Bamboo flooring questions

[iceman]

Fucking yuppie pandas.

[alias_rice]

So I spent the morning at a few flooring stores today and brought home a bunch of samples of solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, solid bamboo and engineered bamboo (both strand woven). Based on my scientific test of dropping keys on the samples, the bamboo is significantly tougher both when dropping things and scratching. I was a little surprised that pretty much every store recommended against solid hardwood for Utah's climate. They said I would see a lot less contraction and expansion with engineered wood. I am guessing this is the same with bamboo as well. So now I am kind of bouncing between engineered bamboo and solid. As far as looks go I like this one: http://products.ecofusionflooring.co...F-B6171DE13608

The problem is that I am worried about too much movement with such a wide solid plank. I do have a home humidifier and have no problem letting it acclimatize for a month if need be. For those of you with experience with bamboo, have you noticed a lot of movement?

[iceman]

Good engineered wood is a superior product to solid wood. A lot of people disagree with that, I could write an essay on why it's true, but this product in ¾" for example, is better for almost every application than solid wood, can be sanded as many times as solid wood, is way more dimensionally stable than solid wood, and is substantially cheaper than its solid wood equivalent.

Shitty engineered wood sucks, it depends on the manufacturer and their process.

[::: :::]

Sorry, but < 1/4" wear layer isn't a reasonable alternative to solid flooring. It cannot be sanded as many times as solid wood. It just isn't a lifetime product.

I do agree that engineered product can be eminently appropriate, but I will respectfully disagree that it is superior in general.

[fatnslow]

So I spent the morning at a few flooring stores today and brought home a bunch of samples of solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, solid bamboo and engineered bamboo (both strand woven). Based on my scientific test of dropping keys on the samples, the bamboo is significantly tougher both when dropping things and scratching. I was a little surprised that pretty much every store recommended against solid hardwood for Utah's climate. They said I would see a lot less contraction and expansion with engineered wood. I am guessing this is the same with bamboo as well. So now I am kind of bouncing between engineered bamboo and solid. As far as looks go I like this one: http://products.ecofusionflooring.co...F-B6171DE13608

The problem is that I am worried about too much movement with such a wide solid plank. I do have a home humidifier and have no problem letting it acclimatize for a month if need be. For those of you with experience with bamboo, have you noticed a lot of movement?

Stores recommend engineered wood because they make more money from it. If you have the funds always use solid products. Hardness might be one of the more over rated factors in picking flooring wood. Unfinished wood that is acclimated, installed and finished properly will last longer and bring higher value to a house. Movement won't be an issue I'd your installer leaves enough gap at the outside perimeter for expansion and contraction. It's standard installation process. Buckling the usually occurs if you have water damage. Most installers recommend a floor mat on the floor in front of the sink to prevent water exposure. Keep in mind if you choose engineered products with micro groove edges refinishing might not be an option.

[::: :::]

alias_rice

My limited understanding of Utah is that it is fairly dry and wouldn't expect a ton of movement, but you have several flooring shops saying to expect movement so what do I know (it's not my locale). You could also ask several installers (not the shops selling materials) locally to get more consensus.

[iceman]

Sorry, but < 1/4" wear layer isn't a reasonable alternative to solid flooring. It cannot be sanded as many times as solid wood. It just isn't a lifetime product.

How far can you sand down solid wood before you have to stop? Answer that question and we can have a discussion.

edit: (I should have said it's a "generally" superior product. I have loved solid wood floors all my life but I have become convinced that, for my money, high-quality engineered is the way to go.)

[iceman]

Stores recommend engineered wood because they make more money from it. If you have the funds always use solid products. Hardness might be one of the more over rated factors in picking flooring wood. Unfinished wood that is acclimated, installed and finished properly will last longer and bring higher value to a house. Movement won't be an issue I'd your installer leaves enough gap at the outside perimeter for expansion and contraction. It's standard installation process. Buckling the usually occurs if you have water damage. Most installers recommend a floor mat on the floor in front of the sink to prevent water exposure. Keep in mind if you choose engineered products with micro groove edges refinishing might not be an option.

This is an example of not understanding the issues at hand. Yes, if you are buying shitty engineered flooring, you are making a mistake. But you shouldn't be in a store buying wood flooring in the first place. Stop there.

edit: I have no stake in any of this except pride, I spent a shitload of time and energy looking into it for a project about 2 years ago, nothing past that.

[::: :::]

How far can you sand down solid wood before you have to stop? Answer that question and we can have a discussion.

The tongue is the limiter on solid material for depth. It is probably the middle third, which gives you the top third of a quarter inch. But, because it is solid, you have a buffer to over sand without revealing a scar of substrate, which does not look at all like the wear layer on engineered product.

Additionally with solids, you also have the option of fingering in new material to areas that have suffered significant damage (like the slaughterhouse kitchen or dishwasher flood). Good luck finding engineered product to match 10yrs later unless you've bought extra.

