Home Flooring Guide

In the world of hardwood flooring, bamboo has become one of the hottest new trends.  The variety of types and styles of bamboo flooring   mean that bamboo has become so much more than a quirky way to decorate a room in a Caribbean style.  It is a serious contender in the hardwood flooring product line that is beautiful, durable and environmentally friendly.

A Green Product of Choice

The reasons that bamboo has become so popular and given traditional hardwood floorings a run for their money are many.   From the beauty and durability of bamboo floors to the cost savings compared to other hardwoods to bamboo's natural ability to resist damage on a daily basis, the bamboo revolution in flooring materials is well underway.  But of those great reasons, the fact that bamboo is a great way to find an alternative to hardwoods is often given as a top reason that bamboo is picked instead of oak, ash, redwood or other more common hardwood flooring types.

Bamboo is in no way in any danger of being driven to extinction by harvesting it for flooring materials.  In fact, bamboo grows in abundance all around the world.  It grows to maturity in 5-7 years which means that bamboo can be harvested instead of hardwood trees which slows the destruction of forests.  The destruction of our planets natural forests is a big concern environmentally because it is from trees and plants that we get our oxygen.  In a way, bamboo is helping us save the planet by taking the pressure off of hardwood as a source of hardwood flooring materials.

Bamboo isn’t really a wood at all.  It is a type of grass.  And yet when bamboo is used as a flooring material, you may not be able to tell it from a traditional hardwood installation and it serves as a tough and beautiful flooring material.  When bamboo is harvested, the plant is not damaged.  The mature bamboo is cut leaving the shaft and roots of the plant intact to create more bamboo easily.  This is similar to when you cut your grass.  It does not harm the plant and if anything, if makes the bamboo stronger and able to be more productive each time it grows more bamboo.

Information about Bamboo Products.

When you begin to shop for bamboo flooring, keep in mind that you will be given some choices between bamboo flooring and bamboo laminate.  While bamboo is not a terribly expensive flooring option, laminate is even more economical.  You really don't sacrifice quality of look or durability by going with the laminate.  So it is worthwhile to consider both options carefully.

Most bamboo has a light blond color.  In some cases, the tint becomes more amber when the curing process of preparing bamboo for production allows the heat to caramelize the base materials somewhat.  So it’s a good idea to inspect the bamboo stock you will be ordering from first hand.  In fact, if you do buy bamboo flooring, buy all that you will need at the same time.  If you order more flooring a month later, the color will be different as the environmental factors or area of the world that the source bamboo came from can cause noticeable differences in tint.  It might even be a good idea to buy 10% more flooring than you will need to keep some on hand for repairs.

Tender Loving Care for Bamboo Floors

Along with finding the right bamboo flooring for your interior decorating plans, make it a point to work with the supplier and the installer to understand how to clean your new floor and what products to keep on hand.  Most hardwood floors should not be cleaned the way you would a linoleum kitchen floor.  The off the shelf cleaning products may be too harsh for the natural substance of the bamboo flooring.  You can purchase cleaning products especially designed for your bamboo flooring from your flooring supplier.  Once you find a product line that works well for you, you can also find less expensive suppliers on the internet or save money by buying the cleaning products in larger quantities directly from the manufacturer.

Putting in a hardwood floor is a exciting new change to the look of your home.  Bamboo has made that step environmentally friendly while also cutting the big price tag we have always associated with hardwood flooring.  But it pays to know how to pick the right bamboo flooring and how to take good care of your new floor once it is installed.  In doing so, you ensure you will enjoy that floor for many happy years in your home.