First, lets clear up one misconception. Bamboo is not a tree, it is actually a grass ? a very strong grass all the same. The great thing about this is that the bamboo can be cut down without destroying the actual plant itself. And this has an enormous environmental impact as compared to tree harvesting where the tree is killed when cut down.
The other benefit of the bamboo plant, is that it is extremely fast maturing. To produce a harvestable bamboo takes about a quarter of the time to produce a typical hardwood tree. Thus making it very cost effective.
So be prepared to see much more bamboo flooring in the future.
So how does it compare to the traditional hardwood flooring? Lets find out.
Bamboo is reported to be more durable and rugged than the everyday hardwood floors of oak, maple or pecan.
You may think that bamboo flooring would be rough and uneven. To the contrary, with new technology available to manufacturers the bamboo stalks are turned into a super smooth flooring just like hardwood.
The bamboo flooring comes in strips or planks similar to engineered wood flooring and is installed in a similar fashion.
The strips of bamboo can be constructed in two ways, thus producing two patterns. These are often referred to as the horizontal pattern and the vertical pattern.
In the production of the horizontal pattern, the strips of bamboo are laid flat so the visible surface shows the bamboo's natural growth rings. And with the vertical pattern, the strips of bamboo are flipped onto their sides and laminated together in long, slender rows creating a more uniform, even appearance.
Bamboo flooring is generally available in two varieties of color. The natural blonde shade and a darker golden amber color which is the result of the bamboo being smoked (or carbonized) whilst drying.
You can obtain bamboo flooring pre-finished in a coating of urethane which provides for even greater protection against abrasion or you can buy it unfinished and finish with your own choice of material.
