wood or bamaboo floors ?

[Rider]

Originally Posted by azoomm

What is this "implying" crap?? Next thing you know, you'll be "nice"

No, never.

[Gas Man]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

thanks for your input everyone.

seems most people before and after this thread say floating is the way to go.

is it particularly loud? or no?

i like the eco part, the not as pricey as wood part, and the look.

Its not loud, cause after you pull up existing flooring... go thru and put screws in all over, along the floor joists next to existing nails. Then you lay down the foam padding and that's what the laminate sits on.

Originally Posted by AquaPython

btw this wll be directly on a cement slab.

Crap bust the screws part... but the foam/moisture barrier will help with problems. But as rider said below... the laminate is a great flooring on concrete.

Originally Posted by 101lifts2

Note: If you're going to go with the bamboo, do NOT invite any panda bears over for dinner...just sayin.

Personally, I'd get tile...tile is da bomb in a house...lasts forever, easy cleanup and your animals can piss and shit all over it and not tick you off. Good stuff.

However, grout makes tile hardly a maintance free. Plus needs constant cleaning. My carpet cleaner guy, a bud as well, does grout cleaning.

Grout doesn't get darker with age... that's dirt in there. Look at grout... its dirty as hell, cause when you mop you brush that dirt right into the grout grove...

Originally Posted by Rider

On a concrete slab I would only put a floating laminate with the moisture barrier/foam pad under it. I finished my entire basement with laminate with the exception of the bathroom which I installed tile. Real wood only on OSB/plywood stapled directly to the floor with only a thin moisture barrier under it.

the barrier/foam pad under it is a must.

[AquaPython]

i am talking about bamboo wood , not laminate.

[Rider]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

i am talking about bamboo wood , not laminate.

On a slab? Don't do it unless you put down plywood under it. You don't want that floating around and glue will not be permanent due to moisture and the expansion and contraction of concrete. Wood and concrete expand and contract and different rates.

[Gas Man]

I think they make a bamboo laminate...

nothing cooler than the click into place laminate floors...

[AquaPython]

it would be concrete-> moisture barrier -> floating bamboo.

isnt that what a lot of people do ?

[Rider]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

it would be concrete-> moisture barrier -> floating bamboo.

isnt that what a lot of people do ?

Floating? Those pieces don't lock together. You will have gaps between each piece. You need to leave 1/4" to 1/2" gap on either end for expansion and contraction and you will get gaps between each piece.

[Rider]

Let e clarify that "Real" wood floors don't lock together but engineered/laminate pieces do. You said you were not going with a laminate so the real bamboo won't lock together.

[Gas Man]

And actually laminate and engineered flooring is different. Engineered flooring while it looks better isn't as durable.

[Rider]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

And actually laminate and engineered flooring is different. Engineered flooring while it looks better isn't as durable.

Yeah I can vouch for that. My kitchen/foyer floors are an engineered cherry and it is softer than butter.