I’m going to be installing about 500 sq ft of bamboo flooring, and the more I read, the more questions I have. It seems everyone around here agrees that the Teragren (timbergrass) is among the best, but wondering if it is worth thinking about other brands.
The Teragren is about $5.50, where places like Bamboo Hardwoods has a similar looking product for about $3.00. I know some people didnt like their stuff, but looking for more opinions. I’m near seattle, so I like them because the’re local.
Also, anyone ever order from iFloor.com ? They have lots of inexpensive bamboo, but i’ve never heard of any of the brands.
We’ll be installing over new plywood subfloor, with no RFH.
Replies
I've bought from WFI Bamboo, and been served well by them. Happy with my service and product. Don't know if they are better or worse than others. Just know they've been great in every transaction thus far.
http://www.wfibamboo.coml
Apparently, they went out of business last year... So i'll keep looking. Thanks.
Hmmm, wonder how I spoke with their president (Dan Mitchell) and ordered more two months ago?
But your note got me curious. I had tried their web site before I listed it for you. Worked fine an hour ago. Now the server doesn't respond. Saw the notice on the bamtex site about the wfi bankruptcy. But I swear I ordered some this summer and got it (plus a coupla extra slightly damaged sheets thrown in) without problem.
Curiouser and curiouser.
The website is working for me.
http://www.wfibamboo.com/
Of course, I fixed the typo and I skipped the intro.
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
Musta been temporarily down exactly as I was chasing down rumors of their demise.
In the past couple of years, I've installed a lot of Bamboo....Fast Floors (on the internet) http://www.fastfloors.com I think, has had good prices on the major brands of bamboo flooring, fast delivery and, over a certain amount, no shipping cost to your front door.
$5.50 seems a little steep. I've layed several brands and I tend to think it all comes out of the same factory....good stuff though.
We said the same thing about coming outta the same place. This after working with WFI, Terragren and a product supplied by that wood flooring congolom.............Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
If you are in the Seattle area, have you tried Lumber Liquidators??
Hi, just finshed installing timbergrass (oregon) - good product - I used the glue together floating version - you need to strap it per instructions! good product.
I will look forward to the new click lock version coming out in a month or so.
wait for that!
Looks like WFI's website is working, I'll call them tommorrow. Also, Lumber Liquidators has flooring made by "Morningstar Bamboo" for $2.99, but I've never heard of them...
If this was any other cutomer's house, I'd just tell them to buy the more expensive Teragren, etc. But this is for my parents who are on a limited budget. On the other hand, I'm sure I'll hear about it if the stuff I put in doesnt last. SO, I want my cake and to eat it too. I guess we're looking for some compromise between price and durability. Thanks for all the advice so far.
If you call, ask for Dan Mitchell, and tell him the guy with the big ol concrete house in Asheville, NC sent ya. If Dan doesn't take care of you properly, let me know. I always got great product from them. It'll last next to forever.
We put down 3-400 ft of Morningstar from Liquidators in June. Out of the box, it looked like WFI, Terra, and others in the 3'' x 36'' strip. As to it's wear coating, time will tell. Installed WFI's supplied by a designer. Mixed carmelized and natural. If you want one or the other, make sure you spec it. We luckily (usually) unpacked the cartons b/4 install and noticed same box markings, different colors segregated by box. Called the designer, that's what they wanted.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Wow Calvin:
Alot of color variation in that bamboo floor. Kinda reminds me of Hawa. I think that one would scare me to death if it wasn't my house. I can just hear it now.."we don't like this board, that one and....we'll call you tomorrow when we put little stickers on the boards we don't like"
You can understand my thankfulness that we opened all the cartons in advance. The real light ones didn't show up until well into the total. Also glad we could contact the designer right away, woulda had to leave that job right then w/o the go ahead.
Speaking stickers...........this hickory kitchen sure would have been a nightmare had the owners not "wanted" the variation.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Calvin,
Good looking kitchen!
"this hickory kitchen sure would have been a nightmare had the owners not "wanted" the variation."
