Replies

1. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 14, 2001 11:55pm | #1

   *
   I learned it really sucks when you've been working for hours, are tired, and accidentally put a board into the glue with the good side down.

1. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 14, 2001 11:56pm | #2

   *It sucks even worse when you lean back into the bucket of glue and get it all over your shirt.

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   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 14, 2001 11:58pm | #3

   *It sucks most of all when, while leaning back into the bucket of glue, you knock your only notched trowel into the bucket of glue, handle down, of course.

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   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 15, 2001 12:06am | #4

   *On the plus side, it's going really good. I have two rooms almost done, each > 320 sq ft. And each day I get more done than the day before. First day was probably 25 sq ft in a coupla hours. Today was 200 sq ft in 6 hours, plus a threshhold. I can live with that.I love the bamboo. It's milling has been consistent. It cuts nicely. It's hard enough to put up with my drops, bangs, and pratfalls and not be worse for the wear. It looks awesome. My wife is happy!!!! Of course, my daughter brought me back to earth by saying, "Daddy, I wanted concrete floors in my bedroom. Could you take the wood out?" She's 3 3/4 and was serious. Gotta love 'em.

1. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 15, 2001 12:13am | #5

   *I learned that the best way to deal with any slight bows in the boards (bows that keep tongue side from seating perfectly flush against groove side) is to lay enough in a day to get yourself close enough to the opposite wall that you can run some braces to that wall and compress the whole floor a bit. It'll take minor bows right out.Remember, this is a glue down, so I don't have a nailer to crank them tight.Also, a lot of the gaps will close up as the next few rows are laid. Each successive row gives enough extra grip that the gap stays closed, at least long enough to get the braces in place.

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   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 15, 2001 12:16am | #6

   *Bows in the other direction (creating humps off the floor in the middle or at the ends) have not been the problem I thought they'd be. The flooring around any humped boards has been kind enough to hold them flat. This flooring has been so consistently usable that I haven't had to set aside any boards.

3. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 15, 2001 12:22am | #7

   *The hardest thing of all has been laying the starting courses in a new room. Since it's glue down, when you push two boards together, two others come apart, making it murder to lay the first few rows and get them straight and tight.A trick I came up with that worked great for the second room was to pre-glue the first two rows tongue-to-groove, making one long 7" x 18'. Once this is glued to the floor, it doesn't move much as subsequent rows are placed.

4. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 15, 2001 12:27am | #8

   *And now it's Moosehead time...

5. 
   Stephen_Hazlett | Jul 15, 2001 01:33am | #9

   *Hey cloud,here is something I learned while installing seamless rubber roofing with contact cement.------It really,really sucks when you drop your cell phone into the glue bucket.

6. 
   skader3 | Jul 16, 2001 09:41am | #10

   *Hey cloud - why did you glue down instead of float? Just curious as I will be installing a bit of wood flooring on a slab in a couple of months....thankssami

7. 
   Ken_fisher | Jul 16, 2001 12:36pm | #11

   *Jim:Great to hear from you. Nice to work with that adhesive, huh? I hate it when that trowel falls into the bucket! Here's a tip for getting the floor tight when you don't have any walls to help.Cut some scraps about 24" in length, and run each end through the table saw making a 60º +- angled wedge. Engage these into the tongue or groove(depending which way it's being laid) of the final row laid, and place some other scraps as an anchor on the concrete, adjacent to the wedges.You may need to use a hammer drill and tapcons to secure the anchor. If you get this far and understand my rambling, simply tap the wedge and the boards will tighten beyond your expectations.Don't get too aggressive as if you're too tight and the last few rows "rise" overnight you'll be in for a bummer of a surprise the next day. I do this often with gluedowns and work in several areas(if possible) during the course of a day.Oh, make sure the wedges touch no adhesive. Another words, if you have any in the area clean it before placing them. You gotta get the wood out of the daughter's room...LOL

8. 
   Ken_fisher | Jul 16, 2001 01:00pm | #12

   *Almost Forgot:The bamboo "anchors" will split so I would suggest 1/2" or 3/4" plywood cut into pieces such as 3" X 8." And if anyone has radiant heat concrete beware of my idea.Gotta go to work:( btw, Jim...did you try the mineral spirits idea with adhesive left in buckets?

9. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 16, 2001 03:48pm | #13

   *Sami, have RFH, so didn't want to add a layer of plywood and of course can't nail.Ken, thanks. The RFH nixes your good suggestion. Good point about causing the floor to rise--I've been putting weight on it before I tighten it.Didn't try the mineral spirits. I just try to keep working till the can is empty. Or overnight I just lose 1/8" skin. Easier to dig that out. And let's not forget about the fun that can be had scrapping dried glue off the skin!More fun today...FedEx just delivered the Waterlox!

10. 
    Tim_Kline | Jul 17, 2001 06:06am | #14

    *b WBA At Your ServiceCloud, Is this a laminated (ply) product ? Where is the pricing ? Is this a glue-down over radiant tubing ?thanks, tim

11. 
    Cloud_Hidden | Jul 17, 2001 06:39pm | #15

    *Tim,Bamboo is a laminated 5/8 t&g. It has 3 plys with the wear layer being about 3/16. All layers are oriented in same direction, so if you round a side you can't tell where one layer ends and the next begins. It's hard as all getout. If _I_ could install 600 sq ft and not end up with even one dented piece, it's gotta be hard!!!I've seen it from 2.95 to 4 a sq ft unfinished. Some advertisements in FHB.I am doing glue over RFH (both gypcrete and concrete). Glue supplier said, "Wait, don't glue wood to concrete over RFH." I said it was the bamboo (which they also sell). He said, "Oh, I didn't know that. You shouldn't have a problem then." Guess I can tell you this winter...

12. 
    Ian.D.Gilham. | Jul 17, 2001 07:41pm | #16

    *A quick way to hold down the floor is to make a "Tee" out of 1" x 3" (--- overall length about 1" longer than the ceiling height and length of the Tee about 2') and 'spring' it down off the ceiling.

13. 
    Jason | Jul 17, 2001 10:38pm | #17

    *All of you have it wrong. What really sucks is when your glasses fall off into the glue bucket, and without thinking, you pull them out and put them back on.

14. 
    Ken_fisher | Jul 19, 2001 09:20pm | #18

    *Jason:Don't tell me this is a true story?

15. 
    Jason | Jul 19, 2001 10:50pm | #19

    *Yep. And it also happened when I was tarring a basement once, which was much worse. Guess my mind was elsewhere. Just imagine if I'd switched back to contact lenses, as I comptemplated a few years ago...

16. 
    Cloud_Hidden | Jul 19, 2001 11:31pm | #20

    *OK, Jason, you win. Maybe I get runner-up for leaning back into the messy glue bucket without knowing it, and then later sitting on a chair and wondering why I was sticking.800 sq ft down; 3700 to go. Getting in a groove. Gonna sand and finish what's done before guests arrive. I'll pick up the rest of the house after they leave.

2. 
   Cloud_Hidden | Jul 19, 2001 11:31pm | #21

   *
   This is mostly as feedback for Ken and Greg for their advice in another thread. Any tricks and suggestions welcome...

   Jim