I'm buying a new house this summer and my first project is going to be ripping up the carpet and installing hardwood floors. I've been looking at bamboo mostly, since the price is cheaper and it's generally a better deal for the money. I consider myself a pretty handy person, but is this a project best left to professionals? I'm not sure whats under the carpet though, it's the second level of a townhouse, so I'd think it was particle board, but I have no idea. I've also heard of the click system where you don't need any glue or nails to install the floor, but my decision will be based more on flooring type than installation.

 

I have installed red oak tongue and groove. With the right equipment, it's not hard, proven by the fact that I did it and it looked good. But leave the sanding and finishing to the pros.

 

I have helped install tongue and groved hardwood floors in a house and at a cabin..... Never bamboo though.... make sure (really make sure) you fix any squeeks in the floor after you rip up the carpet... nothing like putting down a nice pretty new floor to have it squeek in the same f'ing places!!!!!

In the cabin we were drilling holes in the tongue to get the nail started...... that was back in the mid 80's.... then later we found out you can rent a machine that has skinny nails in it that you just whack it and it won't split the tongue....... much better than pissing around with a drill!

we just stained the floors when done and then put a thin coat of clear coat (i think it was called polyurathen) over top to protect it.

measure twice and cut once...

 

It is so tempting to make a joke here.

 

I (and one other guy that I hired) laid down ~ 900 square feet of bamboo flooring. It's awesome - my wife and I love it. No worries about the finish - it's a polyurethane/titanium finish that is supposedly guaranteed for 25 years.

I bought tounge and groove planks and rented an air stapler from Home Depot. Buy some tar paper to lay under the bamboo and you're good to go.

I was lucky because my subfloor was suitable for stapling into. I'm not sure that you can nail/staple into particleboard.

Good tip on looking for the squeaks! I had some areas that were really bugging me so I hit 'em with drywall screws. No more squeaks!!!

The stapler and a cutoff saw and a rotozip for cutting curves are all the tools you need. A small air nailer with finishing nails worked pretty well around the walls.

It was kind of fun (but a little hard on the back)

Very rewarding. These pics weren't taken to display the floor - but they will give you some idea of what the floor looks like...
I'd recommend you do it.

 

If it's the type that needs to be nailed in, go buy a decent nailgun. I bought a couple of nice Paslode guns for $350 each and they paid for themselves in 1 bathroom remodel. What took us a weekend would have taken us 2 weeks if we had to pound all those nails in by hand. My entire house except for the kitchen and bathroom has hardwood floors and we are getting ready to refinish all of them. After replacing the harwood just in the hallway I can say this, if you are not a do it yourselfer or know someone who has experience with them, pay a professional.

 

I've never done floors for a living but I've laid enough pipe in my time.

 

i got the nail and the hammer to drive it.

 

Tongue and groove needs a special nailer that you whack with a big mallet. At the same time it drives the nail, it closes the gap between the slats. I had added on to my bedroom and extended the oak floor another 12 feet. One of my swings with the mallet was a bit wide, and I put the mallet right through my new wall! It was too funny to get mad about.

 

OK, I'm getting the idea I could do this myself and save a boatload of cash, as long as I don't do more damage to the house while installing it. I found www.ifloor.com who has really cheap prices on all kinds of flooring, and shipping is cheap too.