Did you build the cabinets?
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
Nope Rich, built the kitchen, not the cabs. This one there was a bit more than screwing the boxes on the wall. Had I made the cabs I would have probably spent time trying to ''blend" the pcs rather than the random machine sorting from Kraftmade. The last Hickory kitchen I installed, there were postit notes the next morning. I now make sure they realize the drastic difference in the wood placement from the supplier. Some think its neat till they see that one white or dark brown board.
Do you like those repro copper ceiling panels for the splash? Customer idea after the fact. I think I like it, but since it's new to me, I really don't know. What's your take?
And thank you...........hey to the girl scout.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
"Do you like those repro copper ceiling panels for the splash? Customer idea after the fact. I think I like it, but since it's new to me, I really don't know. What's your take?"
I love that. I do wonder what it will look like in five/ten years, but it sure looks great in that pic!
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
You know Rich,
Looks like really good work in the picture, but I can honestly say that I don't like the copper tile; there's either too much relief in them, or they're too busy or too shiny or something. I have granite counter top in my kitchen very similar to theirs and I have been trying forever trying to find a proper treatment/material for the upper backsplash, short of paint, to look right with the granite. Of course, I'd never pick that style of granite again; too many colors to coordinate with. But if they like it, that's what counts. Zbalk
We used Bamboo Hardwoods in my daughter's room and have been quite please with it. We chose the hardest species (they offer more than one) and ours was about $5.00/sq ft 2 years ago, so I'm wondering if you are actually comparing apples to apples with the Timbergrass. Different species have different Jenga hardness ratings, and you want to make sure that you are comparing the same species at the same time as price.
Also, for us formaldehyde offgasing is a big issue, so we chose Bamboo Hardwoods because they don't have any formaldehyde in their glue, at the time they were the only supplier that could make that claim. There were only one or two other suppliers that could claim to meet air quality standards.
Good luck with your choice.
We are also using bamboo in are renovation. I read in Natural Home mag that EcoTimber is also a good quality and low VOC brand--I don't know if it's less expensive though. I am going to get mine unifinished because I don't like public installations I have seen where the seems between the boards turn black--too much contrast with the light tone of the bamboo. Other thoughts: I saw a really poor quality bamboo floor at EXPO design center where I could press my fingernail into the less than smooth finish. From what I have heard, I would think that alot of the bamboo flooring does come out of the same factory. The rest is the expensive stuff by companies that are more concerned with things like health and durability.
To All:
I want to thank Ian for his kind remarks about our brand of bamboo flooring and also address some of your questions-- I'm Ann Knight, Vice President, Marketing at Teragren Fine Bamboo Flooring, Panels & Veneer (formerly TimberGrass LLC) on Bainbridge Island in Washington State.
I'm glad to see you are asking great questions....Teragren is a manufacturer, not an importer, so you can count on quality, consistency, inventory availability, customer service, and the same spec from run to run. Many importers buy whatever is available from any factory in Asia based on price so consistency, quality and availability are a problem.
We sell through national floor covering distributors listed on our web site. If you'd like to learn more about Teragren's bamboo flooring, panels and/or veneer, please visit our web site at http://www.teragren.com or call us at 800.929.6333. Thanks again and best wishes on all of your projects! Ann
Ann,
In the early spring I contacted you about your products. You sent to me a sample box, a pretty thorough info pamphlet and the distr. locator. We made contact with the Cinci dist and after some homowner decision/indecision making, we purchased 7/800 sf of the wide plank eng (floated over gypcrete/radiant) nat. bamboo along with 14 stair treads, some nosings and mouldings/transitions. All the products were delivered on time and well packaged. The homowner is very satisfied and especially liked your "green" position in product development. Thanks.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Calvin,
Thank you for the nice remarks! I will forward this to our distributor in Ohio - they like good news once in awhile. Thanks again for using our product and for taking the time to let us know you're a happy, satisfied customer. Best, Ann
We now return to our program.:-)Rich BeckmanTime for a nap.