Green Shoots Blog
With customers in locations such as Hawaii, Arizona, and beyond, a common question we get here at Cali Bamboo is how our flooring holds up in extreme climates. Because bamboo is a natural product, it will expand as it absorbs humidity and shrink as the air grows drier. The key to avoiding wood floor gaps and distortion, even in the most extreme climates, is to properly acclimate the flooring prior to installation.
Our dealer Nate McVay of Renew Bamboo has successfully installed dozens of Cali Bamboo floors in Reno, Nevada. Reno experiences all kinds of weather from dry, hot summers, to wet, snowy winters, and everything in between, but Nate has never had a problem with gaps and distortion because he acclimates all his flooring for at least two weeks before installation. Like we said, acclimation is essential to avoiding wood floor gapping, and ensuring that your flooring looks absolutely perfect!
We know you might be tempted to install your bamboo as soon as it arrives, but we cannot stress enough the importance of allowing it to acclimate to your climate so that your beautiful new flooring does not expand, shrink, or distort. We recommend acclimating your flooring for a bare minimum of 5 days, but locations with extremely low or high humidity can require 2 weeks or longer.
We have a cabin in Northern Wisconsin. We don’t use it much in the winter but when we do the room is usually heated by a Franklin stone. We had put down vinyl plank tile but it appears that in the area closest to the stove it warped. There is ceramic directly underneath the stove. For the 20 years prior we had an engineered floor that held up pretty well despite being a “cheap” construction. In the summer it is a very humid climate as it is on a lake. We have lots of wet dogs and kids in and out. Lastly, the soil is basically sand so we are concerned with that damaging the surface as it is easily tracked in as well. Is there a product that you would recommend in this example?
Hi Kim,
Do you happen to know what the core of the vinyl plank was? WPC or SPC? SPC core should be pretty indifferent to moisture and changing temps. All flooring can scratch, and sand is trouble. Only thing to do is keep them swept.
Hello, We have a townhouse (built in 1974) in Anchorage Alaska and want to install the Bordeaux Fossilized Click flooring. Is this the appropriate product or should we consider something else? Your map doesn’t cover Alaska and I’d like to know about acclimation times and if underlayment is necessary. We’re considering a self install and we’d like to free float the flooring. Thank you.
Hi Steve! Our bamboo floors have been installed in every state! You just have to make sure to take the proper precautions during your installation process. I’ll go ahead and connect you with our team for more information. 🙂
I installed Cali Bamboo flooring in my home back in April 2020. I acclimated the floor for about a month before installing. The humidity level fell to about 20% and now I have one spot, in a doorway, where the floor came apart (about 1/2 inch). About a month ago, I had a humidifier installed and now the humidity is about 45%. I am assuming the floor will absorb the moisture and expand. My question is “what are the chances the floor expands and allows the floor to come back together”? I can put T-mold to cover this but want to wait to see if the floor will come back together. Thank you
Hi Kelly,
I had the same thing happen at the door of my son’s room. It’s unlikely the humidifier alone will fix the issue. It may move back into place when things warm up and humidity levels naturally increase, but I didn’t want to live with a gap till then so I ended up getting a t-molding, cutting the bottom off and sticking it down double stick floor adhesive. That was five years ago, and I haven’t thought about it since, actually, that’s a lie, my son once used the t-molding as a jump for these rip-racer cars, that was pretty fun.
Hello. We are considering bamboo flooring in our second story of our Hawaii home. One of the dealers stated that we should be considering engineered vs solid due to the temp and humidity here in Hawaii. Can you confirm this? Also, I would like to run the flooring from the bedroom into the hall for a total distance of 27’. Can I do this in a single run with a floating floor? If not what is the maximum distance I can run a floating floor.
