Bamboo Flooring: An Environmentally Friendly Alternative to Hardwood Flooring

By Carol Coutts

Environmental friendly products have been a growing trend in the marketplace. Consumers are becoming more aware of the environment and many are not wanting to leave a negative impact on it. This trend has made bamboo flooring one of the most popular choices in the flooring industry.

Bamboo fits the bill as a green product due to the fact that it is extremely fast growing as compared to hardwoods. Bamboo is a very renewable resource since it is a grass and can be harvested again and again from the same plant. The bamboo cane can be harvested in just 3-5 years compared to wood which takes 15-25 years to maturity. This fast growth can keep up with demand which makes it a sustainable resource whereas wood flooring has put a strain on timber.

Bamboo flooring shares some of the great attributes that attracted consumers to hardwood flooring. One being its stunning appearance and the ability for it to give you a truly unique floor. Bamboo hardwood flooring comes in wide variety of shades from its light natural color to darker shades. The different shades are achieved by a manufacturing process that exposes the bamboo to steam and pressure. This process causes carbonization which is the darkening of the sugar content in its fibers. Staining is now possible for bamboo floors resulting in many more colors being available to suit your decor.

There are accessories available such as stair parts, panels and veneers to further compliment your floor. Bamboo floors are available in various plank construction to further enhance their appearance such as vertical or horizontal solid construction, engineered construction, and woven stranded construction.

Besides Bamboo’s beauty another great attribute is its durability. Bamboo has received hardness rating higher than many hardwoods and is 50% more stable and harder than Red Oak. Highly resilient bamboo flooring can take a greater impact than most hardwoods without denting. This is also great for your feet and back as there is some give in the floor when you walk.

Due to bamboo growing in tropical region it makes it naturally resistant to moisture. This resistance is further enhanced as the manufacturing process includes lamination which increases its resistance to warping. Bamboo flooring can therefore be used in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms where hardwood flooring is not recommended. This moisture resistance also makes bamboo floors more resistant to spills and resilient to stains. Bamboo hardwood floors are an easy product to maintain.

Bamboo flooring has many great qualities with its striking natural beauty, hard wearing properties, ease of maintenance and environmental benefits makes it clear why it has become such a hot trend!

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