Life Bamboo Strand Woven Bamboo Onyx Brushed & Lacquered Solid Flooring

Strand woven bamboo flooring is visually stunning and adds a beautiful, natural touch to any home. It has a highly distinctive grain and resembles the look of other traditional hardwoods like oak without being as costly to the environment. Strand woven bamboo flooring materials are created by compacting bamboo strands together which are then pressed and flattened under high pressure with a low VOC adhesive. The result is a solid plank that is nearly twice as dense as oak and regular bamboo flooring. 

Each of the planks has bevelled edges (V Grooves) on all four sides resulting in very distinctive groove between the planks, adding more depth and dimension along with giving an individual definition to each plank. Before applying the finish, the surface of the bamboo is roller brushed to remove some of the softer summer growth rings from the grain; this gives a naturally textured surface that gently highlights the natural grain structure. The floor is prefinished with a very durable satin lacquer which leaves the floor with an even sheen that gently reflects the light. The lacquer also gives great protection to the bamboo strand itself and allows for a easier cleaning and maintenance.

All solid wood flooring can react to the presence of moisture. In the winter when the home has the central heating on, moisture can leave the wood, while in the summer months when the humidity is higher, the wood will absorb moisture, this is all a natural process.

Nearly all problems related to solid wood flooring are due to improper installation and exposure to excessive moisture in the concrete sub floor or hummidity. If there is too much moisture it will cause the wood planks to cup, or buckle. This is why it is important when installing that you follow the correct recommended installation methods.

On concrete sub-floors we always recommend to install a surface DPM (damp proof membrane) such as Mapeiproof ESM prior to installation, this applies to both new and old floors. 

Also note that new concrete slabs require a minimum of 60 days drying time before covering them with a wood floor, please always test the moisture of a new concrete sub-floor in several random places to ensure it is suitable to be laid on.

Prior to installation a solid wood flooring must be acclimatised to reach its equilibrium. The product should be left in the room it is going to be laid in at normal room temperature for 10-14 days prior to installation.

Solid Wood Floors can be installed several ways:

Fully Glued Down

Floated on Fast Fit Peel and Stick Underlay (Only up to 150mm widths)

Nail/ Screw Down Installations

Fully Glued Down Installations

All Concrete sub-floors must be dry, smooth, level and free of structural defects. If the concrete sub floor is uneven we recommend using a self levelling compound to level the subfloor out. The concrete must also be free of paint, oil, existing adhesives, wax, grease, dirt and curing compounds. These may be removed chemically or mechanically, but do not use solvent-based strippers under any circumstances. The use of residual solvents can prohibit the satisfactory bond of flooring adhesives. It is important to ensure a proper bond between the adhesives and concrete and wood panels.

You can nail down a solid wood floor over a concrete subfloor with the use of battens. A damp proof membrane sheet must first be laid over the concrete subfloor before the battens are laid out at centres of 450mm. The battens must be a minimum of 40mm in depth to avoid them bowing. The solid wood floor can then be nailed down as described above If you have a wooden subfloor you will need to lay a 1/2" plywood base over this before installation, this will then give you a smooth and level surface for you to install you wood flooring onto.

Another important consideration in using glue-down installation is your choice of adhesives as some are only suitable for floors up to a small width. To avoid warranty issues and the possibility of future problems we recommend Mapei Ultrabond P990 1K which you trowel out to fully bond to the subfloor. Alternatively you can use Mapei Ultrabond P990 1K Sausage adhesive which is applied with an applicator gun to run beads of adhesive on the subfloor at 150mm intervals, this is easier for DIY

Floating On An Adhesive Backed Underlay

You can also install a solid hardwood flooring over a concrete subfloor by floating it on an adhesive backed underlay such as Fast Fit Peel & Stick Underlay, this has adhesive on one side which the solid wood floor is laid onto. Before you lay down the underlay you will need to first lay a 1000 gauge sheet of damp proof membrane

Nailed Down Installations

Nailed down installation is the traditional way to install solid wood floors and can be done either directly onto wooden subfloor or on a concrete subfloor with the use of battens.

Solid wood floors can be nailed into existing wooden subfloors such as floorboards or plywood but not into chipboard floors as these are not strong enough to hold the nails. The floorboards must be in good condition and level if not it is advisable to lay 1/2" plywood down first. For added soundproofing it is also advisable to use a poly-foam underlay such barrier underlay

When you nail down a solid wood floor you use a Porta-Nailer to drive a nail at a 30 degree angle through the tongue and into the subfloor. Porta-Nailers can be hired from any good hire shop.

A new alternative to this is the new Elka Tongue Tite Screws these have been specially designed for use with tongue & groove wood flooring. Each pack covers 10m2 and comes with a special drill bit that fits any standard electric drill or screwdriver.

Installing onto Battens

You can nail down a solid wood floor over a concrete subfloor with the use of battens. A damp proof membrane sheet must first be laid over the concrete subfloor before the battens are laid out at centres of 450mm. The battens must be a minimum of 40mm in depth to avoid them bowing. The solid wood floor can then be nailed down as described above.

This is a brief guide on installation solid wood flooring always refer to the manufactures installation guides in the packs of the flooring. Or visit our Flooring Manufactures Installations Guides

If you require any further advice on installation then please call our technical department on 0845 263 6586, e-mail us on info@ukflooringdirect.co.uk or click the Live Help Button at the top of the page.

In order to ensure lasting satisfaction from your new lacquered floor, it is important to correctly care for the floor starting immediately after installation. With the right care, the lacquered floor will maintain a fresh, clean new looking surface with a subtle sheen.

All the products related to maintaining this flooring will be available to purchase at very competitive prices after you have selected your flooring and added to the basket.

General After-Care Cleaning

Normal cleaning to remove surface debris is accomplished using a broom or vacuum cleaner. To remove normal stains and non-loose dirt, the floor should be cleaned with the Easy Clean Lacquered Flooring Cleaning Spray. This easy to use spray is ideal for hectic homes which need a quick cleaning solution - simply spray evenly across the floor, allow a minute to work on any stubborn marks and simply mop over. We recommend the use of the Easy Care Aluminium Micro Fibre Mop.

Cleaning Extremely Dirty Floors

If the floor has been neglected and/or becomes very dirty, it is advise to use the Easy Clean Lacquered Flooring Intensive Cleaner. Simply dilute 1 cap to 2l of warm water and apply with the Easy Care Aluminium Micro Fibre Mop. After allowing the solution to work on the dirt simply go over the area again removing the solution and the dirt from the floor - for stubborn marks repeat this process.

Refreshing Your New Floor

To keep the floor looking new it is recommended to use the Easy Clean Lacquered Flooring Refresher, this prevents dust build up, adds antistatic and anti-slip properties as well as restoring the floor to its original sheen. Prior to application it is reccomended all loose dirt is swept and removed from the surface followed by using the Easy Clean Lacquered Flooring Intensive Cleaner to ensure the refresher is applied directly to the flooring surface and not  layered ontop of any stubborn dirt, ensuring the best results.

As a ready solution this is ideal to quickly refresh your flooring and to maintain that new look, this is recommended 2-3 times per year dependant on wear and foot traffic.

All the products related to maintaining this flooring will be available to purchase at very competitive prices after you have selected your flooring and added to the basket.

If this does not answer all of your questions or you wish for some further advise please do not hesitate to contact us.