I'm a handy enough guy who's thinking about doing a 1000sf stranded dark bamboo install.

I was told it's REALLY hard material, too hard to nail, so I took a sample home to play with. I tried putting a nail in it with a hammer (no air-nailer yet) and I couldn't do it. Just kept bending nails. I abused the stranded and a vertical caramelized bamboo sample with my hammer. The stranded barely dented, the vertical dented badly. I was pretty impressed.

I have the following concerns though:

1 - Is it too hard to nail? Do I have to glue hard stranded bamboo? I plan on renting (or buying a used) bostitch M3FN or FS, depending on which will hold best to my subfloor and work best with the bamboo. I've seen the other cleat/staple threads. Is it possible this is too hard for either?

2 - I have a 5/8th OSB subfloor 16" OC, and will run perpendicular to the joists. Do I need to beef that up? Add 1/4 ply first?

3 - I see a lot of negative things about soft bamboo getting dented, scratched, etc on the net, most are from 2003 - 2005. Have things got better? This product uses E1-conforming German glues, made from mature bamboo, stranded. Will it wear poorly?

4 - I'm buying from a big box store who's buying the product from an importer, who's probably buying the flavor-of-the-month bamboo from a Chinese factory. Is this a big concern? It's nice flooring I think, but I suspect you get what you pay for. Should I be worried?

5 - Due to #4, there are no moldings available. I'm crossing between many rooms, going around a cut limestone fireplace, and have two flights of carpeted stairs (carpet's being replaced with the bamboo). Any suggestions for addressing this? Maybe a different species of wood, in a nice contrasting color?

6 - I'm pretty handy, but am no flooring expert. I'm thinking of approaching a few bamboo-experienced flooring installers for advice. I'm willing to do the work myself, but could sure use guidance. Is it common for installers/contractors to offer consultation services? The forums are great, but having an old pro come in an look my install over and guide me through the rough parts would be great.

Thanks for any advice!

John

#1 It isnt too hard to nail, a compressor and a nail gun and you are fine

#2 adding 1/4 to 1/2 in plywood would be optimal, But NOFMA says its not neccicary(sp?)

#3 I dont think things have gotten better for bamboo, just less posts about it, because it has been gone over previously. Its prefinished It will wear as most prefinished floors do, you will haveall the positives and negatives as most prefinished floors.

#4 It is a huge concern, you definatley get what you pay for. the 10-15 per sq foot....Is that as large as a concern as decreasing the value of your home?

#5 Its really persona opinon, I have seen bamboo shoe molding... I dont know about base boards... I typically go with whatever the door casings are. and try to match those.
As for the stairs, IMO stairs dont look right with prefinished strip flooring, Having 2-3-4 boards running lengthwise (with bevels etc) and using them for risers looks bad (again IMO) you may be ablke to find unfinished baboo treads and risers, But oak would be more common, easier to find, cheaper, and better looking.

#6 I dont know anyone who would personally do that, often its hard enough just to get some one to give you adviace on the phone/email etc. Seeing as how you kind of are taking food off thier table, But you never know how helpfull someone may be.

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear that I'd to pay for their time of course, but for consultation rather than a full install. I suppose any installer would likely rather have the full install job, but wouldn't a few hours of consulting work be worth it for them? I work in IT, and people either get me to do something, or tell them how I think they should do it. I was hoping it was similar in flooring.

anything is possible, and I guessed it would be paid time. I just havent heard of people doing that, probobally why this forum is so popular.

**edit** Because I dont feel that comes off the right way.

The reason I dont think someone would do this is more so because, you cant just go in look at a job and say do this this this and that, problems/situations arise that cant always be seen, or you just wont be able to say do it this way until you get to the area in question. So a consultation that you are looking for would be multiple ones, as you go along. That is what I meant by all my above comments, Not that the installers would be upset because of not getting the work etc.

On a better note, this forum alone can guide you pretty much 100% of the way, Its members have before and will in the future help in almost every way possible.

John:

You may be better off with a product we offer on another site. Yes, for the guys that may have been wondering what I have been up to, my seven month long work on another site is finally done...well almost. No it's not the message board redesign(that's next.... finally).

Anyway there's a product made by Wood of Distinction that is a strand bamboo but it's a cross ply. Meaning you get more dimensional stability and you're not nailing into the strand but the natural product that is composed of the first and second layer of the product itself. Wish I had some side view shots, but another advantage is we can provide matching strand moldings.

I've always disliked manufacturers or dealers that just want to sell the flooring and leave it up to the customer to find the trim elsewhere. We get at least a half dozen calls each day for those kind of requests.

In any event good luck with whatever you choose. See the link below..

Strand Bamboo

Ken,

The Accessories illustration on the link you posted is the best I have seen. Great job.