[iceman]

Right, you have a quarter inch to start with and you can't go all the way to the tongue so you really have about 3/16, a hair more maybe. I was worried about exactly this issue and it's a custom product and so I got a 6.5 mm wear layer on it and it was still way cheaper than solid. And undoubtedly better for the moist environment it's installed in.

The thought about getting shit to match is something else and is a good point. I don't see offhand how fingering in shit is any different but haven't thought about it in depth.

I also do get the sentiment behind solid wood and had to be talked off it but hey.

I honestly believe that if you talk to the Vermont Plank Flooring people, or one of the other half-dozen or so manufacturers working at the same level in the US, you'll be convinced. I was. Check it out.

[::: :::]

Except that you could fuck up the solid floor with your drum sander and not have to replace flooring because, even if you have a scar, it still looks like wood. With the engineered product, you have zero buffer and are into the plywood.

Veneer materials take stains differently too, especially after they've been sanded down to a different thickness because the integral material bottoms out and the plywood won't support the stain in the same way.

[iceman]

Well if you put a sander a quarter inch down somebody's gonna notice regardless.

I'm sure the stain issue is valid if that's what you've seen and I won't argue that. We have clear poly over rift sawn white oak, no worries on that there for us at least.

It's a good product brah.

[::: :::]

Well if you put a sander a quarter inch down somebody's gonna notice regardless.

Well, that's what I'm getting at: with solid you're not screwed. You get to call it patina and save yourself new install cash. With engineered, you have a gaudy scar.
(I'm not saying shitty refinishing is acceptable, but shit happens: kid decides to wear hockey skates indoors, whatever)

I'm sure the stain issue is valid if that's what you've seen and I won't argue that. We have clear poly over rift sawn white oak, no worries on that there for us at least.

It's a good product brah.

I've used Vermont Plank, it's good stuff. Not trying to rain on your choice...just helping OP and readers understand the thresholds at stake.

[iceman]

I believe we're good here. For my situation it was the best choice, I'm convinced of that. YMMV.

[Jethro]

I had to re-do the flooring in an entry and kitchen a few years back due to a water leak and sub floor swelling. I was going to go engineered wood or bamboo at the time, but I did a shit load of research and decided to do it again in tile. It's three times the labor, but a far superior flooring surface potentially wet areas. I wish I had done the wood style ceramic flooring, but didn't due to issues when the person I co-own the property with

[iceman]

Some of the tile these days is crazy nice. Porcelanosa has amazing products for example. Hell Home depot has cool tile products. For an entry or something like that? Yes please.

[alias_rice]

Some of the tile these days is crazy nice. Porcelanosa has amazing products for example. Hell Home depot has cool tile products. For an entry or something like that? Yes please.

Tile is definitely going in my entryways. Too much water and snow to do anything else.

[RootSkier]

Iceman has never been so wrong as he is in this thread.

Vibes bruh.

[Cono Este]

Ask the Amish.

I used to import bamboo and engineered wood for a about a buck a sq foot. Based on that I now vomit when i see the store prices.

I always thought iceman was solid maple guy myself, matching cabinets too.

[RootSkier]

I always thought iceman was solid maple guy myself, matching cabinets too.

Iceman has vertical grain fir in at least one of his houses.

[XXX-er]

Solid birch tongue and groove is popular around here cuz you can buy it by the pu load from a guy up the kispiox who mills it localy and he does the nicer price if you pay in cash

[UTpowder]

I'm in Utah and did strand bamboo in my office about 5 years ago. It gets a lot of traffic near the front door as well as snow and salt from the parking lot. So far it's held up great. Looks really nice and I get many compliments. However I have had a lot of problems with contraction. Before install we let it acclimate for about a month in the office. It was a custom order that had to be shipped In so it hadn't been in the sitting in a warehouse some where in Utah. This was a complete remodel done from November to March. It was installed correctly with all underlayments etc. The next winter when the air dried out and the forced air heat started up I noticed significant shrinkage. There were 1/2 gaps where the bamboo had previously be fit tight to carpet doorway transitions and gaps under the base boards and in front of the rock fireplace.
The carpet to bamboo transitions have been somewhat easy to fix although not as nice looking as when first installed. No way to do anything at the baseboards without removing them. It's not a huge gap and I don't think anyone else but me really notices, but it is bothersome to my anal perfectionism.

If you do bamboo make sure it has more then plenty of time to acclimate.

[hutash]

Iceman sands in jeans

[guroo270]

My dad likes

His new floors look like

200 year old wood, too.
Carry on. Bamboo floors are interesting and I'm looking into them as well.

[reckless toboggan]

My dad likes

His new floors look like

200 year old wood, too.
Carry on. Bamboo floors are interesting and I'm looking into them as well.

Jeeeeesus!