What is Bamboo Flooring?
Bamboo flooring is often referred to being a green alternative for those who are looking to make their homes seem more natural and environment friendly. Bamboo flooring is generally believed to be very strong and can withstand strong resistance just like the bamboo plant it comes from. The majority of bamboo flooring is made in China and other areas in Asia. The plant itself comes in a variety of different species, “Moso” is the species commonly used for most types of bamboo flooring.
The Look
For those who have never seen what a bamboo floor might look like, a simple Google search will get you the answer but for convinces sake we have also included a picture here for you to take a look at as well. As you might notice right off the bat it almost looks very similar to hardwood flooring.
The Common Look Of Bamboo Wood Flooring
Is It Really Green?
After looking online for related articles about characteristics of bamboo flooring one thing that really popped out was that many people are unaware of how green bamboo flooring really is. It is generally assumed that bamboo flooring is a green alternative and it is most certainly promoted this way but there seems to be some speculation in the air. Lets dig a little deeper and see if we can find out the real answer once and for all.
For starters bamboo itself is highly reusable when you compare it to other types of woods. Generally speaking it can take up to 5 years for the Moso species of Bamboo to reach full maturity. Compare this to most hardwoods that can take 20+ years, you have a pretty good source of wood that is highly reusable.
Another characteristic that is promising is that the carbon footprint for bamboo is very low. It grows quick, allows for rapid reproduction and when harvested can still continue to grow afterwards. So good so far but here is where the speculation starts to begin.
Different Styles Of Bamboo Hardwood Flooring
Some reports are given that suggest that bamboo planting can damage natural forests because of the space required to grow it. For example, when you create a building you need to clear space (usually plants and everything else are demolished in the process). The same thing happens for bamboo fields, but we do not know how many of these fields exist in parts of Asia. On the plus you are growing a plant that allows for green production of flooring but at the same time you are sacrificing part of the earth. If it is met in balance then it works fine, but if these fields start popping up everywhere then the production is not really green is it?
There has also been some talk about the chemicals used in bamboo flooring production and how they can be harmful to the environment. If you want to read more about whether or not bamboo is really green check out this post. It is a little old but it is hard finding coverage on this topic.
Bamboo Flooring Prices
Most bamboo flooring prices are going to be flexible and will obviously vary depending on what and where you buy but you can be sure that it will be cheaper then most others. When it comes to this type of flooring most people are turned on by the price but turned off by the look. Lets face it here, when it comes to picking your home flooring, if you pay more you are going to get a better looking product but do not lose hope.
There are many different styles of bamboo flooring and some of then look pretty decent. Shop and look around, you might just find something that you like or need.
Bamboo Flooring Problems
Now the part that most of you are going to be dreading, the common problems that most people have with bamboo flooring. Luckily there are not that many but you should still be aware of common issues.
- Gaps in the flooring is reported by some people especially after changes in seasons and weather
- Identification and Resolution problems can happen from production defects as with all flooring and bad installation techniques. If you are worried about it, get the job done by someone who knows what they are doing or watch a how to video (read further for more on that)
How To Install Bamboo Flooring
Instead of giving you a in-depth guide on how to install bamboo flooring I am just going to post a short video as this post is already starting to get a little long. I just wanted to briefly touch up on the subject and introduce bamboo flooring to those who had some idea about what it is but are unsure as to where to go with it.
No related posts.