Yeah, I knew what she meant, but if Paul can make silly jokes out of it, so can I :nee:

Go with a floating bamaboo. They are teh shit!!! But hold on to your wallet!

A little justification or explanation never hurt.

You and she both know that freezing is not a huge issue in Ft. Lauderdale.

it is in NY :(

Tom

Why are you getting Bamboo?

The reason I ask is because I'm very interested in Bamboo. I read an article in the current Scientific American that explains a lot about it. It'd be worth it to check it out if you're getting it for the reasons I think.

There are questions you need to ask about Bamboo to ensure you get what you're really after. There are differences in age as well as hardness.

If you're doing it for environmental issues (ie. renewable resource, etc. etc.)....I highly recommend reading the article as it shed a lot of light on that issue as well.

Sorry for the long post.

If you're installing over a slab foundation, floating is the only way to go, no matter where you live.

Installing over wood joists/plywood, I use 2 inch staples and a moisture barrier.

Wood vs. Bamboo vs Laminates:

Wood: Good stuff, but expensive. Oak, Maple, Hickory, and other hardwoods, will last forever, and you can refinish them when you have to. Labor intensive if you do it the "right" way, (lay it down, sand it, seal it). Pre-finished hard woods are the next step down. A little cheaper, and less labor.

Bamboo: Tough, durable, "eco-friendly". Comes pre-finished, and can be re-finished. Purdy. The down side, is that Bamboo is basically a whole bunch of grass strings. If you get a lot of water on it, the water will seep in between the cracks in the boards, and the edges will discolor. The remedy for this, is to seal it after installation, which is a pain in the ass. But, at roughly $2.50 a sq. ft., it's a damn nice floor.

Laminates: I don't like them. Sure, they're relatively inexpensive, they "almost" look like wood (no they don't) and they snap together. Legos also snap together, but I wouldn't make a floor out of them. I dislike them in part, because I'm an elitist carpenter asshole. What I really dislike about them, however, is how they "feel". They move. They're installed over a foam underlayment (in most cases), and it just doesn't "feel" like a floor to me. You can drop a wine glass on a Pergo floor, and it will bounce. Very unsatisfying. If I drop a wine glass, I expect the fucker to break, not mock me for having a nancy-boy floor.

But that's just me.

JC

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.

Damn this Jesus dude is pretty smart.

Most hardwood floors are not recommended for use on concrete subfloors. Engineered wood can be put over cement and are typically all floating floors. The main benefit that laminate has over hardwoods and engineered floors is the durability (and typically price). Its very very hard to scratch a laminate compared to hardwood. But look, sound and feel, the hardwood is a lot nicer.

btw this wll be directly on a cement slab.

What did you expect from the son of a carpenter?