.5" fasteners. One can use 2" as well. No harm. But only the 2" fastener would penetrate a 3/4" wood floor that acts as a underlayment of sorts under the bamboo, and only by very little, perhaps 1/4" or so. If the existing wood floors are well attached, there is no need to use longer than specified fasteners to install the bamboo.