Bamboo flooring is one kind of wood flooring that is gaining immense popularity, especially in the Southeast and on the West Coast. This popularity is because of its hardness and appearance. Manufacturers are using bamboo to design exotic flooring patterns comprising of borders, accents and beautiful medallions. Bamboo forests are mostly found in the Hunan province of China.
Bamboo is highly eco-friendly since it is a kind of grass. Additionally, it can be replenished and harvested again even on damaged soil. Moreover, it just takes three to five years for bamboo to mature as compared to 50-100 years for other hard woods. It is thus a renewable source, with the promise of almost stable prices over the years. Bamboo is very similar to wood in color and form. Flooring made from bamboo is almost as strong as steel.
Bamboo flooring can be done in interesting patterns and colors like honey, dark and light wood, amber and natural wood colors. The dark color is obtained by pressure steaming and carbonization. Patterns can be either flat grain or vertical. Bamboo flooring can be floated or nailed. Unfinished as well as pre-finished panels are also available.
Bamboo flooring resists dents almost as well as oak. It is also very stable. The general thickness for bamboo flooring is ½, ¾ or 5/8 inches, while width could be between three and four inches. Lengths vary from two feet to six feet, thus designs and patterns can be more creative.
Bamboo floors are very easy to install. Flooring profiles may be panels, strips or tongue and groove. The floor can be nailed, glued, installed on plywood or floated. Pneumatic nail guns are used to nail the panels down. The cost ranges from $4 to $8 per square foot, excluding installation costs. Warranties for bamboo flooring range from five to twenty-five years, depending on the manufacturer. Bamboo is thus a very cheap alternative to most hardwood floors.
Bamboo floors are also very easy and cost effective to maintain. They do not require staining or restaining as the color comes during the manufacturing process itself. However, too much dampness may spoil the flooring sooner, causing it to warp.
There are many manufacturers and providers of bamboo flooring in the U.S. These can be found over the internet. Exhaustive information about bamboo flooring is also available over the internet.
