You have the opportunity to select your wood flooring, and you don’t want to squander it by choosing something unremarkable. So why not look at bamboo flooring?
Flooring made of bamboo is made of grass, not wood. Due to the rapid growth of bamboo, harvested bamboo is replaced far more quickly than harvested trees, ensuring that the manufacture of bamboo flooring has no negative environmental effects. Additionally, bamboo gives you the option of a flat or vertical grain.
The only disadvantage of this product is that it is typically only available in light “honey” hue or a darker amber shade that can be obtained when it is pressure steamed and carbonization takes place. However, carbonized bamboo flooring is 20% softer than untreated bamboo flooring. Bamboo flooring that has been factory-dyed or stained is an alternative that some manufacturers provide. Read details information about how to get scratches out of bamboo floors.
The Method
Cutting the collected hollow bamboo canes into strips, boiling them in a solution of water and preservative, pressing the softened strips flat, and using urea-based glue to shape them into laminated boards are the steps involved in turning bamboo into flooring. Surprisingly, bamboo is virtually as dent- and shrink-proof as oak, although being much lighter.
Because bamboo is not a true wood, it can be utilized in places where wood flooring cannot be installed because it is as hard as maple. It is suitable for locations with high usage since it is water, stain, and scratch resistant.
Finish vs. incomplete
There are two types of bamboo flooring: unfinished and finished. The edges of bamboo boards are squared when they are unfinished, making it possible for them to fit together almost flawlessly; the homeowner can then treat them with a protective stain or varnish to increase their durability.
Polyurethane is used to seal bamboo flooring with beveled edges. Its beveling gives the floor a plank-like appearance, and the polyurethane coating prevents stains from penetrating it.
The majority of the bamboo used in bamboo flooring comes from Hunan province in China, and the finished bamboo flooring that is marketed in the US is imported from a company in the Pacific Rim. However, it is widely accessible across the US.
Before purchasing bamboo flooring, consider these questions.
Depending on its length and width, as well as whether it has been finished, bamboo flooring can range in price from $3 to $8 per square foot. There are a few things you need to ask your flooring merchant if you’re thinking about it. Bamboo flooring must be taken from mature bamboo stands that are at least six years old in order to be dent-resistant. The bamboo stalk takes that long to acquire a woody texture.
As long as it is not created from the tip or base of the bamboo stalk, processed bamboo is really harder than oak. Find out if the flooring you choose is constructed using the bamboo stalk’s heart. Allow the bamboo flooring to acclimate to your home for about a week before installing it. The moisture content of your bamboo flooring should be between two and four percent less than that of your subfloor.
Use Bamboo Flooring 