# Forum Home Renovation Flooring  Lets talk Bamboo Flooring

## adzza

Hey all,  
I am renovating at the moment and one of the things on the list is ripping up our old blue carpet, and installing a floating floor. I have two carpenter mates who have done a lot of floor installs that will be helping me lay the new floors. We have about 65 Sq/m to lay.  
Firstly why I have decided on a floating floor. We are in a 23 y/o house which is on brick and piers. All is well and stable. Its a double story and we are renovating down stairs. The current floor is chipboard with carpet on it. Because we will be laying onto chipboard and it has a tenancy to move at times over the years, a floating floor is the perfect solution.  
We have considered the following: 
Laminate: Whilst it is a very tough solution, it is very susceptible to moisture and can expand very easily which ruins the floor. Not only that but it cannot be refinished, so we have excluded this from our choices. Cost:$2,000- $3,000 
Floating Hardwood: We love spotted gum, but the costs involved in getting the floor sanded and polished plus materials are a little bit out of budget. Also the hardwood floors do mark easily which may be an issue down the track. If we could put in a hardwood floor for around 5-6k then we would! Cost: $8,000-$10,000.  
Floating Bamboo: I only just discovered this a few days back, but it appears to have the best of both worlds. From what I have read, the cross woven bamboo is very strong and scratch resistant, and the planks are solid bamboo, unlike other types that are a veneer on ply. They can be sanded back several times as they are 16mm thick.  
So what am I asking for here? 
My questions around bamboo are really around brands and quality. I understand how each of the floor types are built, and work. I know of good hardwood floating floor brands, and laminate brands, but no one speaks about bamboo brands that are proven! 
I have looked at Mosowood from bambooandtimber.com.au. They are quoting $80 sq/m which is not to bad but I would prefer to bring that price down a little.  
Then there is people like Lion King flooring that are selling bamboo for about $50 sq/m,  Carbonised Strandwoven Bamboo Semigloss Wide Board 142mm wide - Bamboo Floor - Bamboo Flooring - Bamboo, Laminate, Timber Floating | Lion-King Flooring Sydney 
Then another store is selling it even cheaper again: http://bamboofloorstore.com.au/welco...FR4Wawod60Jqcg 
What I am after is real accounts of brands that people have put in, and sharing of experiences with that brand/product.  
Cheers, and thanks in advance.

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## Karolina

Yes, before i decided on laminate in my living area (to keep costs down) I looked into buying bamboo from this mob:  http://bamboofloorstore.com.au/welco...FccvpAodvnlT3A 
I must say that they were very helpful in answering my queries and deliver australia wide quite quickly. 
I admit though I have never seen their product so I can't recommend it.

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## 1luckygirl

I've been looking into bamboo too. Bunnings carries it for $58psm.  While it gets some green stars for being a sustainable product (fast growing bamboo) I give it demerits for being shipped over from China. There is an issue of what products have been used to create it and prefinish it... Mainly in their toxicity for off-gassing as well as the dust from say, sanding it down.
That is as far as I've gotten. Will look forward to checking back here and seeing how you've done and reporting what i find!

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## shanetorque

I know you said you're after bamboo but are you really? You seam to love Aussie hardwood so why not go for a spotted gum floating floor? should be around the $80 mark, resandable, diy / friend install, it would be just over 5k plus an underlay. For a bit more, direct stick it to the ply and you get a very stable solid system. 
As far as bamboo goes you get what you pay for. All is from overseas so you don't what nasties they use to keep the price down. I also advise only going for the natural or lighter colours. If the coating scratches it appears white and easily shows up on the carbonated bamboo. 
Also not easily recoated, most moisture cured coatings won't stick to UV cured coatings.

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