About 8 months ago I laid down a floating bamboo floor. The planks are solid carbonized strand bamboo. We allowed the planks to acclimate for over two weeks in the apartment and then laid down the floor as a floating floor- gluing the planks together- following the manufacturers instructions. About a month ago (during the winter with the heat on) large gaps appeared between some of the planks. One gap is about 1/2 inch wide and the plank can be wiggled around.
My question is: What is the best way to fix this problem? I'm assuming that the bamboo is very moisture sensitive and has shrunk due to the warm and dry conditions during the winter, and will therefor expand again in the summer. Would using a floor colored silicone type caulk be good way to fill in the gaps while still allowing for expansion and contraction? Or should I cut another piece of bamboo to fit into the gap and glue it in? Thank you for any suggestions!
Best Answer
I would NOT glue anything in those gaps. You'd want loose & free floating double beveled flooring strips in there. The fillers would be shaped like the crust end of a pie slice, so as the flooring expands again it pushes the fillers out so they can be removed & stored in the closet for next winter.