Stranded Bamboo Flooring, Is it a good choice?
We are building a home in Alabama on the coast. We have a crawlspace sealed foundation that is dehumified. We are looking at purchasing 5/8 – 1/2 Stranded, Carbonized, bamboo flooring. We are getting mixed reviews on whether this is a good choice. We’ve heard the following:
Pro – it’s solid engineered so it can be sanded and refinished. The color is the same all the way through. Compared to engeered wood which can only be sanded and refinished once.
Pro – Harder than most woods, and compares to engineered wood in that it’s harder to scratch.
Con – Expansion and contraction. We’ve heard horror stories about buckeling, gapping, and needing to leave a lot of expansion space. We are planning on nailing it in. How does it compare to hardwood or engineered? We really don’t want to go with a laminate.
Con – Very hard to nail and cut. Will we need special tools to cut and install?
Con – Trim around the room a 1/2 – 3/4 gap.. We’re assuming we will need quarterround or a stacked base.
What is the opinion of the choice of stranded Bamboo in a Hot/Humid, Moist (A), Zone 2 environment? In addtion to the sealed crawlspace, we have blown in insulation and a dual heat pump system.
Thanks!!
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Replies
I think it's a fine choice, but I would suggest you also look for a mill that works with locally grown hardwood, given that you live in a region where I think it is grown.
In principle it's a good material but a couple of caveats:
1. Like any other flooring material it needs to come from a reputable source (not a discount house where they often carry seconds) and be installed by a reputable installer. There should be a solid warranty on the installed material against the kinds of potential problems you list, not just the manufacturer's warranty on wear-through of the finish. If you can't find an installer who will provide such a warranty, don't do it.
2. If the flooring needs to be patched or repaired at a later date you may not be able to obtain matching material. Either order and store a reserve stock or stick with a floor material that is an industry standard for your area and you can expect to find locally available for decades to come. In that respect Charlie's suggestion is probably an excellent one.
Regardless of the wood floor you choose, if your humidity is not maintained you will have trouble. Your choice to use carbonized bamboo should not be weighed solely on what the Lumber Liquidators type stores promote, but I do think it's a good choice for your region. I also concur with Charlie.
Your decision should be based on what you like and your living conditions, however only you can answer that.
As for what you heard.... "Con - Expansion and contraction. We've heard horror stories about buckeling, gapping, and needing to leave a lot of expansion space."
I say bah hum bug on this one! Regardless of the floor you choose this is inevitable if the floor is not acclimated to the building prior to installation and when the installer short nails the floor. (meaning not installing the proper nailing pattern per NOFMA standards.)
http://www.oakcrestlumber.com/nofma_installinghardwoodfloors.pdf