Hi Carson,
Yes, engineered is more tolerant of moisture fluctuations. I would also recommend going with engineered flooring. If the doorway separating the rooms is 3 feet or less you’ll need to break them apart with a t-molding. For spans over 30 feet we recommend additional expansion space (approximately 1/16” for every ten (10) feet beyond 30 feet). Acclimate engineered flooring by opening the ends of the carton for 2-3 days prior to installation. More details here: https://www.calibamboo.com/flooring-acclimation/#engineered
Hello, we are considering engineered bamboo flooring for a few rooms on our main level (an office, 2 living rooms & a bedroom), we love how durable bamboo is since we have kids & pets. We live in dry Utah though, & our home humidity is usually somewhere in the 30’s, maybe occasionally 40 at highest, & sometimes dips into high 20’s for a short time when it’s extra cold. So overall, between the highs and lows, it’s within a 15% range. We’ve been told by other places in order for bamboo flooring to work here, we’d have to have a whole home humidifier, or run a humidifier 24/7 in those rooms. If we acclimated it for 2-3 weeks before install, would engineered bamboo really require the constant extra humidity to prevent seam gapping or other damage? Or, during that acclimation time, could the flooring boards warp even before install because of dryness? Also, what time of year would you recommend installing it in a dry climate? (We were thinking spring, so it’s not the most or least driest time?)
Hi Shellee,
Engineered Bamboo will definitely hold up to an active home with lots of kids and pets! In dry zones you may experience a bit of shrinkage between seasons. For engineered flooring, we recommend opening the ends of the boxes including any plastic wrap that may be over the planks (do not open boxes completely) and let the boxes sit for a few days prior to installation. I recommend you give our team of experts a call at 1(888) 788-2254. They would be happy to go over your specific questions and help you figure out the best time of the year to install and whether or not you would need a humidifier year-round.
I am in Tierra Verde, Florida. We are interested in the engineered fossilized bamboo flooring. It will be float installed over ceramic tile with 1/4” grout lines. Also the 3600 sq ft floor is 10’ up above a garage of the same square footage. Other than climatizing , and a moisture barrier is there anything else we should be concerned about?
Hi Cynthia,
Since there are grout lines, you’ll want to use an underlayment. Our Cali Complete is perfect and if you use the metallic seal tape it’s an effective moisture barrier too. Other than the couple days of acclimation (open box ends, do not remove from cartons), make sure to be mindful of your expansion gaps around all fixed objects, oh, and avoid extremely heavy furniture on floated floors. Have you watched this video on Floating Floor Tips? It covers a lot of great points.
Hello!
I live in phx Arizona and am curious about engineered bamboo! If I were to have it installed right now going in December how do you think it would hold up come Arizona summer? It’s a floating floor and 100% waterproof. Is there an oil you recommend or any steps I can do to ensure it lasts and looks perfect? There would be an underpayment with a moisture barrier as well. Thank you!
Hi Krysten,
Arizona is super dry so you may experience a bit of shrinkage between seasons. For engineered flooring, we recommend opening the ends of the boxes including any plastic wrap that may be over the planks (do not open boxes completely) and let the boxes sit for a few days prior to installation. Since winter is even drier than the summer, go ahead and leave the recommended expansion space around all fixed objects. I don’t know who told you engineered bamboo is 100% waterproof, that is not accurate. You’re going to want to clean up spills as soon as possible, and never wet mob bamboo floors, instead only give them a light misting of Bona Professional Hardwood Floor Cleaner and clean with a damp Swiffer type microfiber pad. Don’t use any solutions other than Bona on engineered bamboo and do not steam bamboo. If your subfloor is concrete, you’ll need a moisture barrier which is something that blocks the moisture in the concrete slab from reaching the wood flooring. Some underlayments like Cali Complete become a moisture barrier when you use the metallic seal tape. Other moisture barriers such as Titebond 531+ roll on like paint and dry quickly. Either product is acceptable, but it must say “moisture barrier” not “moisture protection” or any other variant of that. Best of luck and be sure to send us photos before, during and after.
