All types of bamboo floors are versatile and can be used with underlay. Bamboo flooring is much more dimensionally stable than wood, so you can use both solid bamboo and engineered bamboo flooring with an underlay. Using an underlay to float your floor is a great choice because it makes the fitting process more straight forward.
The only times when you cannot use an underlay is if you have a commercial property or a large space. If you want to use bamboo flooring in a large (over 12m²) or commercial area, the floor must be fixed into position with either glue, nails or screws. This will give the floor the extra strength that it needs to deal with high footfall.
Why should I use bamboo flooring with an underlay?
You can use bamboo flooring with an underlay if you wish to float (loose lay) your floor. Here are some examples of when you may want to use bamboo flooring with an underlay:
• If you have underfloor heating, you can use a special underlay that allows the sufficient transfer of heat through to your floor.
• You may not want to use glue or nails. An underlay teamed with click fitting bamboo flooring allows you to fit the floor without the need for glue or nails.
How do I use bamboo flooring with an underlay?
First of all you would lay the underlay. Your underlay should cover the whole room or area. Then you would start to lay your bamboo on top. The bamboo does not need to be fixed to the underlay, it will sit on top. However, you do need to fix the planks of flooring together.
If you have click fitting bamboo flooring, you will simply click and lock the planks together.
If you have tongue and groove bamboo flooring, you need to glue the joints together. For more information and advice on fitting a bamboo floor, have a look at our How to Install Bamboo Flooring guide.
