Replies

1. 
   bartmy | Oct 10, 2004 03:32am | #1

   first off, you should check the moisture content of the concrete. If you don't have a meter, duct tape a 1 foot square of plastic over the slab in the area you are considering installing the floor. If you get a lot of condensation you are headed for problems without installing a moisture barrier.

1. 
   pvaman | Oct 15, 2004 03:21am | #2

   I'm going to be building a house and kind of wanted to install traditional 3/4" non-engineered nail down oak flooring. I noticed that dricore recommends engineered floor, but i was wondering is non-engineered flooring a really bad idea?

1. 
   Mitremike | Oct 15, 2004 08:04am | #3

   I gotta believe them on this one. how much solid nailing to you think 1/2 OSB is gonna get ya. And, unlike ply over joist, I just don't see that much unified sub-floor with the Dri-cote. If you were sold on real hard wood I 'd go sleeper system. besides you can conpensate for the stairs in Construction .

   Let her rip and let us know how it goes. Mike

1. 
   pvaman | Oct 16, 2004 03:01am | #4

   Thanks Mike. I thought about the nailing issue and figured i'd have to overlay it with 1/4 plywood or something. Now the newbie questions

   sleeper system -- in general i know what sleepers are but in this situation i'm envisioning 2x4's laid on side? then put ?1/2-3/4? inch plywood + felt and then the wood floor. Would that seem about right?

   Compensate for the stairs...you totally lost me on this one ;)

1. 
   Mitremike | Oct 16, 2004 04:29am | #6

   Your right about the sleepers being on edge--you don't nessecarly need the whole 3.5--The idea is to raise the ply above the slab to get insulation or wire etc.

   Consider putting down 6mil poly first and then the sleepers-3/4 ply then rosin or felt. The poly will keep the moisture from the concrete away from the ply and your hardwood. I would still use treated sleepers to avoid problems with a hole in the poly or a major rain creating hydrostatic pressure pushing water under the floor.

   In new construction the rise of the stair is not yet set so you can plan for a 3 or 3.5 floor going in so the last step down is not short--Inspector watch the rise of stair carefully so a short last one is a fer-sure-do-over. Catch ya again. Mike

2. 
   HARDWOODGUY | Oct 16, 2004 09:23pm | #7

   "Anyone have any experience on this topic?"

   I wouldn't attempt any solid bamboo in a basement. Many engineered bamboos have come on the marketplace this year. Several reasons why include--too many using wrong adhesives with solid 3 ply bamboos--cupping issue. And even though nearly every seller says bamboo is stable --don't believe it. Given the right conditions you'll have problems.

   Now there are floating glued longstrip bamboos, click together and the standard five or seven ply engineered with wear layers ranging from one mm up to 4mm. Not all bamboo floors can be floated. Consult manufacturers specs for the real skinny. Cover yourself as others have noted--moisture testing is important.

   Ken Fisher

   More On Bamboo Floors

2. 
   CloudHidden | Oct 16, 2004 03:07am | #5

   I tried to do some of my bamboo as a floater, and wasn't happy with it. It's thick enough that it won't necessarily lie flat, and then it slaps down when you step on it. I'm much happier now that I've glued it all to the slab.