Replies

1. 
   BertJ | Jan 23, 2003 08:38pm | #1

   Dennis,

   No experience with furniture, but I helped a friend install bamboo flooring last summer. He had purchased the prefinished tongue & groove flooring and when installed it looks fantastic. (I will try to get you a picture.) This particular product was very stable, easy to mill, and looks very durable.

   Bert

1. 
   DennisS | Jan 28, 2003 07:21am | #12

   A bit of a follow-up to my original post about using bamboo to make cabinet doors:

   I definitely will *not* be using pre-finished flooring material for this project!! I ran a sample piece through the jointer this evening to see how it would machine. Believe the label when it says "aluminum oxide" finish! Looks like I'll get more practice replacing and aligning the jointer knives.

   Even the back side has this coating.

   Other than that, it seemed to be extremely dense. Took a lot of pressure to get it past the knives but that may be due to the fact that the first few inches all but ruined the knives in the first experimental pass.

   Now to see if I can find a source for unfinished bamboo timber.

   Some lessons we learn the hard way and never, NEVER forget!!

   ...........

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

2. 
   zvi | Jan 23, 2003 09:09pm | #2

   Dennis,

   I don't see any problem. I am starting to make a dining table with Bamboo + Wenga. Try the Smith & Fong Plyboo for source of materials also as plywood, they are in California 866.835.9859.

   Zvi

   Tel Aviv, Israel

3. 
   DennisS | Jan 23, 2003 09:42pm | #3

   Thanks for the timely replies.

   I think I'll try to locate a local supplier and pick up a few sample pieces to do a mock-up of a cabinet door.

   Agreed, it's nice looking stuff. Would be interested in seeing the pic's, Bert. Thanks for offering. Was that a floating floor you installed or nail-down? One mnfr's website I visited stated their product could not be installed 'floating'.

   ...........

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

1. 
   BertJ | Jan 23, 2003 09:57pm | #4

   Dennis,

   No nails. It was glued to a 3/4 ply sub-floor. The glue (recommended by the flooring vendor) was expensive, but well worth it. Don't remember the name--sorry.

   Bert

4. 
   cheakamus | Jan 24, 2003 05:04am | #5

   Dennis,

   There's a shop in the Roosevelt Center at N.E. 65th and Roosevelt in Seattle that deals in nothing but bamboo (all kinds). I'm not sure if they sell materials, or just the finished products, but you could certainly get some ideas of what your cabinets might look like.

1. 
   DennisS | Jan 24, 2003 08:14am | #6

   Absolutely cool, pal. Gotta run into Seattle next week and will look them up.

   Pricing this stuff I find it's all over the place (pricewise via the 'net). The first local outlet I tried (Nielsen Carpet/floors) carries Greenwood (brand name) at 6 something a sf. All prefinished, of course.

   I notice on the samples I got from them that it will dent much the same as ordinary wood does. Of course I whacked it with the handle of a kitchen knife as a test so maybe I'm too severe? (grin)

   Thanks again for the tip.

   ...........

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

1. 
   hmthomas | Jan 24, 2003 03:51pm | #7

   Dennis

   Once I was looking into Bamboo for a project. The flooring place that I went to had it in stock. They had recently finished an installation and were very interested in selling me the remnants from the opened bundles at a very reduced price. I don't know how much you'll be needing but if you can get by with the leftovers they should cut you a deal.

   Good luck, Hugh

1. 
   cheakamus | Jan 24, 2003 11:26pm | #8

   One other little factoid about bamboo:

   Back in the early 1980s, I lived in Nanjing, PRC for two years, where the summer temperatures are in the 90s and so is the humidity, percentage-wise. Even at night, it's almost unbearable lying in bed on a cotton mattress. What the locals do is use a kind of bed cover made of little blocks of bamboo all wired together (to be flexible), sort of like some car-seat covers I've seen made of wooden beads, only these are square blocks. They're actually quite confortable and they're way cool! I've also seen floors made of bamboo in native huts in Southeast Asia and again, they're much cooler than anything else to lie on.

5. 
   floman47 | Jan 24, 2003 11:56pm | #9

   Hi Dennis

   I recently made some wall treads for a client.  I did a test with glues the only one that worked is West System epoxy 

   I have installed a few floors with bamboo they turned out nice.  I glued and nailed it, because it is a little unstable.

   Jeff in so cal

   72 f---61%   

1. 
   DennisS | Jan 25, 2003 02:18am | #10

   Jeff -

   Could you explain "wall treads"?

   RE: stability -

   I was under the impression that bamboo would be more rather than less stable than regular wood products. Don't know where I got that idea in my head but you're saying this isn't the case?

   Installation, in my situation, will be over lt. wt. concrete underlayment with hydronic heating coils. System will be brought up to temperature, then the flooring material will be loose laid in the space, on the floor, for .... however long it should take to acclimatize it??

   ...........

   Dennis in Bellevue WA

   [email protected]

1. 
   floman47 | Jan 25, 2003 04:02am | #11

   Dennis

   I has a history of de-laminating.  In the real world it's not as stable as they would like you to believe. 

     I've had problems with any material over radiant heat.  Then you add element yours is GRASS!  Oh! big red flag.  That means I wouldn't take on your job!  Now, I know floor men that would do it in a hart beat, so don't take my word on installing it.  Ask the people you are buying it from and see what kind of guarantee comes with it, and about your installation. 

   Wall treads (cheater treads, tread ends, carpet treads)  Its when you have carpet up the middle and fake treads on the sides.

   Jeff in so cal

   73 f---54%