[kisaacs]

We're thinking of putting strand bamboo in our kitchen and are looking for suggestions of brands to check out. Thought I'd ask here. We need a floating floor installation, so it seems our options are somewhat limited. Anyone have any suggestions?

Kristen

[NBeth]

Hmm. Wish I knew the brand: we have carmalized vertical strand in our kitchen/dining/living space and it's lovely. Does ding up a bit but the color doesn't seem to be just on the surface so its not that bad at all after some 4.5 years living with it. How would I know if it's floating? there may be a spare piece I could check to see if there's a brand on the back.....

[karen51]

I have EcoTimber strand-woven bamboo in Toffee awaiting installation in my condo. The boards are pretty thick and very solid-feeling. They also get excellent reviews from Consumer Reports.

The kind I have has to be glued or nailed down, but I noticed the other day that they now have an engineered product that can be floated.

Karen

[kisaacs]

Thanks, NBeth and Karen. I've got a sample coming in from Ambient and am going to check out Schlon this weekend. I've heard great things about terragen (spelling?) but they're super expensive.

I'm hoping I like one of these two. I'll check out Ecotimber too!

[littlemiss]

We got Yanchi Natural Strand Woven Bamboo from BuildDirect.com out of Canada . Great prices, great selection. I looked all over for floors and have practically enough samples to do the whole house! They really can't be beat on price, even by Lumber Liquidators. Also, a good time to buy your floors is right before they close out for the quarter. (June 30, Sept 30, Dec 31, March 31) They'll usually offer some kind of discount pricing.

Address:3200 Sweden Way Richmond, British Columbia V6V 2A5 Telephone: (604) 273-2051 Store hours:Monday to Friday: 10am - 9pm Saturday: 9am - 9pm Sunday: 10am - 6pm IKEA Store Directory Entry for IKEA Richmond Canada

[Bill_Vincent]

I'm sorry, but I've got to say something here. I just had this very same conversation with a GC I do alot of work with, and I'll preface this the same way I did with him-- this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I'm a tile contractor, and has everything to do with plain common sense.

Tell me when it makes ANY kind of sense, to use a wood, that has a reputation for being sensitive to water, in a place where sooner or later, water WILL get on the floor? I just don't understand. I don't think hardwoood in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc, make much sense oin the first place. but Bamboo??

[Kayla]

Bamboo doesn't expand and contract with heat/steam etc like wood, so it's sensible in that way. Standing water is devastating to just about any floor, I really do hope people aren't spilling and walking away. And remember this is a strand woven thread, there is a lot of binder in that floor, acting as a sort of protector, in an odd way.

I used to be in love with SW bamboo, still am tbh, but I have found a new love: strand woven poplar. It's recycled furniture with a bunch of colors woven together, so interesting looking without the harsh contrasts of, say, tiger or zebra. I'm glad we never got around to the floor before I discovered it. More expensive than bamboo, but freaking gorgeous!

[Bill_Vincent]

I've never had to replace any of the tile I've installed because of water on the floor. I have, however, done two insurance installations over the past year where a hardwood floor flooded and had to be replaced, and in one of those instances, another part of the floor that flooded was tile I installed about 8 years ago..... directly over plywood.

[kisaacs]

Bill,

I think it's all about what you're willing to compromise on. For me, I like the look of wood, as well as the feel, and the smoothness of cleanup. I know there's risk of water inherent to it, but I'm willing to take that risk for the things I like.

I don't like the hardness of tile, the grooves of grout lines, or even the grid-like patterns on a wide expanse of floor. I also don't like that it chips and cracks. In my house, I'm much more likely to drop something heavy than to have a floor-ruining flood, especially in the kitchen.

In a bathroom, I love it, it's just not my favorite choice for a kitchen.

But then, I'm willing to take risks with stuff like that. I did an undermount sink in a maple countertop in my old house. We ended up going with a rustic maple floor in the kitchen and love it.

Kristen

[Kayla]

Originally Posted by Bill_Vincent

I've never had to replace any of the tile I've installed because of water on the floor. I have, however, done two insurance installations over the past year where a hardwood floor flooded and had to be replaced, and in one of those instances, another part of the floor that flooded was tile I installed about 8 years ago..... directly over plywood.

That's why insurance can be a worthwhile investment. If someone, like Kisaacs, wants to feel wood in the kitchen, I'm going to find the best way to do it.

And, Bill, I respect you immensely, and I'm thrilled to see you over here at IKEAfans. Not all tile installers are you. And the fact that you never have to replace tile, doesn't mean that everyone is in that same boat. And really, none of it should matter, homeowners who don't want tile in their kitchen won't care. They'll assume that risk of flooding/etc.