Eastern NC here. RH in the house ranges between 45 & 60%. The weather goes from dry to wet to super wet to dry and back in the course of a week. We allowed 8 days to acclimate. It’s been down just a few days now and I’m concerned by reading some horrifying reviews.
We have the 1/2” gap all around. We do have a China cabinet in our dining room. What are our chances of us having a critical failure here? We have the Java Fossilized model no. 7006003800.
We bought your product because we were under the impression that it was made under the highly regulated guidelines of the California standard in regards to VOCs. I see it’s made in China. Go figure. Are we going to have problems with this stuff?
Hi Brad,
Well done on the 8 days of acclimation and a 1/2″expansion gap, these efforts help ensure your flooring has adjusted to its new home and there is room to grow. Like all wood flooring, it will expand and contract a bit with seasonal change and that 1/2″ gap ensures there is room to expand if needed. While the heavy china cabinet is an issue, it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, the weight of the cabinet is likely pinning the floor to the ground there so all expansion or contraction will be visible along the opposite wall. This video does a good job explaining it. I have a similar situation in my home and the only issue I have is during very dry times I can see a small gap between the floor and my baseboard. When the humidity rises again it goes away. I’ve purchased quarter round molding to add to the bottom of the baseboard but I still haven’t installed it 2 years later…The only situation where it could be a big issue is if the flooring flows from one room to another without a break. As the flooring expands or contracts it could come in contact with a doorframe or wall causing separation or buckling. Since your flooring is already down, just keep an eye on it and try to identify spots that could cause problems. Acclimation and the expansion gap should be enough for you to avoid trouble. Keep in touch, we’re always here to help if you need it.
Best,
My husband’s heart is set on bamboo flooring for our bathroom renovation, so I am looking online for alternatives after the local flooring guy said bamboo wouldn’t be feasible. We live in coastal Rhode Island, and don’t have central air. Our home is very humid in the summer and very dry in the winter. I just ordered a sample of the GeoWood bamboo. According to your replies here, am I correct in thinking this might work? And that fall, with less humidity, would be the best time to install it, after 2 weeks or so of acclimation? Thanks for your help — this is a very informative page.
Hi Janet,
Solid bamboo may not be the best choice for a small bathroom. Engineered bamboo is a bit more moisture tolerant and could work, but GeoWood is absolutely the best option out of the three. GeoWood is very stable, has a waterproof core and real bamboo on top. The fourth option would be vinyl, it’s the safest option being 100% waterproof and we even have several colors that look like bamboo. If he definitely wants real bamboo than GeoWood is the way to go, if he’s open to a more affordable “bamboo look” than vinyl would be a great choice. Either way, I would call us at 1(888)788-2254 and get some free samples sent to you so you can feel the difference and make a better-informed decision.
Best,
Was disheartened as I was set on the fossilized Mocha. I was told by local vendor to NOT purchase bamboo in CO because it will buckle. Please tell me I can make this work.
Hi Monica,
So here’s the deal. If you love the Mocha Fossilized color, you can install the solid product, but you’ll need to make sure to acclimate for at a minimum 10 days prior to installation, use appropriate underlayments/moisture barriers and leave 1/2″ expansion space around all fixed objects. Lastly, you’ll want to use transition pieces like t-moldings to break up rooms and long runs over 30 feet. People who experience buckling have failed to do one or more of these things.
Engineered flooring is a bit more tolerant to changes in humidity and we offer Mocha Fossilized in an engineered format.
I hope this clears up some confusion for you, let me know if you have any other questions.
I’m looking for a cool looking solution for my garage ceiling in central Virginia. The drywall seams crack and I would love to install a bamboo plank over the current drywall ceiling. I’ll let the planks acclimate as long as possible (a month would be no problem if necessary) and I’m considering using either black or brass screws to face secure the planks for both a cool look and an easier install above my head. Will the bamboo take the wide temp and humidity range without getting wonky (sorry to use technical terms)? Cheers
Hi Bruce,
I wouldn’t trust my ability to secure all that flooring to the ceiling and be brave enough to park my car under it. I would suggest using something lightweight like peel and stick linoleum or vinyl. We have vinyl plus and cork plank flooring that is fairly lightweight. Keep in mind, installing on the ceiling is not covered by the warranty and should be done at your own risk. Sure would look cool though!
