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Flooring Design Dilemma

Cali Bamboo over existing hardwood floors - preparation?

6 years ago

We are installing Cali Bamboo Vintage Moonlight Fossilized Bamboo Flooring (https://www.calibamboo.com/product-grey-hardwood-floors-vintage-moonlight-9009008001.html) over old hardwood floors (picture below, possible asbestos below current floors, hence not removing).

What do we need to put down below the Cali Bamboo? Do we need a sheet of plywood and then the underlayment? Can we just do underlayment directly above the wood floor, followed by the Cali Bamboo?

We have some creaking on our wood floors - any suggestions to minimize further creaking/mitigate the current creak?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thank you

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Comments (5)

PRO
G & S Floor Service
6 years ago
I don't see asbestos on the floor boards. Why not just refinish?
nysmallspace
Original Author
6 years ago
That is a picture of the current hardwood floors. We had two people come by and look at the floors and say there wasn't enough wood left to sand and refinish it. additionally there are many gaps and crevices between the wood planks that they would have to put filler material in which from my understanding isn't a long term solution..
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Bamboo isn't hardwood. It is grass held together with as much as 30% glue. The glue is the stuff that is questionable. Bamboo comes in SOOOOO many different grades (high-end, healthy stuff with very few issues = $12 - $15/sf). The cheaper the bamboo, the cheaper the glue. The cheaper the glue, the more possibility of formaldehyde content. The higher the formaldehyde content, the higher the chances of health issues. Whew. And that's only the construction side of things. Then there is the "living conditions" stuff you have to worry about. Bamboo is tricky to live with. After that it is tricky. And then it gets tricky. And right after that, just for fun, it is SUPER tricky. Again, the cheaper you go the harder it is to keep it "happy". The living conditions must be TIGHTLY CONTROLLED. That means pin-point accuracy for interior humidity (do you have a whole home de/humidifier? If you answered "No" then your home isn't ready for bamboo). Good luck. A wonderful bamboo floor should cost MORE than solid 3/4" hardwood.
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PRO
G & S Floor Service
6 years ago
In that case just hammer down a whole lot of ring nails and install the bamboo perpendicular to the existing, using cleat nails.
nysmallspace
Original Author
6 years ago
So we decided to float the new calibamboo floor over preexisting hardwood floor using 6mm cork underlayment.

My questions is should we glue the underlayment down and then glue the calibamboo to the cork underlayment? What do we gain by doing this as opposed to just floating the floor? Suggestions? Thanks

Cork underlayment:

https://www.amazon.com/QEP-4-Inch-4-Foot-25-Foot-Underlayment/dp/B007OSICIS/ref=pd_sim_60_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5T2Z724661N9C6A96P1H
PRO
G & S Floor Service
6 years ago
With bamboo, I would double glue rather than float over the cork. Yes, cork needs to be glued. You will have a firmer floor by gluing.

If, you float, you will have a softer and quieter floor. But, with bamboo being finished on all sides. You need to use a really good tongue and groove glue for it, otherwise, it will fall apart.

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