Wood Floor Installation

meggles

Afternoon - my husband will be laying a new wood floor throughout the entire downstairs. (starting in new kitchen/living room) he has lots of experience in laying laminate, click together flooring. We're looking at bamboo flooring, and are trying to decide between 'click-together' or 'tongue-n-groove over self-adhesive underlay'. Can anyone detail the pros/cons of the two systems? There are a lot more choice if we expand the search to these 'tongue-n-groove' systems, but my husband is wary of 'self-adhesive underlay' (having never used it before)

thanks!

spadoosh

self adhesive underlay is pretty easy to use, its like agiant roll of double sidded tape. AAre you laying on to a concrete floor or over joists?!

Hotto

Depending on the area involved, the T & G is the best for long runs - If you have a long length to lay say over 10feet ( 3 Mtrs ) trying to hold it up in the air to click it down can be a pain,as the end needs to bang in as well, the T & G just slots in Peice by piece as you go, You don,t say if you will be laying it on a Concrete, Boarded or Chipboard floor. ( remember to seal the joints in the kitchen area to protect against spills etc.

meggles

thanks for your comments...

the new kitchen 3.35 x 4.4m and is over chipboard, the new lounge is 3.65 x 5.65m and over floorboards.

can you please explain the 'sealing'. thanks

adamleerob

i dont see the point of adhesive underlay as it is not glued to the subfloor, may as well use a normal underlay. I always prefer to glue bamboo floors to the subfloor as you will get a firmer feel underfoot and boards are less likely to move when you walk on them, thus t+G variety will be best. its more expensive but will give a quality installation.

olias

Just out of curiosity, why do you need to stick it to the underlay or sub floor at all? Why isn't it laid like other wooden floors and laid as a floating floor with the tongue and grooves glued, therefore allowing the whole floor to expand and contract?

Olias