How do you navigate a long run over 30 feet down a hallway? Also, live in CO.
Hi Jessica,
If you are floating, you can either break the flooring with a t-molding. If you want a continuous run you’ll need to nail or glue down.
We are in Georgia and my husband is in love with the Cali-bamboo fossilized java for our floors. That said, we have a crawl space below house and extremely high humidity. Us this feasible? A couple flooring guys said it was a bad idea and one wouldn’t even give us quote on installing. Obviously we would need two week acclimation and a vapor seal. If we do these things will this flooring work? He has already purchased but got spooked. Thanks!
While it’s possible, you’re certainly going to want to follow the instructions for the method you choose very closely. Make sure to acclimate in the installation space for at least 10 days prior, and allow 1/2″ expansion space around all fixed objects. The one thing I was going to say before you mentioned you had already purchased is I would get the engineered Java, it’s a bit more tolerant to humidity fluctuations vs the solid bamboo.
Is this a safe floor to use in 3 season rooms? I live in New England and I am concerned about the exposure to extreme temperature changes.
Hi Derik,
While none of our products are warranted in 3 season rooms, many people have used our waterproof Cali Vinyl for this purpose.
We are looking at installing Bourbon Barrel Bamboo over concrete. We live in Flora, Ms. What would the acclimation process be? Also, after doing some research on the web we have concerns about the floors being scratched easily. Would large dogs/barstools moving, etc scratch the floors? And one more…carbonization. Is flooring with the darker colors not as hard as the lighter ones? Thanks so much!
Hi Kristi,
I love Bourbon Barrel too. If I were you, I’d get the Engineered plank and I would seal the slab with Titebond 531+ first, then float it, or you could glue it down with Titebond 821.
Engineered flooring is easy to acclimate, just open the box ends for a few days before you install. The solid flooring is the one that requires making the acclimation stack and letting it sit for 10 days or more.
Pet owners love our flooring and swear by its hardness and scratch resistance. No wood floor is scratch proof but most scratches that do occur are superficial ones to the topcoat that can be easily concealed with a color-matched touch-up marker. As a rule, lighter colored floors tend to hide scratches and pet hair better than dark floors. Bourbon Barrel does have some distressing giving it a rustic look that will also help hide wear and tear. Check out this video one of our customers made after 3 years on his Cali Bamboo floors.
Logic would lead you to think that the carbonizing process would somehow lower the hardness, but we just don’t see a connection between hardness and carbonization. Antique Java is carbonized and tested as one of our hardest colors.
Hope this helps,
Walker
Hi, i’m in the St. Louis MO area and with the humidity changes here from summer to winter Im really concerned about the changing seasons. I have a train humidifier and have been work with it to see if i can maintain 40 plus % humidity. It has been very cold over the last month or 2 and it seems hard to get about 40%. It really stays about 33 to 35ish. We have been talking with someone from cali bamboo and ready to go just a little nervous spending all the money if its not going to last. We just love the Vintage Port tongue amd groove nail down but??? What’s your thoughts?
