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1 Guide To Bamboo Flooring 1. Frequently Asked Questions 2. Installation Tips 3. Maintaining your Bamboo Floor 4. Why Bamboo Direct? COPYRIGHT 2009 BAMBOO DIRECT

2 Frequently Asked Questions 1. Are Bamboo direct floors easy to clean? We recommend using micro fibre mops as these keep the floors looking great and are quick and easy to use. They also don't leave any streak marks on the floor. 2. How does bamboo compare in hardness to hardwood timber flooring? Results from numerous tests carried out globally has shown different styles of Bamboo flooring have differences in hardness. Compressed bamboo is the hardest type of bamboo flooring. It is 80% harder than Kwila. While most natural timber floors will dent over time, it is difficult to dent compressed bamboo flooring. 3. What happens if my floor gets flooded? This depends on the severity of the flooding and the volume of water spilt on the floor and how long it remains on the floor before it dries or is drained away. Minor flooding can often have no effect and there is no change to the floors appearance, however instances of major flooding can result in the floor having to be repaired by either replacing boards in the damaged area or by sanding and polishing. Long periods of excess water can tend to damage the polish on the surface of the boards. 4. Does dirt build up between the boards? By following our cleaning and maintenance guide you should not have any issues with dirt build up. The pretension force from the Uniclic locking system compensates machine tolerances and avoids gaps between boards, preventing accumulation of dust and dirt between boards. 5. Can my bamboo floor be sanded and how many times can it be re-sanded? Yes, our floors can be professionally sanded several times. You should get a minimum of 3 sands with our compressed bamboo flooring. 6. How long will my bamboo floor last? Correct care and maintenance will give you years of your floor looking like new. Most people will either re-sand or recoat their Bamboo floor on average every years to keep them looking like new. Our solid bamboo flooring can be expected to outlast many thinner veneer timber floors being installed today. 7. Can bamboo flooring be used in bathrooms? A bathroom is a challenging environment for natural flooring because there can be a lot of moisture in the air, and puddles of water are often left on the floor surface. For this reason we do not recommend using bamboo flooring in bathrooms. However if your heart is set on having bamboo in the bathroom, then ensure it is well ventilated and any puddles of water are mopped up quickly. Caulking compound can be applied between the joints to help seal the floor. This will make the floor more water-resistant, but not completely water-proof. 8. Can bamboo flooring be used in laundries? While the floor can be sealed with caulking compound applied between the joints, this will not completely protect the floor against flooding. If you have a serious flood then it will damage your bamboo flooring.

3 Installation Tips What you need to know before your flooring goes down. Skirting Renovation The bamboo flooring requires a small expansion gap around the perimeter of each room, the skirting will hide this gap. There are two ways to deal with the skirting: 1/ The original skirting can be removed and the flooring installed, then the original skirting can be installed on top. 2/ If a professional installer is laying your floor then the skirting can be undercut with a special saw, and the bamboo flooring will fit into the gap left. Your installer will advise what the best method is for your situation and any costs involved. New House: Leave the skirting off until after the bamboo flooring has been installed. The skirting can then be placed to cover the expansion gaps required around the perimeter of each room. Kitchens: Renovation A professional flooring installer can undercut side panels and kick panels on existing kitchen units, so the flooring can slide cleanly underneath. It is only possible to undercut side panels if the cabinets are supported by internal legs. Alternatively, the flooring planks can be cut extremely close to the cabinet panel, and coloured filler applied to any slight gap remaining. The bamboo flooring is fitted under the dishwasher, so it is important there is enough clearance between the top of the dishwasher and the underside of the bench top. Your installer will check and advise if there is enough clearance. The legs of the dishwasher can usually be adjusted to provide enough clearance. New House When installing a floating floor, the kitchen cabinets and islands should go in first, but leave kick panels off until after the bamboo floor is installed. Kick panels can then be installed after the bamboo floor. It is a good idea to give your kitchen manufacturer a sample of the bamboo flooring and underlay, so they will know what size to trim the kick panels. If you are gluing down your bamboo floor, the kitchen can go in either before or after the flooring has been installed. If you install the kitchen units after the bamboo flooring, make sure the flooring is protected from damage by the kitchen installers. Lay thick corrugated cardboard over the kitchen floor for protection.

