Many people are looking into bamboo flooring as a substitute for wood flooring. Bamboo is touted as a natural or organic alternative to wood that is environmentally friendly. This is because bamboo is not a wood but a plant that is easily replenished and grows quickly. Even though it is elegant and resistant to a lot of natural elements, you must know how to take care of bamboo flooring to assure it lasts.
There are many benefits other than the environmentally responsible aspect of bamboo flooring. It resists insects and moisture and is also dimensionally stable. It is durable when taken care of properly and can also be relatively inexpensive. The added benefit to this flooring is that it can give your style and design an upgrade.
Grains, Colours & Compositions of Bamboo Flooring
There are also many options when it comes to bamboo flooring in terms of grains, colours and composition. The grain configuration of the flooring can be horizontal, vertical or strained depending upon how it is manufactured. This is important to know because strain flooring can be even harder than hardwood floors because of the methods used to manufacture the bamboo while horizontal and vertical have distinct looks.
Bamboo may also be natural or carbonised in colour. Natural means that the bamboo has a blonde colour while carbonising it makes it a darker shade from brown to dark brown. You should also consider whether the flooring is solid bamboo, composed entirely of bamboo, or engineered bamboo in which the top layer is solid bamboo while subsequent layers are composed of different kinds of wood.
If the look of the flooring is important, you should also determine whether it is strand or distressed flooring. Strand bamboo flooring creates a look that resembles marbled grain to provide a beautiful and elegant look. On the other hand, distressed bamboo flooring has more of an antique look with a ruffled or wavy effect and the manufacturing process makes it as tough as red oak.
Furthermore, you can have these floors stained.