Hi Mike,
The Vintage Port is stunning no doubt. I’m glad to hear you are doing your homework and asking a lot of questions before jumping in, it’s a big decision. First off, the janka hardness and aluminum oxide finish on our solid bamboo floors is second to none, and I’m more than confident it will outperform your expectations. Have you received your free sample yet? Get one of those first and put it thru some real-world abuse and you’ll see what I’m talking about. That said, the only real concern I have is the swings in temp and humidity in your area. Solid bamboo, like any solid hardwood, will expand and contract as the seasons change. Fear not, there’s a whole slew of things you can do to ensure the movement won’t cause any issues for you. First, acclimate. Acclimate the flooring for a minimum of 10 days in the installation area. This will get the planks ready for their new home. Next, use a moisture barrier if you are installing over concrete. If you’re nailing down to a wood subfloor, you won’t need an underlayment or moisture barrier, but regardless of how you install it, you’ll want to leave 1/2″ expansion spaces around any fixed objects like walls and door frames. Floors tend to move less that are nailed or glued down. Lastly, engineered flooring is more resistant to temp and RH fluctuations too, and lucky for you, we have Vintage Port in an engineered option, so I’d probably go with that. Make sure your installer follows our installation guidelines and you’ll be all good. Here’s a video that’s more for floated installs but explains floor movement really well. If you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best,
Thank you so much for the help, I would have no problem with the engineered if it was made In nail down?? Im thinking with the lay out of our house and with covering several rooms its probably best to stay with nail down over the plywood subfloor.. Any other suggestions?
Hi Mike,
Just realized I linked to the wrong thing in my original response. Unfortunately, the engineered Vintage Port is click-lock and cannot be nailed down. You could still do solid though, you’ll just want to make sure your installer follows all of the guidelines. Lastly, we do have a color called Malibu in engineered which is very similar to Port.
Mike: I installed 1500 s/f of 5/8 x 3-1/2 x 4’ sold bamboo flooring in Urbana IL in 2006. In the five years that we owned the home we had absolutely no problem with expansion/contraction. This was installed on a new build with a full poured concrete basement. We left the home open in the Spring and fall and during the more moderate periods of the summer.
I realize an anecdote s not the singular of data but thought I would share our experience.
Thanks Doug I appreciate the info it really helps. Was it nail down or floating?
It was nailed down.
I live in Nampa ID and have 2 dogs. I’m looking for a nail down flooring for this climate that’s scratch resistant enough for dogs, but am concerned about buckling. It will be going over a wood subfloor, Just starting my search.
Hi Steve,
I’d go with Fossilized engineered TG flooring. The Fossilized beauty layer is ultra-hard and will resist claw marks with ease, while the cross-layered engineered construction makes it moisture tolerant and stable as the seasons change. Be sure to get the T&G milled product so you can nail it down.
Hello,
I am interested on purchasing the vintage port engineered bamboo flooring. Are their any installers you recommend in the metro Atlanta, GA area?
Thanks In Advance!
J
Hi Jacqueline,
I’m sure if you give us a call one of our green building experts can find an installer in your area familiar with installing our products. 1(888)788-2254
We just received our solid bamboo fossilized wide T/G flooring and are starting the acclimation period. We live in the Minneapolis area and have multiple different seasons. We have a central air and an april aire humidifier. We currently have a maple floor that we are tearing out to install the bamboo. We didnt have any issues with movement in the maple floors. We plan on nailing down the solid floor to a plywood subfloor. How long do you suggest acclimation? Do i need to apply a roll on moisture barrier or can i use felt paper or both? I will be installing myself. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated, Thanks
Hi Chad,
I would acclimate in the home for 10 days minimum, if your schedule allows longer, go longer. I’m assuming it’s rather dry and cold right now so be sure and allow room for a bit of expansion when the warm, humid summer comes. We recommend 1/2″ around all fixed objects. Since you are nailing down this movement should be minimal, but plan for it all the same. As for underlayment, a felt or red rosin paper is just fine over a wood subfloor.
Do you have any recommendations or experience with the treehouse fossilized wide t&g being installed into travel trailers? We live in Wyoming where there can be large and rapid temperature changes and were wondering if acclimating the floor to the best of our ability depending on the time of year, and floating the floor would be enough to accommodate those changes. We also have two large dogs and it would be exposed to some heavy wear and tear during certain parts of the year. We love the style and look of this type of flooring, but do want to consider the fact that it may not be the best option. Can you give us any recommendations or tips/tricks for this type of situation?
