Laying alternate rows of bamboo planks and travertine tiles

If you’re a competent do-it-yourselfer and like a challenge, here’s one you won’t be able to resist: a travertine and bamboo floor. Laying each of these materials is not difficult in itself; however, installing the tiles and the wood side by side requires patience and care. But it’s worth the effort, because the result is stunning!
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Tools list
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Important
1. Prepare the subfloor
2. Arrange the tiles and the bamboo planks
3. Lay the bamboo planks
4. Lay the travertine tiles
5. Applying the grout and caulk
6. Finishing the floor and installing the baseboards
7. An interesting option : installing bamboo on the podium

Important

Store the wood for at least 24 hours in the room where it’s going to be installed.

Try to maintain a relative humidity level of between 40% and 50% in this room.

Flooring should always be laid after all the other structural work in the room is complete, but, in the case of a bathroom, before installing the toilet.

In a bathroom, never replace hardwood by planks containing compressed wood. Some solid wood species, such as bamboo and ipê, are more moisture-resistant than others. Consult a RONA expert for more information on this subject.

Travertine (from which the tiles are made) is a porous material. That’s why it’s important to apply a coat of protective sealant at the end.

1. Prepare the subfloor

The quality of the subfloor is a crucial factor in successfully laying a new floor, especially when ceramic and hardwood are involved. The subfloor must be absolutely rigid and completely sturdy.

1.1 

Lay new 5/8-inch plywood on top of the original plywood and screw firmly into place using 1 ¼-inch (30 mm) screws. Make sure you stagger the new boards so as to cover the joints of the original plywood. For added solidity, you could use glue in addition to the screws.

Note: Because you are raising the subfloor, it may be necessary to cut the bottom of the door to adjust it to the new floor height.

1.2 

Clean the subfloor to make sure it is perfectly smooth.

2. Arrange the tiles and the bamboo planks

2.1 

Using a snap-line, mark exactly where you want the bamboo planks to go. Use 12-inch tiles to determine the spacing between two rows of bamboo.

2.2 

Note: When measuring, always leave an extra 3/8 inch between the bamboo and the travertine, as well as between the wall and the outer edges of the bamboo planks, to allow for expansion. The joints between the bamboo and the tiles will be filled with an elastic caulk the same colour as the grout.

2.3 

Arrange the 12 × 12-inch and 6 × 6-inch tiles in the layout you want (don’t stick them down yet). The expansion space around the room’s perimeter will be hidden by the baseboards.

2.4 

Since the bamboo planks fit together with tongue and groove joints, before laying the planks that will go directly next to a row of tiles, you will need to cut off the projecting "tongue" part using a table saw.
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