Bamboo Flooring in the Dining Room
The green renovation continues! I spent all day Sunday installing bamboo floors in our dining room. It’s the same bamboo I used in the 2nd floor bedroom/office. I had to run over to Lumber Liquidators to pick up 2 additional boxes to complete the work.
It turned out really well. One problem I had was the two additional boxes of bamboo. They were from a different batch - even though they were from the same company, there was a difference. The coloring was very similar but the new batch had a smoother and shinier surface.
I noticed right away and made two piles of bamboo planks. I would take a different plank from each pile and mixed them all together. I also adjusted the lengths of each row I would start so the entire floor has a completely random pattern of cuts to go along with the different looks on the planks. I’m pretty happy with it.
I didn’t complete the baseboards or the transition pieces. I was too tired. I did the entire room, about 300 square feet, in 6 and a half hours. I made sure I completed anything I would need the pneumatic floor stapler for before I returned the rental to Home Depot.
Until I start on finishing our basement, that’s pretty much it for our flooring needs in the house. We’ve got recyclable carpeting and bamboo flooring (along with the new hardwood floors that came with the house.)
Next, I’m going to look into composting.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
This is a great site, the bamboo flooring is very nice and looks great. I like the idea of mixing up the piles to keep the look streamlined.
We have a nice line of natural flooring at our website. Our company services Northern Michigan and neighboring areas.
Thank you,
Heidi
http://www.Eco-BuildingProducts.com
http://greenbuildingproductnews.blogspot.com/
November 24th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
That flooring is beautiful!
How’s the wear and tear on bamboo? Does it last as long as some of the harder woods?
November 24th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
It can be a bit softer than some hardwoods. Would I let a kid practice tap dancing on it? No. Would I put it in a family room that gets a ton of traffic? No. But in the dining room and my office, it’s perfect.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Thanks for the post.
I think you’ve hit on a great way to solve the mismatch color issue - to get creative with the layout by mixing planks from the whole batch. Nicely done.
As far as the hardness issue, I’m not sure I’d let my kid tap dance on solid hardwood either. Well, if she actually did tap dance, that is.
Anyway, the point is that bamboo is still pretty hearty, even if it’s not indestructible.
Thanks again for the post!
Cheers!
Rob.
November 25th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
[...] was reading a post by Tim, a self-styled eco-remodeler. He’s recently completed a bamboo flooring installation job in his dining room. This is a continuation of a job that began in his study. Part of the way through the job, [...]
November 4th, 2011 at 5:06 am
You made a wonderful job with your bamboo floor! Especially with your mix-matching solution. If there is a will, there is a way to definitely accomplish a flooring task. Thanks to the various materials and resources we have in the flooring industry, do it yourself fans can do much.