Treehouse is my favorite color too. While people do put solid flooring in trailers and campers, you’re right, it’s probably not the best choice. Between the temperature fluctuations, dirt and grit everywhere and the simple fact that it’s really heavy, there’s plenty of reasons not to choose real wood. I know what it’s like to finally find the perfect color though, nothing else seems right. As far as expansion goes, since it’s a fairly small space you should be fine with 1/4″ to 1/2″ expansion around all fixed objects. Maybe consider glueing down?
If you wanted to play it safe, then our vinyl flooring would certainly look nice and hold up to any adventure. Another option would be cork flooring and we have a similar color called driftwood that may be close enough to Treehouse. Best of luck in your search, if you do happen to go with Cali bamboo, please send us photos I’d like to see them.
Walker
I was told that your solid product tends to warp here in Hawaii and was encouraged to install your hybrid/engineered flooring. Can you comment on this?
I intend to install on a plywood subfloor on the second floor with nail down installation.
If pre-installation steps are not followed very carefully it’s true, solid wood and bamboo flooring can expand in extremely humid environments like Hawaii. To successfully install solid flooring, you will need to acclimate for 2-3 weeks prior to installation, use appropriate moisture barriers and give extra space for expansion especially when floating the floor. While solid flooring can be done in Hawaii, the risk of something going wrong is greater so to lower that risk we recommend engineered, Geowood or vinyl products. Since you plan to nail down over plywood, T&G engineered is your only option.
I will acclimate bamboo in upper 90° temps in Idaho. How does summer acclimation protect against sever cold winters affecting bamboo?
So while temperature plays a small role, humidity is the real factor that affects expansion/contraction. I was looking at Idaho’s average annual humidity and it’s opposite of Southern California. You have high humidity in the colder months and drier summers. If you acclimate during dry conditions, you’ll want to plan for some expansion come winter, especially if you plan to float the floor. This video covers all the basics.role
I have the fossilized Bammboo flooring. It was acclimated properly before it was installed. It is now cupping. What is the problem?
Hi Rosie,
90% of cupping is due to wet mopping the floor. We recommend lightly spraying Bona Professional Floor cleaner and damp mopping with a swiffer type microfiber pad. Moisture on a newly mopped floor should evaporate within 1 minute. If it takes longer, your mop is too wet. If you don’t wet mop, then there’s an underlying moisture issue at play. What is your subfloor? How was the flooring installed? Watch this video, it covers common cupping sources and what can be done. If you’re still not sure what the issue can be, contact our service department at [email protected] and one of our service reps can help you narrow it down.
How long should I acclimate installing July in Georgia. Is 1 week enough?
Hi Craig,
I would acclimate for 10 days. Looks like you guys are heading into warm, humid months so you could experience some shrinkage come winter. If you’re floating, make sure to plan for this. Here’s a video that covers it in detail.
What would you say about an unheated cabin in Alaska? Temps in winter are down to -60, and up to as high as 90 in the summer?
Hi Seth,
This is a good breakdown of our flooring products’ tolerance to extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations.
1) Cali Vinyl
2) GeoWood (coming 3/26)
3) Engineered Bamboo
4) Cork Flooring
5) Solid Bamboo/Eucalyptus
Thanks Walker,
We have sheet vinyl in another place and it cracked in about 6 different spots last year. Is this glue down sheets of vinyl? What is the difference between the pro and the plus?
Thanks,
Seth
This is not sheet vinyl, it’s in a click-lock plank format about 7″x 48″. It lays more like hardwood flooring and can be floated or glued down. The Plus is $3.99/sqft and has a bamboo composite core and features a built-in cork underlayment making it a bit more comfortable. The Pro is $3.49/sqft and has a limestone composite core making it even more moisture resistant, but should be paired with an underlayment, like Cali Complete, as the GeoCore is quite hard.
We have also had other people up here that have had problem with the luxury vinyl planks separating at the seams when they went into colder months.
