Cognac Horizontal Satin – Ming Dynasty Bamboo Install

Q: I’m planning to install “Cognac Horizontal Satin – Ming Dynasty Bamboo” over a concrete sub-floor using the glue down installation. I was hoping you could clarify a few questions:
1) What trowel size should I use for this application when I put the adhesive down?
2) What is an acceptable level of moisture in the floor? (I live in Seattle and the Condo is 14 years old)
3) Do you ALWAYS need to apply a moisture barrier before putting the adhesive down, or JUST if you have moisture issues? If you need to, what type of trowel is recommended?
Thanks,
Jeff
A: You will need to use a 1/8″ square-notched trowel when using your adhesive. Your adhesive will actually act as a moisture barrier, so you have no need to install a plastic barrier (usually a 6mil polyethylene). For the install itself, make sure you trowel out the adhesive as evenly as possible and do a small area at a time. Also, try not to let the adhesive get into the grooves for the tongue, as this can make it very hard to get a nice snug fit between your planks. Also, make sure you use a rubber mallet to help tap the planks in nice and snug.
As far as moisture content of the flooring itself, this should typically be between 6-8%. When acclimating your product, the goal is to get your flooring within 1-2% of the moisture content of your subfloor before installation. Typically, a subfloor will be in a similar 6-8% range. This can be higher, but should not be higher than 10%. A simple test with a moisture meter should give you all the info you need here. Make sure to record the moisture readings at each corner and the center of the room where you intend to install your floor.
If you have beyond 10% moisture in your subfloor , I would suggest running a dehumidifier to pull some of the moisture out and allowing your planks additional time to acclimate to your home.