Choosing Bamboo Floors

When it comes to choosing a new floor for your home there are many choices available to today’s home owner. Bamboo flooring provides an excellent alternative to traditional hardwood flooring materials. Growing in popularity as an alternative, bamboo flooring has many attractive features that make it a viable option for modern homeowners. Although harvested primarily in China, bamboo flooring can now be found quite easily in both European and North American markets. Many of those that adopted bamboo flooring early on point out its environmental friendliness due to it being a renewable resource. The bamboo plant regrows very quickly when compared with the time it takes a forest to regrow. In fact, the bamboo plant is considered a grass, as it grows far faster than a normal forest. When done responsibly, harvesting of the bamboo plant can be accomplished in a environmentally friendly manner.

How does bamboo flooring stack up when compared to traditional flooring materials? High quality bamboo flooring is harder and more durable than even the most expensive hardwood flooring. Moisture does not affect bamboo in the way that hardwood suffers from water damage. Where traditional hardwood may buckle and crack because of water exposure, bamboo flooring will keep out water without a problem. Bamboo flooring is engineered like a laminate and treated under very high pressure with a high quality glue. This makes bamboo flooring very resistant to abrasions and scratches, where a hardwood floor would end up showing scratches. Bamboo flooring has become significantly more affordable in the past number of years as well.

Best of all, bamboo flooring can typically be installed at home without any professional assistance. Like many of the newer hardwoods, bamboo flooring is made with a groove that allows the planks to interlock, making them considerably easier to install. Before installing a bamboo floor, allow the planks to adjust to their new environment for no less than 72 hours. Although bamboo flooring is very resistant to moisture, they do need some time to adjust to their new climate before installation. Having an experienced flooring professional install the material for you can save you money and aggravation down the road. The last thing you want is to ruin your new floor due to an improper installation method.

What steps need to be taken in order to provide upkeep for a bamboo floor? Maintenance requirements are fairly simple for bamboo flooring. Make certain to sweep and mop the floor after it is laid down. Basic regular maintenance such as dusting and sweep should be done after installation. This will prevent a build up of dust that can dull the finish. A mat used at the entrance way will keep out a great deal of dust and dirt. Dirt and small rocks can easily scratch the finish, and a mat can do a great deal to prevent this problem. By following a simply and ongoing maintenance plan you can help to keep your new bamboo floors looking their best for many years to come.