Can I install bamboo flooring parallel to the joists?

Question

My joists go in different directions on my main floor. I have been told to add a layer of plywood on top of the subfloor but that will raise the level of the hardwood to be much higher than the ceramic floor it will be next to. Are there any other options?

Answer 1

what is the width, thickness and installation method being used. Are you talking chip board or osb?

Answer 2

Most older homes have hardwood flooring directly nailed to joists but, this was done with 3/4" thick tongue and groove flooring. I wouldn't recommend doing this.

1. It will lead to more waste, being that you need specific measurements to go joist to joist (perpendicular) with the hardwood pieces

2. A sud-floor (plywood) adds more stiffness. With no sub-floor floor the weight of people and furniture is being supported by the hardwood, I've seen older homes where the groove part has split or peeled completely off. You can feel the floor give as you walk on it.

3. If the underside on the floor is exposed to the outside elements (like a home on piers or blocks (common down south)) your insulation R-Factor decreases significantly. Also insects and/or moisture can damage the flooring.

As for the transition from tile to wood. You can use a transition piece the is specifically designed to taper the difference in floor elevations. These can be purchased at any home improvement or flooring store.

1. You didn't mention what was wrong with the existing subfloor??? Too thin, damaged, does it give when you walk on it?

If it's chip board and it's physically sound, basically it doesn't give when you stand on it between joists, i'd go ahead with the flooring on top of the existing.

Answer 3

Not, if you have a subfloor.

Answer 4

It depends on how sturdy your subfloor is, there may be options to reinforce the subfloor from below if you have a basement, or you can pull your subfloor and install a sturdier subfloor.

Answer 5

With all due respect an initial substrate should be perpendicular to floor joists.

   Without knowing at all how much substrate you have already, certainly you can calculate variations/transitions with a ruler, and adjust. One would hope to imagine that any substrate, and the floor joists are substantial, and secure enough, to allow flooring over, in a finish sense. Beyond that, even a Bamboo finish flooring,,,one of my faves. ,should have some underlayment, OVER the basic substrate.

   I think you may be over thinking the issue, in the WHY you have been told to add more substrate, or whoever told you that has more knowledge, or ignorance of the situation, than you do, directly?

  Obviously there are transition moldings one can use, but your issues should be addressed before any install.

Steven Wolf

Just my two "sense"