Ripping up my kitchen out to the studs and down to the joists (it's a crawlspace. Making sure joists are level, putting down new subfloor (plywood), installing pex for radiant heating under the subfloor (between the joists), then plan on putting engineered bamboo on top of that. Environment: I live in the US Pacific NW, within a few miles of a major body of salt water - generally humidity in the area runs around 25% even on sunny days.
I've been doing ALOT of web research on the topic and some of the information is conflicting.
Any web site that has an opinion has recommended engineered bamboo, and it appears to me that this would be the most stable application especially with radiant floor heat.
I intend to install a light band of flooring approximately 5" wide at the base of the walls and the base of all the cabinets, and the rest of the floor a darker color.
My biggest issue is how to put down the bamboo floor:
My initial thought was to put down wall to wall engineered floor, nailed, perpendicular to the joists. Then put the cabinets on top of the floor.
Many web sites recommend a floating floor. One site said not to use a floating bamboo floor over radiant heat and emphasized the point by using all caps. Another site recommended not installing a floating floor under the cabinets.
I am aware of the danger of nailing into an area with radiant heat, and can overcome that with a thicker subfloor as necessary. Aside from this potential disaster/issue, does anyone have a recommendation for or against nails/staples?
Should any pad/paper be put under the flooring, between it and the subfloor? Many sites have recommended #15 felt paper, one site explicitly said not to use felt paper and a post I read in another forum suggested that felt paper might smell when heated up and suggested rosin paper.
Not to get offtopic, but should anything unusual be done with the sub floor? I know most people putting down a new wood floor don't have the option of messing with the subfloor, however in my case I can make any changes needed.
Thx for any opinions/suggestions.
I've been doing ALOT of web research on the topic and some of the information is conflicting.
Any web site that has an opinion has recommended engineered bamboo, and it appears to me that this would be the most stable application especially with radiant floor heat.
I intend to install a light band of flooring approximately 5" wide at the base of the walls and the base of all the cabinets, and the rest of the floor a darker color.
My biggest issue is how to put down the bamboo floor:
My initial thought was to put down wall to wall engineered floor, nailed, perpendicular to the joists. Then put the cabinets on top of the floor.
Many web sites recommend a floating floor. One site said not to use a floating bamboo floor over radiant heat and emphasized the point by using all caps. Another site recommended not installing a floating floor under the cabinets.
I am aware of the danger of nailing into an area with radiant heat, and can overcome that with a thicker subfloor as necessary. Aside from this potential disaster/issue, does anyone have a recommendation for or against nails/staples?
Should any pad/paper be put under the flooring, between it and the subfloor? Many sites have recommended #15 felt paper, one site explicitly said not to use felt paper and a post I read in another forum suggested that felt paper might smell when heated up and suggested rosin paper.
Not to get offtopic, but should anything unusual be done with the sub floor? I know most people putting down a new wood floor don't have the option of messing with the subfloor, however in my case I can make any changes needed.
Thx for any opinions/suggestions.