Installation guide

This Installation guide covers the installation recommendations of the Bamboo Flooring using Nail Down, Glue Down and Floating Applications. Please refer to the appropriate section of the guide for the instructions that apply to your Bamboo Floor installation. 

Installation methods are same as all regular hardwood floor planks, using standard flooring nails and recommended adhesives. We highly recommend that you have a professional installer apply your Bamboo Floor. The installers are advised to adhere to the preparation, installation, finishing and maintenance procedures outlined in the Hardwood Flooring Manual. Properly installed and maintained, Bamboo Floors will make an outstanding statement of incomparable beauty and top quality performance.

Preparation: Prior to installation of the Bamboo Flooring, the installer must carefully inspect all materials. Any defects, if occurs should be reported immediately. Warranty does not cover Bamboo Flooring materials with visible defects after they are installed. Each box of the Bamboo Floor should be inspected for differences in color (natural or carbonized), since bamboo is the natural fiber, and variations in color naturally occur.

General Condition: General Condition: In the area to be installed, temperature and humidity must be brought to the actual normal usage levels at least 48-72 hours prior installation of the Bamboo Flooring, and maintained at
those levels after the floor installation. The Bamboo Flooring packages should be placed in the room to
allow acclimates to the room's temperature and humidity for as long as possible before Bamboo Floor
installation. Do not open the box until installation start. (Never open the box to do acclimatization.) Be
sure to use the moisture meter to check moisture levels in both the sub-floor and the bamboo flooring
before installation begins.

Sub-Floor Condition: The surface of the concrete must be solid, flat, smooth, clean, dry and free of dirt, wax, oil, paint, curing agents and other constituents that would interfere with an adhesive bond. Concrete sub-floors must have all cracks and holes filled with a cement patching material. Again, the concrete surface must be smooth and free of debris, oils, grease and solvents. 

Wood sub-flooring surfaces must be clean, dry, and if gluing the flooring, free of contaminants that would interfere with an adhesive bond. Fix any squeaks or movement in the sub floor prior to installation. Sub-floor or underlayment nailing surface also must be level and smooth prior to installation of flooring. For optimal installation, we recommend 3/4-inch plywood. 

Concrete sub-floors must be tested for moisture and a vapor retardant such as 6-mil polyethylene film should be placed in crawl spaces. We recommend using the Calcium Chloride Test Method. Flooring must not be installed if vapor pressure exceeds 3 lbs. per 1000 square feet in 24 hours. Concrete should be checked for flatness prior to installation. Low spots and voids should be filled to a minimum of 3/16" in a 10-foot radius or 1/8" in a 6-foot radius, and high spots ground to surface. 

Installation Methods: Pre-finished Bamboo Flooring is ideal floor covering choice with quick, easy and clean installation eliminating sanding, dust and finish drying process. With the tongue and groove configuration and super-durable finish Bamboo Flooring planks can be easily installed over various floor surfaces, such as concrete slabs or wood sub-floor. Similar to most premium grade hardwood floor installations, Bamboo Flooring uses different methods of applications: Nailed Down, Glued Down and Floating.

1) Nail or Staple Down Installation

Flooring should be square with the space and perpendicular to the joists. Leave 1/2-inch expansion
space from base plate or wall. Starter rows should be held firmly in place by wedging or blind nailing. Once
starter rows are secure, additional rows should be blind nailed directly above the tongue at a 45-50
degree angle to the face. Fasteners should be spaced at 10 to 12 inch intervals per plank. Nails or cleats
should not be placed closer than six (6) inches from the end of planks to prevent splitting. When using
nail guns, be sure the model chosen is appropriate for the tongue & groove profile so as not to damage the
edge of the flooring. 


2) Glue Down Installation

If the glue down application is the method chosen, we recommend using a premium wood flooring adhesive such
as Bostik's Best adhesive. Sub floor must be extremely flat. Flooring should be square with the space and run
perpendicular to the joists. Leave 1/2-inch expansion space from base plate or wall. Starter rows should be
held firmly in place by wedging or blind nailing. Once starter rows are secure, use adhesive in a Wet-Lay or
Walk-on-Work method of installation. It is helpful to apply weight to hold flooring down during drying time.

Wet Lay Method: Apply adhesive to substrate with suitable trowel. Immediately place flooring onto "wet" adhesive.

