Bamboo Flooring

[timmy67]

Unfortunately I am pressed for time and cannot do a full search so I am asking for help. We are currently doing a remodel on our 1984 Soverign which includes ripping up the carpet and replacing it with something better. My wife has suggested bamboo which we both love. However, the bamboo she brought home to look at is actual hardwood and I'm afraid that there may not have enough flex in it as you travel. Any and all thoughts are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Tim

[Lisa D]

This is a great question re: flooring. I am refurbishing a unit and have been looking at the bamboo flooring by Foundation Flooring from Green Depo in NYC ( I am using all non-toxic materials). You may want to contact them re: the flexibility of the product. I need to know that too. Thanks Lisa

[truckasaurus]

Hi Tim

I'd skip the solid bamboo, it's an interesting material, but being similar to wood (it's a grass) it may expand and contract too much for your application. Going from a very dry Edmonton climate to somewhere more humid will have that floor shifting over time.

Also as you point out it will be less flexible than other alternatives. To get around the flexibility problem maybe try bamboo as an engineered material (like plywood). Installed as a floating floor it may work better, you could even try the HDF backed variant, it's tested immersed in water for quite some time and is used in renos of the big motor homes, but it's still heavy stuff.

I have installed bamboo with staples (2") and like typical 3/4" hardwood this works great in a climate controlled home but going down a road, that would be something I wouldn't try.

For my own project I'm keen on Marmoleum or cork sheet which is ironic considering I am a hardwood installer...

[marvin-r]

bamboo is a new choice in flooring. It's ecologically friendly, with the beauty of traditional wooden flooring, plus simple laminate-like installation.



scottsdale floor covering

[cameront120]

Think of the added weight to your trailer. I'd rather give that over to supplies.

[Roadrunner]

I stopped just today at Lowe's to see what they had in bamboo flooring. We are in the process of replacing the floor in our 78 Ambassador. The floating floor style should work fine. It is flexible and should hold up. We are probably going to go with cork rather than bamboo. Both are only about 3/8" thick...that should address the weight issue. Perhaps someone in the forum would share pictures of their bamboo/cork floors.

Bob

[Area63]

Originally Posted by HarleyLeo101

I stopped just today at Lowe's to see what they had in bamboo flooring. We are in the process of replacing the floor in our 78 Ambassador. The floating floor style should work fine. It is flexible and should hold up. We are probably going to go with cork rather than bamboo. Both are only about 3/8" thick...that should address the weight issue. Perhaps someone in the forum would share pictures of their bamboo/cork floors.

Bob

I have used cork flooring in several client projects. Pics are on my website.
The flooring in my favorite trailer, the 1963 Overlander, has held up extremely well over the years. It's been to Baja, bicycle events, beaches, mountains, desert and cities. So far, it appears to be a near perfect flooring material for a mobile environment. Cork Rocks!

[Mexray]

We used the Prego Indian Tigerwood laminate flooring - it's foam backed, and 'floats' over the subfloor...Here some pics - post #91
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f461...r-41785-2.html

I installed the flooring over a year ago, and have been very happy with the results...

Side note: in one of the pic's you can see our original plaid gaucho...I didn't lay the flooring beneath the gaucho...so a couple of months ago, we decided to rip out the old, dated gaucho and replace it with a futon from Ikea (Ikea has several mattress upgrades and several colors of slip covers - neat!)

I cleaned up the now exposed subfloor and went back to Lowes for another box of Prego...only to find they don't sell this pattern any more!!...kind of nicked me off, as they had this pattern as part of their ongoing displays...anyway, after much effort with a couple of their flooring 'experts', I found in a catalog a pattern called plain 'Tigerwood', which looked real close, and they ordered me a box - I figured you can't see much of it anyway under the futon, and as long as it was close it would be OK...well after a week or so it comes in and the pattern is identical with ours, even though they've dropped the 'Indian' part of the name...go figure...

We went with a dark blue slip cover for the futon, as our AS is named 'Blue Halo'...I had an auto upholstery make me up some wall cover pads, similar to the old plaid panels behind the gaucho, and for the wall paneling next to each of the twin beds...looks good with the Tigerwood Prego flooring, as well...

Here's some pics after changing the gaucho...color is kind of washed out in these pics taken on a bright day...the panel by the twin bed is a better color match...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f39/...day-53065.html

The cat is also happy with the new gaucho....

[surfpod]

Originally Posted by Area63

I have used cork flooring in several client projects. Pics are on my website.
The flooring in my favorite trailer, the 1963 Overlander, has held up extremely well over the years. It's been to Baja, bicycle events, beaches, mountains, desert and cities. So far, it appears to be a near perfect flooring material for a mobile environment. Cork Rocks!

I am also thinking of using cork for my floor. What would be a good source for this material?

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by surfpod

I am also thinking of using cork for my floor. What would be a good source for this material?

Any store that sells hardwood flooring will likely have some form of cork flooring on offer. Check your local retailers, I'm sure they will each carry a different line, so you can see what your options are.

[pgr32e]

Cork. It's been down about two years now, so -30C to +30C winter, summer. Seems to be holding up well. It was supposed to be floating but I glued it down and I'm pleased with the results............Phil.

[Globie64]

Originally Posted by Lisa D

This is a great question re: flooring. I am refurbishing a unit and have been looking at the bamboo flooring by Foundation Flooring from Green Depo in NYC ( I am using all non-toxic materials). You may want to contact them re: the flexibility of the product. I need to know that too. Thanks Lisa

I think cork is great, I used it in my kitchen and bought enough to do the trailer. I did the glue down squares, which required a contact cement, a complete pain. I would recommend the floating versions, but make sure there is a decent thickness cork layer, like 1/8" or more. I wonder how flexible the flooring needs to be- I don't think your trailer is going to move that much, the issue is more the installation and vibration. If it's a snap together floating floor you might have issues where the tongue and groove fit together. I'd glue it down, and the glue might give something of a vapor barrier between the playwood subfloor and the flooring. As for green, vocs and offgassing, manufacturers should provide voc numbers and such to determine what is in what you're buying. I used Am Cork (Cameron, was it you that turned me on to this?) This place has a list of flooring and other products that are green and durable. ecohaus, green building, interior finish supplies

Peter

[howco]

cork, glue it down......

[Stanley29]

How many folks are laying down the floor before the cabinets are put it?

[Robert24341]

I always liked the flooring that Airstream puts in their Land Yacht model. It looks like strips of Teak with a light color caulk in between the strips. It's supposed to look like the deck of a expensive yacht. I think it's actually a vinyl material.