Archived Thread

NFT: Flooring installation question (bamboo flooring)

bigblue12 : 6/28/2018 2:13 pm

Question for anyone who might have some experience. My father in law installed a floating bamboo floor on the main level of our house two years ago in the summertime. We were told by Lumber Liquidators that it could just be floated without glue. Once the cooler weather came, the floor started to separate in a few areas and was bouncy in others. When the summertime rolled around again, everything settled back. Obviously it is a humidity issue. Now that the warm weather is back, I want to try and glue the floor down to stay where it was intended to be. The floor is on top of a plywood subfloor. Has anyone done this before? I am hesistant to glue directly to the subfloor as I would not be able to pull up the flooring without damaging the subfloor as well. I know the easiest answer is to replace the horrible floating floor, but that is not in the budget right now. Any suggestions? Thanks.

You should have

bluesince56 : 6/28/2018 2:28 pm : link

Installed a a moisture barrier product made just for this situation. . It keeps the humidity from warping the flooring. You will need to take up the floor and after installing a moisture barrier glue the floor down

Try using a humidifier in the winter

NYG27 : 6/28/2018 2:32 pm : link

My friend had a similar issue and he was able to resolve it by using a humidifier in the winter. Before re-installing all your floors and gluing them down, try this minor addition this coming winter. Might save you a lot of headache, especially if you're planning to change your floors in the future.

Here's an article that we found that covers that topic. Might be useful for you.
link - ( New Window )

Prior to floating the floor, we did put down an underlayment

bigblue12 : 6/28/2018 2:44 pm : link

with moisture barrier and I have a whole house humidifier which I use in the winter.

floating floors are meant to float

oghwga : 6/28/2018 2:57 pm : link

do not glue it down. If you're going to pull it up anyway, put down a floor that's meant to be attached to the subfloor.

And lumber liquidators mostly sells garbage.

DiD

g56blue10 : 6/28/2018 3:11 pm : link

You leave enough space between the walls and the floors. Woods is going expand and contract. If there is not space left between the walls and flooring it will do what you are talking about

Instructions indicate to glue it down

bigblue12 : 6/28/2018 3:19 pm : link

We left enough room on the edges

I have put down

g56blue10 : 6/28/2018 4:15 pm : link

2 floating bamboo floors from lumber Liquidators without issue. You wouldn�t glue down a floating floor. If it�s glued down it�s no longer a floating flooring. Not sure what your issue is but curious why the instructions said to glue if it�s really a floating floor

This is the product

bigblue12 : 6/28/2018 5:22 pm : link

Installation instructions indicate floating or glue down
Link - ( New Window )

If it..

FatMan in Charlotte : 6/28/2018 5:25 pm : link

is truly a floating floor, it becomes the opposite if it is glued down.

The whole point of a floating floor is that it isn't glued.