Walk-on-Work Method: Apply adhesive to substrate with suitable trowel and allow it to develop tack (may take an hour or more depending on temperature and humidity). Install flooring onto "tacky" adhesive. Immediately roll finished installation with 150# roller. Room, flooring and adhesive should be conditioned at room temperature for 72 hours before and after installation.

3) Floating Installation

Tools needed for installation include a Hammer (1 lb.), tape measure, pencil, scribing block, carpenter square, drill, flat bar, 1/2" wedges, saw and white (PVAC) glue. Do not use yellow carpenter glue. Calculate the floor area and add 5% for cutting waste. 

Underlayment: Install 6mm polyethylene vapor barrier over entire flooring surface. Overlap sheets 16 inches and tape together, creating an airtight seal. Using 1/8" padding, roll out one roll at a time over vapor barrier, being careful not to poke holes or damage material during installation. Run padding up walls 1" to 1.5" and secure in place with tape. Join padding sections with tape strip. Tape down any additional loose edges. A "2-in-1" foam padding/moisture barrier may be substituted for polyethylene. Cut all doorjambs to the proper height to accommodate the new floor. Place a board next to the jamb using it as a guide for the saw. Allow a minimum of 1/2" for expansion space along all walls and fixed objects (e.g. doorframes, pipes, threaded joints, electrical installations, etc.). If the doorframes are not shortened, then an expansion joint of at least 1/2" between flooring and any vertical element is required. Rooms with walls less than 25' in length or 1,000 sq.ft. in the area can be laid in one piece without additional expansion space in the middle of the floor. The greater the surface area, the greater the room for expansion required. For rooms larger than 1,000 sq.ft. or exceeding 25' in any direction, the perimeter expansion space must be increased 1/16" for every additional 3'. Also, additional expansion joints must be added in the middle of the room or in appropriate doorways and archways. The expansion space should be covered with T-Moldings. Do not fill the expansion gaps.

Recommended expansion space is a minimum of 1/2" from wall. The perimeter expansion space should be increased by 1/16" for each additional 36" of installed product. For example, a 24' wide room would require about 3/4" expansion on all sides. With a circular saw (carbide blade), cut the flooring to size. Set a distance of 1/2" around the wall by using wedge spacers which are later removed. Using a chalk line, make sure the rows are perfectly straight. Squeeze the adhesive into the upper edge of the groove along the edge and end. No fastening to the sub floor is required. Use the cut off piece to start the next row, reducing the waste factor. Stagger the end joint at least 12 inches. Boards along the first row must be square and straight. Walls often are not straight; therefore, it is very important to square the first board. Lay the first board with the groove facing the wall and place wedges the thickness of the desired spacing at each end of the board, to establish the correct expansion. Join additional boards along the length of the room, but do not glue the boards together yet. Continue laying boards in the first row by gluing the end joints, and pull the last board into place with a pinch bar. Apply adhesive (PVAC white glue) on the top edge along the tongues on long side. A small bead of adhesive is sufficient. Excessive use of adhesive can keep boards apart.

All adhesive spillage should be removed immediately as it occurs, to prevent permanent damage to the flooring. 

Second Row: Begin the second row using the cutoff from the first row as the starter board for this row. This assures staggered end joints. Apply adhesive to the end and side grooves and engage the boards. Quickly remove any excess glue that appears on the surface of each board. 

Use a tapping block to put the boards together (tap gently until a snug fit is achieved). Continue this process until all but the last board is finished. Never strike the boards directly in order to engage the tongue and groove. Always use an approved tapping block and hold it tightly pressed to the tongue of the flooring. If not, damage to the top layer could result.

It is extremely important that each completed row be secured with straps. If using tape, be certain that the tape used is meant for the purpose of securing prefinished floating floors. Caution: The use of other tape will remove the finish from your floor when the tape is removed.

If the final board requires cutting along the length to complete the installation, place the board to be cut on top of the next to the last row and place another board (tongue touching the wall) on top of the board to be cut as a straight edge and mark board to be cut. Cut the marked board on a table saw and fit it into the open space. Continue until all boards in the last row fit together and are glued.

Allow 8 hours before placing furniture and before introducing heavy objects or full traffic. Do not install cabinets or walls on top of the floating floor.