We haven’t had any issues with our vinyl, but the GeoCore Pro is extremely stable even with extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations.
I need to order the underlayment for floating install. what do you recommend and can I order from this website. I love in Florida where it is quite humid
Cali Complete, it’s available here: https://www.calibamboo.com/floor-installation-supplies.html
I live in central NJ in Somerset county. Is there a particular season (summer, spring, winter, fall) to buy solid bamboo that optimizes the 2 to 3 week acclimation period?
Hi Mel,
We recommend acclimating between seasonal extremes when possible.
We live in the Midwest (Iowa), and are looking at installing Natural Fossilized Wide Click Bamboo in our upper level (think converted attic space) master suite. The biggest concern we have after all of our research and reading is the dramatic temperature and humidity swings in that space. We do have central air and a whole house humidifier, but in the summer, it gets sweltering up there if the window AC unit is not running, and in the winter, we typically use a space heater and electric blankets. I feel like this may be too large of a spectrum to expose this bamboo flooring to, as compared to a traditional hardwood type floor. Can anyone confirm or debunk this amateur opinion? Thoughts? Anything?
Hi Kelly,
Yes, your concerns are real, but apply to all solid flooring not just bamboo. In extremely dry or humid climates, it can do unexpected things or it can do nothing at all, we’ve seen plenty of both happen and proper acclimation can minimize it. If you find yourself in one of these areas, I would look at our Engineered bamboo flooring, it’s specifically designed for these situations. You’ll lose some of the Janka hardness that the solid flooring is known for but you’ll gain peace of mind knowing the floor is less likely to expand or contract season to season.
Best,
Would it be okay to install this flooring over ceramic tile? I live in the plains of Colorado with low humidity.
Hi Diane,
You can float the flooring over the tile, but we’d recommend a moisture barrier to protect the hardwood. Cali Complete with the seam tape will give you complete moisture protection and add some comfort and sound/thermal insulation.
Diane, what did you decide to do. We are looking at this solid bamboo and live in Denver, CO. Did you have success?
What is your success rate for places like Las Vegas or Phoenix? You cite Reno, but Reno is like Salt Lake City or Boise and not a desert location. I can acclimate flooring for six months if necessary. I can give a 1.5 inch expansion perimeter. If I install in summer, when the material should be at its most expansive, I can leave a half inch perimeter and allow for one inch shrinkage. My room is 28×38 feet. Please advise.
Hi Chandler,
First off, thank you for understanding the importance of acclimation! Hugely underestimated by most homeowners. Phoenix is very dry, I lived there for 25 years. Shrinkage is going to be your concern, not so much expansion unless you have a moisture problem. For solid bamboo or eucalyptus (or any hardwood for that matter), 2 weeks acclimation is the minimum, but I’d acclimate for 3 or 4 if possible. Make that hashtag shaped (#) stack with the planks and stack it on a pallet in the middle of the room under your normal living conditions. Maybe avoid the late summer monsoon season when acclimating, as that’s really the only time of year relative humidity gets up there and stays high. If you want to skip all the acclimation, and we have the color you like in our Engineered line, I’d lean this direction as engineered products tend to resist expansion and contraction more than solid flooring. Reno is technically high desert and gets just as miserable as Phoenix in the summer (sorry, I’m a total weather snob since I moved to San Diego) we went there in early September to shoot that video, never again. Sorry about the rant. So back to flooring. Did you have an installation method in mind? Nailing or glueing down the flooring will give you that “solid” flooring experience but it fights contraction and you can end up with gaps between planks that are impossible to correct. Floating the floor has that unfortunate “hollow” flooring feeling that only some people mind, but it has the advantage of working with expansion. You may only see gaps at the perimeter of the floor which can be easily concealed with a quarter round, problem solved. Floating is also easier if you plan to install it yourself. I hope my ramblings have been useful, I can get into greater detail on anything you may have more questions about. Best of luck to you Chandler on your new flooring adventure!
Walker