Sounds to me like your "soil" is solid clay - many new home developments have that, because they strip whatever top soil there may have been, and what is left is clay - pure enough to make pots out of! Our native soil here in the SF Bay area is like that in many places. Luckily for me, my yard has been gardened for 106 years, so we have a good layer of soil - maybe 18 inches. However, if you dig in obscure corners, like right next to the foundation - clay, pure and simple. What is getting on your dogs feet would be called "slip" in a potter's workshop! I'm not aware of a ground cover that would instantly grow in the winter in solid clay, especially without a lot of work & soil amendments. If it were me, I would probably figure out how to restrict the area the dogs can get into, and then put down some gravel - that is instant. Good luck - Jackie

YOu need to figure out the source of your problem, not the bandaid for the symptom. Wood floors usually have gapping in the winter due to the lower humidity. Cupping usually occurs in the summer with the higher humidity. So, your home has some form of humidity issue that is causing this problem. Do you have a whole home humidifier hooked up? What is the home's relative humidty? What does a moisture probe tell you about the humidity of the wood? What about the humidity of the slab? When you say you put down a moisture barrier and then glued down the bamboo, exactly what products did you use and how did you use them? Does your plumbing run in slab in copper and have you looked for leaks? What about laundry, refrigerators, dishwashers, sinks, tubs? Have you checked around these for leaks? You've got a lot of sleuthing ahead of you to fix the problem. Sanding down the cupping only addresses the symptom, and will not at all address what moisture issue your home is having.

ahhh, thank you guys so much! I appreciate all the sweet comments. Anyone that recognizes my name knows that this house is our pride and joy (as humble as it is) and we plan on staying here a very long time. We are trying to do things "right"...even if it takes longer to do them. I know there is a lot of disdain for the "weekend warrior" DIY-er...we know plenty of those types. My DH prides himself in the fact that he can build a house from the ground up...electrical, plumbing, floors, roofs, etc. Of course, because he can do all of that, he is not "specialized" in one area. Usually, he knows his limitations. He has said to me many times, ""Wow, I know how to do ____ usually, but this needs an expert." He has put down quite a few wood floors. I don't know if it was the concrete slab that messed him up, or dealing with bamboo rather than wood. We tried to ignore it. At first, I told myself it was "texture" on the floor. I originally wanted a hand scraped wood, so I told myself "Ok, here is that textured look I want!" We both tried to pretend it was not happening. We cannot deny it anymore, and it makes us sad because our floor was a BIG deal to us. We hate that we are on a budget and can't get the best wood, nor can we pay anyone to install. Hi justgottobeme! That link did not work. I think you are right about refinishing, but I am worried about the tongue in groove that annz mentioned. lucille-I need to find the bucket in the garage. I do not know what type it was, but it was whatever the saleman at Lumber Liquidators told us to get (yes, I know, that is part of our problem right there...listening to salesmen at LL!) Thank you Dee! Haha...I do the same thing..."We" this and "We" that...but it is all my poor DH! The glue was indeed a mess. He was ready to nail down a hardwood floor, so not sure why he diecided to glue, I think there was a reason, tho. Thanks amy-I think my DH feels extra bad about this. I really don't want him to. I hope we find a remedy. I will keep cheching this thread. Thanks!

I think it really depends on the brand you choose. My GC has bamboo in his house and he HATES it - swears he'll never use it again and will advise his clients the same. When I told him my cousin was considering it for their beach house, he had pretty strong opinions. He said that the first time he had a party at his house, his floors were totally destroyed the next day b/c of the women wearing high heels. Personally, I would not want to have to tell my guests, esp. at a party, to remove their shoes. He also said that besides the issue with the heels, it scratches VERY easily, and that the scratches are a different color than the finish, so they are VERY noticeable. So my cousin tried abusing his samples - he had one that was considered "commercial grade" and while that one did hold up better than the residential, it still scratched kind of easily. And the scratches were a different color. He decided to go with it, since theirs is a beach house and bamboo IS great w/moisture, plus they are in the habit of removing their shoes at home anyway. it's being installed now. I'm worried about it for them though, as they keep their primary residence meticulously won't be happy if the floors end up living up to their reputation. Plus they plan to rent it, and you can't dictate your tenants also remove their shoes. We'll see...