First few rows;

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Chaucer

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Aug 8, 2021
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46
Location
Maryland
Hi,

I know this has been probably discussed a bunch, but can someone please direct me to a video or written steps of how to get the lay the first few rows.

I'm installing click lock bamboo. The finished width of a board is 3 3/4"

I measured the width of the room in 3 spots and it measures ; 160 1/8", 160 1/4" & 160 3/8"

I have 2 heat ducts on the outside wall that I plan to start on.

I leave a 1/2 gap on all sides; correct?

Thank you
 
Hi,

I know this has been probably discussed a bunch, but can someone please direct me to a video or written steps of how to get the lay the first few rows.

I'm installing click lock bamboo. The finished width of a board is 3 3/4"

I measured the width of the room in 3 spots and it measures ; 160 1/8", 160 1/4" & 160 3/8"

I have 2 heat ducts on the outside wall that I plan to start on.

I leave a 1/2 gap on all sides; correct?

Thank you
Just follow the manufacturer suggested installation instructions and you'll be all set.
Plan your layout so you don't end up with little slivers or if you want a certain spot to be symmetrical.
 
Hi,

Thank you for the reply, but there were some instructions provided, but nothing about how to make sure the floor is square or parallel to the wall. That's what I'm looking for. I don't think I start with the flooring right against the wall? I do understand the sliver issue.
 
Rack up (click together) at least 3 rows to start. The 3 rows don’t even have to be up tight against the wall. Now you can move and tweak those 3 rows however you like to get them where you want in relation to the walls. If they’re away from the wall, because of heat registers in the floor?, you can just back fill whatever amount you need to until you bump the wall. Check your layout again to make sure it is what you want then continue on with the rest of the install after you’ve made any adjustments.
 
Here I’ve racked up my first 2 rows. 3 rows just gives you a bit more rigidity for moving things around. You can bump the wall to see if it needs to be scribed or whatever you may need to do to establish a good layout.

Click a few more rows together and I can tell by the existing tile grout lines that my layout is pretty decent.

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Hi,

A couple of more questions...

#1 The manufacturer recommends 1/4" expansion gap, but I read in many areas to use 1/2" for bamboo. I want to confirm to use the manufacturers number. Why is there a difference?

#2 When I did the calculation for the number of boards, it comes out to 42.17 to 42. 5, depending on the width of the room (there is a slight variation in width) . But I'm guessing because of tolerance variations in board width and other stack up tolerances, it could be slightly different. How do I account for that? How much of a board should be ripped for first row?

Than you again for the help.
 
1. If the instructions call for 1/4” then you likely have an engineered bamboo since almost all solid bamboo that I’ve dealt with calls for 1/2” or 3/4”. It never hurts to leave more expansion space, but not enough can and will buckle a floor. As long as any base or trim will cover the expansion space then you are good to go with leaving more space

Now as to whether you should leave more expansion space than what the manufacturer calls for depends on your specifics. Size of the space that you are installing the floor in. What’s the longest run. Where do you live, is humidity a factor. How well is the climate controlled in your installation space. I’m picturing your floor with an MDF or HDF core with a layer of bamboo on top? How close am I? If so then a 1/4” space should be just fine unless you have some other factors as stated above that would make me want to leave more space. How about you compromise and just leave 3/8” all around if you’re unsure.

2. Start off with 3/4 of a board. That way you should end up with 3/4 board.
 
Although I've never installed bamboo, I've been told that allowing the wood to acclimate for at least one week in the same living space the product is to be installed is critical.
 
@Mark Brown is the master of explaining acclimation. Basically time doesn’t matter. You want the material to be the same, or damn close, to the same moisture of what you’re installing it over. However long it takes to accomplish that is how long it takes. Solid bamboo is notorious for taking a long time to acclimate but if the instructions call for 1/4” expansion space then I’m throwing out a WAG that it’s an engineered bamboo. Most engineered, not all, bamboos are more like laminate and a simple 72 hours will do for acclimation. But to be honest I’ve done plenty of new construction that didn’t acclimate at all.
 
What’s the longest run. The floor is 15' x 14'. My starting wall is the 15' one



Where do you live, is humidity a factor. I'm in Maryland.


How well is the climate controlled in your installation space. Pretty good. controlled to 55%-60%RH at 72 F It's been therefor about 1 month. in the same space. Specs says to acclimate 48 hours


I’m picturing your floor with an MDF or HDF core with a layer of bamboo on top? Spec says solid stranded bamboo, Core: Solid Bamboo


. How about you compromise and just leave 3/8” all around if you’re unsure. Sounds like a good plan.

Thank you
 
2. Start off with 3/4 of a board. That way you should end up with 3/4 board.

Sorry to ask again, but I want to make sure I provided the right info and I understand correctly. I did some remeasurments and math :(

42 boards is 159 1/4 inches
My room width varies from 159 7/8 to 160 1/4

If I subtract put a 3/8 expansion gap on each side, the room width is 159 1/8 to 159 7/8

So 42 boards is almost exactly right for the room width (a bit short on one end)

But I'm still thinking becuase of toleracnes stack up, I could end up being short on the finishing wall that the 3/4 shoe molding would not cover.

Should I still go with a 3/4 of a board on the starting wall. Am I over thinking this this?

Thank you
 
I think you're over thinking this big time!

Just measure it out so you don't end up with little pcs and you'll be all set.
Also if your room is off square then the bigger the fill pc on that wall will be, the better it'll hide the 1/4" +/- that it's off.

A job that size is a half day project for most any pro.

There's really not much bamboo in that product. It's a micro thin vaneer glued to mdf or plastic. That's why manufacturer says 1/4" expansion space
 
I think you're over thinking this big time!

Just measure it out so you don't end up with little pcs and you'll be all set.
Also if your room is off square then the bigger the fill pc on that wall will be, the better it'll hide the 1/4" +/- that it's off.

A job that size is a half day project for most any pro.

There's really not much bamboo in that product. It's a micro thin vaneer glued to mdf or plastic. That's why manufacturer says 1/4" expansion space
tks..just a bit "nervous" about being caught with a small sliver of a board on the end.
 
So you have 42 boards and a sliver at the end. To put your mind at ease you can rack up 3 or 4 rows. You should be able to move these first few rows for adjustment. Then just click some boards together, one on top of the other, until you reach the other side. You’re not installing the whole room but simply clicking whole boards together, on each side of the room, until you reach the other side. This way you can see how you will land on the opposite wall. This will tell you how you need to adjust your starting rows to avoid having a sliver. Doing a dry lay if you will allows you to visually see where you will land and make any necessary adjustments before you have the whole room laid and it’s a bitch to move that much floor one way or the other.
 
@C.J. I guess at the end of the day, that will be the best to check.

Thank you for your time in answering my questions. I'll be starting the job in about 2 weeks (have a few other things to get done first). I may have another question or two...I'll post how it comes out.
 
Another thought about this is that it's small enough that you can start full plank on one wall and when you reach the end if you aren't happy where it falls, go back and cut whatever you want off the first row. Then push the entire floor back and fill in your last row. Done deal
 
Another thought about this is that it's small enough that you can start full plank on one wall and when you reach the end if you aren't happy where it falls, go back and cut whatever you want off the first row. Then push the entire floor back and fill in your last row. Done deal
Would it really be possible to push the entire floor? That seems like it would be very difficult if not almost impossible.
 

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