4 Installation Tips (cont) Bathrooms: A bathroom is a challenging environment for natural flooring because there can be a lot of moisture in the air, and puddles of water are often left on the floor surface. For this reason we do not recommend using bamboo flooring in bathrooms. However if your heart is set on having bamboo in the bathroom, then ensure it is well ventilated and any puddles of water are mopped up quickly. Caulking compound can be applied between the joints to help seal the floor. This will make the floor more water-resistant, but not completely water-proof. Laundries: While the floor can be sealed with caulking compound applied between the joints, this will not completely protect the floor against flooding. If you have a serious flood then it will damage your bamboo flooring. Trims: An L-shape aluminium trim can be used against carpet or tiles. This trim shows a 2mm thick strip of aluminium when you look down on it from above. This can be supplied by your installer, or for DIY installations can be purchased from tile retailers. We can supply a wedge shape reducer trim if there is a transition between bamboo and another floor surface on a lower level, such as where the bamboo meets a concrete floor in a cupboard or garage. We also supply stair nosings which are used in conjunction with flooring planks to complete each stair tread and riser. Acclimatisation: Only floors being glued down should be acclimatised. This involves opening both the outer carton and plastic inner, to allow air to circulate around the flooring. Acclimatise in the general area that the flooring will be installed in, for at least 5 days. Moving Furniture: Your installer can usually help move furniture around. If you have any extremely heavy items such as pianos, discuss with your installer prior to installation. Once the flooring has been installed, ensure heavy items of furniture or appliances are moved carefully to prevent damage to your new floor. Slide them slowly over the floor on a piece of upturned carpet or similar. Use protective caps or pads on the feet of furniture such as chairs.

5 Maintaining your Bamboo Floor Care for your new bamboo floor in the same manner you would perform maintenance on a regular hardwood floor. What to do: Clean using a micro fibre mop such as Browns Dynamic Dust Duo mop available from Mitre 10. This has a polyester loop mop head which is great for collecting dust and adding shine to your floor. You can also sweep the floor regularly. General cleaning once every week is recommended. Remove spills promptly. Be careful when moving heavy furniture or appliances. Slide them slowly over the floor on a clean piece of upturned carpeting or felt. Place mats at exterior doors to trap sand and grit. Use area rugs in high traffic pathways, at end of steps and near doorways.avoid rubber backing or non-ventilated rugs. Use protective caps or pads on the feet of furniture. What not to do: Don't let sand, dirt or grit build up. They can act like sandpaper and actually abrade and dull your floor finish. Don't damp mop timber or bamboo floors. If you must mop every now and then do it with only a slightly damp mop. Too much water can cause the floor to swell. Don't let your pets' claws go untrimmed. Proper claw trimming helps avoid scratches and gouges. Don't walk on your floors in high heels, and keep heels in good repair. Don't use wax, oil, soap or other household cleaners on prefinished floors.

6 Why Bamboo Direct? Latest Technology Our plant has been operating since the year 2000, and utilises the most advanced milling equipment from Germany. We use only Scandinavian glues and German coatings that guarantee consistent quality production, which conforms to strict European Union E1 emission standards. Our factory is ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 certified. Environmentally Sound Bamboo Direct is the first specialist supplier of bamboo flooring in New Zealand to offer FSC certified bamboo. FSC is the world's most highly respected certification for forest products. We believe it is important for consumers to know that our bamboo forests and manufacturing processes are being managed to the highest social and environmental standards. FSC certification reassures consumers that the products they are purchasing are grown and harvested in a way that protects our forests in the long term. Moso bamboo is harvested from controlled forests that grow to full maturity in only 4 or 5 years, and rejuvenate quickly. Traditional hardwoods take anywhere from years to mature and are lifeless once cut, in comparison after bamboo is pruned it is able to grow again and again. Only water-based low VOC coatings and adhesives are used that easily comply with strict European Union E1 standards. Packaging is re-useable and recyclable. Pandas do not eat any species of bamboo used for bamboo flooring production. Correct Harvesting Maturity The bamboo is harvested at 5-6 years of age to ensure mature growth, consistent colour, hardness and stability. Bamboo fibre harvested earlier than this is more suitable for pulp and paper manufacturing than bamboo flooring. By using only premium Moso bamboo harvested at peak density, we can supply the hardest most consistent quality bamboo flooring available. Uniclic Glueless Tongue and Groove System The Uniclic locking system avoids gaps between boards and ensures a quick and easy installation. Uniclic connections can resist a tensile force in excess of 450kg/m along the length and width of each strip. For more information on Uniclic visit. Bamboo Direct bamboo flooring comes with a 10-year structural warranty and a 5-year finish warranty.