Many hardwood floors feature a nice grain and wood look that is very pretty especially in the various colors and patterns. Bamboo flooring however features a much more subtle graining pattern and because of the way it’s manufactured, features more of a pronounced ring like pattern. So you have a grain that suggests a direction and every so often a uniquely bamboo ring pattern. Bamboo can also be stained and finished just like regular hardwood flooring.

Bamboo is actually a grass like plant that grows quickly and is usually considered an aggressive plant. That is, it tends to grow rapidly, overwhelming many of the other plant life in it’s immediate area. This makes for a very sustainable resources as a full bamboo crop can be harvested in less than 7 years. This is a much better alternative to hardwood trees that can take upwards of over 20 plus years to mature.

Bamboo, traditionally thought of as an Asian but specifically Chinese plant has found a new home in products for the west. As bamboo has gained in popularity, many more people are protecting bamboo forest areas and are much more concerned about conservation. The growth of bamboo use for furniture, blinds, many home decor products, and bamboo flooring has created a robust economic incentive to grow natural products instead of clear cutting to make way for farming.

Bamboo flooring is comparable to hardwood floors in durability, looks, and installation. It has broad appeal and beauty that will not easily go out of style. Due to the interest in bamboo flooring, you can now find it in commercial buildings, hotels, restaurants, offices and many high traffic areas.

Another great benefit of bamboo flooring is price. Due to the rapid growth rate, the cost of fully stained and sealed bamboo floor material can be found for less than half the cost of planked hardwood. Bamboo floor can be installed using any of the usual hardwood flooring installation methods. These include a floating floor where the floor is simply glued together to form a single piece, straight gluing to the old floor material and a basic nailing method.

If you’re looking for a uniquely beautiful flooring material that will provide years of ambiance and warmth to your home, look no farther than a high quality bamboo floor.

Bamboo has been utilized by many cultures over millennia for a variety of purposes from food and wine to paper to textiles and building materials. In the past few years we have seen an increase in bamboo furniture, clothing, and kitchen items. Many new products take advantage of either the antibacterial properties of bamboo or its hard lightweight nature.

Because of the fast growing nature of bamboo, it is classed as a renewable resource. Bamboo grows to its full height in only one year, though it is not harvested until it is between two to seven years old because the characteristic hardness that we associate with bamboo comes from the mature stalks or culms.

There are a few different ways that the flooring is constructed; strand woven, engineered, and solid bamboo flooring. Strand woven flooring is made with the fibres of the bamboo which have been stripped from the stalks. The strands of fibre are boiled and woven together with adhesive and then pressed into sheets which are then cut into boards. The result of this process is a very durable product which has a very distinct pattern. The great durability of this product makes it a good choice for high traffic areas.

Engineered and solid bamboo floors are a lot like the hardwood versions of these styles. Engineered bamboo floors are comprised of sandwiched layers of bamboo, sometimes with a wood core; while solid bamboo flooring is made of pieces of steam flattened bamboo set side by side and glued into planks. All of the styles of bamboo flooring can come in natural tones, carbonized (darkened), or stained colours. There are a lot of options when looking at bamboo alternatives to hardwood.

It is important to note that when you are looking at any new products, particularly ones that claim to be green alternatives, to do your homework. While bamboo itself is a green product, many of the glues used by some of the producers of bamboo flooring are not and may contain formaldehyde. Keep in mind, the best additions to your new home are ones that have a minimal amount of impact on you in the way of volatile organic compounds being given off by your surroundings. Take a look at what brands of bamboo flooring are available to you; look for fair trade and FSC approved products and strive to keep your living space healthy.