Over the past decade, sustainable and green products have exploded into mainstream interior design. As a part of the green design movement, bamboo flooring has become increasingly popular with homeowners.
How Bamboo Flooring is Made
Although bamboo seems like a type of wood, it is actually a grass. It grows in many of the warm, moist climates around the world including places like China, Japan, Hawaii and the Philippines. Bamboo grows very quickly, reaching maturity in just four years.
When bamboo is harvested, the plant is not completely destroyed. The roots stay intact, allowing the stalks to begin re-growing immediately. This quality, along with its rapid maturity rate, makes bamboo a renewable flooring choice.
After the bamboo stalks are harvested, they are cut into thin strips. The strips are sterilized, then oven-dried, before being glued together to form sheets. The sheets are then cut into planks of various sizes for flooring use. Bamboo flooring is installed using its tongue-and-groove planks; it can be nailed to the subfloor beneath it, or installed in a floating application.
Most bamboo flooring is sold pre-finished; this process offers a very durable and even finish. Bamboo is naturally a light golden color similar to maple. However, it is available in a darker caramel color known as "carbonized" bamboo. Carbonized bamboo has been heated to darken the color. Various stained bamboo colors are also available, including deep espresso, reddish mahogany and even green.
Advantages of Bamboo Flooring
Although bamboo is a grass, it makes very hard flooring. In fact, bamboo is harder than both red oak and maple flooring. In addition, the fibers of bamboo do not absorb moisture as easily as wood, making it less prone to cupping and warping over time.
With several different patterns available, bamboo can work in nearly any home decor. The standard horizontal grain bamboo shows off the knuckles found in the bamboo stalk. Vertical grain bamboo has been cut into thinner strips than the horizontal grain. The strips are stacked, giving it a striped appearance. A newer bamboo pattern is the strand woven look. This pattern gives the bamboo a look more reminiscent of a traditional wood floor with a flowing grain pattern.
Bamboo is available in solid planks and also in engineered planks in varying thicknesses. With many sizes and installation options available, bamboo can be used in both new construction and remodeling projects.
Disadvantages of Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring offers many of the same characteristics of wood flooring. Like wood, sand and grit do the most damage to a bamboo floor; for this reason it may not be ideal for use in entry foyers, mudrooms or other areas where outdoor dirt could be allowed to grind into the finish of the floor.
Excessive moisture can cause irreparable damage to bamboo flooring, as it does with wood. Bathrooms and laundry rooms may not be ideal applications for bamboo flooring, due to the potential for standing water on the floor.
From an environmental standpoint, some have criticized the assertion that bamboo is an eco-friendly floor covering. Bamboo needs a fair amount of adhesive to be made into planks and sheets for flooring use, which prompts some to question whether it can be called environmentally-friendly. In addition, it must be imported to most locations, meaning more fuel and transportation costs.
Maintenance of a Bamboo Floor
Because of its similarity to wood flooring, bamboo is maintained in a similar manner. Dirt and grit should be vacuumed or swept from the surface of the floor on a regular basis. The surface can also be mopped with a nearly-dry mop; large amounts of water should not be used to clean bamboo. Most cleaners intended for wood flooring will also work for bamboo; homeowners should check the labels of each product to be sure of its safety for bamboo.
Felt pads should be used on the bottom of chairs and stools to prevent the floor from being scratched. Area rugs placed in high-traffic areas will also prevent premature wear in hallways, in front of the kitchen sink and in entryways.
Bamboo flooring is a renewable, durable and beautiful choice for many interior applications. More information about bamboo flooring can be found at the Natural Bamboo website.
Teri Larsen - Professional Interior Designer, Freelance Writer, Executive Editor of Metro Women Magazine, Mom of 2, Artist and Generally Creative ...
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