Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is fairly new on the North American market. With everyone looking to be more environmentally friendly, bamboo seems to be a good alternative to hardwood flooring.

Caring for bamboo flooring is easy.

About Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo is a renewable building material, unlike hardwood; bamboo can be harvested and will grow again without clearing forests. It can take an oak tree over 100 years to mature, where as bamboo can be harvested every three to six years, depending on what type and where the bamboo is grown. Available in different colors and finishes, it is sure to match almost any décor.

Many manufacturers claim bamboo flooring is as durable as hardwood flooring. As with any home improvement purchase, it is wise to do a lot of research on the particular product before you buy.

Different forms of bamboo flooring exist. Each will vary in its manufacturing and installation process.

The most common form comes from Southeast Asia, where they use thinner bamboo stems that are cut as flat as possible. Such bamboo can be stained or used as is. Bamboo stems are nailed down to bigger pieces of bamboo, or beams. This results in space between each stem, providing more air circulation during hotter summer months.

In North America, bamboo flooring is quite processed. The bamboo is split and flattened, then laminated together with glue under high pressure (similar to plywood). Bamboo flooring is typically made into planks for flooring installation. You can get bamboo planks in a click together, floating floor system, or a standard nail down flooring system.

Also available is a strand-woven bamboo. Strands of bamboo are coated with a resin and then compressed with heat to form dimensional timbers. The timbers are then milled into flooring planks. When this process is finished, you will have a bamboo floor that is twice as strong as traditional bamboo flooring.

Colors

Available in two major colors now, bamboo flooring is relatively new and should see different variations as the demand for bamboo rises.

• Carbonized – Brownish color brought out of the bamboo when it is steamed, and bio-organisms and sugar break down.
• Natural – The name says it all. This type is not steamed, so it does not have any added color. It is similar in color to beech.

Variations

• Vertical-Grain Orientation – With the vertical grain, individual joints are hard to see, giving even grain and color.
• Horizontal-Grain Orientation – In this way, each joint is highly visible, giving a visual distinction over the vertical-grain.

Even though these two variations will differ in appearance, they offer the same strength and quality characteristics.

Where to Install Bamboo Flooring

Most manufacturers do not recommend or warranty bamboo for bathroom flooring, due to the chance of water leaking and not being noticed right away, causing warping wood that needs to be replaced. Other than that, bamboo can be used anywhere inside your home.

Care and Maintenance

Caring for your new bamboo floor will be a breeze if you follow some simple rules and read the manufacturer's suggestions included with the flooring you have purchased. Below is a list of recommendations you should follow as part of your floor's normal care.

• Put doormats or rugs at entrances to help collect dirt, moisture and other substances that can damage your floor.
• Use a dust mop or something soft to keep your floor free of dirt and debris.
• Sticky spills require a damp soft cloth. Always gently clean the mess. If necessary, use a hardwood floor cleaner for tough spots.
• Do not use abrasives at all on your bamboo floor. This will cause permanent scratches.
• Use felt pads on the legs of furniture to avoid scratching or marring the floor.

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