Floating Bamboo flooring. Good idea or bad?

abbeycarpetguy · **Joined:** Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:09 pm **Posts:** 9

I am installing a solid, 3ply, cross ply, handscraped Bamboo floor in a basement with radiant heat. The boards are approximately 5/8" thick, 6' long and 6.5" wide. The house is just over a year old and has a very expensive Heat,Air system. It is maintained at a very even temperature and humidity with very little change year round. I would prefer floating this product over a 3-in-one padding(Shaw's new Silent Step Plus). I would like to know if anyone else has installed this product in this way. I personally think it would be the ideal way to install this floor as it will make for a quieter and much more comfortable feeling in this area of the house.

Thank you...

Gary · **Posted:** Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:53 pm

You need to check with the manufacturer to see if the flooring is "floatable". It may be or maybe not, depending on the design of the T&G's.

abbeycarpetguy · **Joined:** Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:09 pm **Posts:** 9

Gary,
Thanks for the reply. I hear ya, but the supplier is not the manufacturer. It is what I presume to be a China product. It is manufactured as a "solid" with 3 plys , each ply turned. I have seen on the internet that this product is recommended to be installed by the floating method. Yet the supplier is set not to have it installed that way. I am getting the impression that the supplier is being very cautious due to the radiant heat. I have installed many floors over radiant and have had no problems,(Knock on wood). It is just a matter of ensuring all the conditions are right for the flooring going down.

Thank you,

Abbeycarpetguy

KevinD · **Posted:** Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:39 am

Get the number off the box and give em a call. There has to be some instructions in the boxes or litature available regarding installation recomendations.

abbeycarpetguy · **Joined:** Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:09 pm **Posts:** 9

After much discussion with the supplier,( :lol:

), he agreed with my opinion on how this floor should be installed. This goes to show you that if you stick to your guns and make the right points that they will listen to someone who works in the field everyday. (I also made a point of having them put it in writing that this floor would be fine if floated over radiant heat in concrete.)
Thanks again everyone!! :wink:

Floating Bamboo flooring. Good idea or bad?

Who is online