Home Improvement Articles

 There is something wonderful about the look and feel of hardwood floors.  They really add that special warmth and depth to a home and are especially lovely when you accent the wood with light, natural fabrics and colors.  Done correctly, wood flooring can make coming home feel like living in a gorgeous spa.  But traditional wood flooring, while beautiful, is neither sustainable nor ecologically friendly.

Currently there are many different types of bamboo flooring available.  Bamboo, while technically a grass, has all of the beauty of a natural hardwood floor without the guilt of having contributed to the tearing down of the rain forest.  The lighter and darker shades of bamboo floors are created by heating the bamboo and curing.  It is important to note in traditional plank bamboo floors that the lighter the shade of bamboo, the stronger and more durable it will be as the heating process can soften the bamboo making it more prone to denting and scratching from heavy furniture.  Bamboo has the additional benefit of being quite a bit more affordable than traditional hardwood flooring.

Durability has sometimes been a concern of those installing bamboo flooring.  Laminate bamboo flooring’s durability is usually compared to black walnut and maple depending on whether it is darker or lighter.  Engineered bamboo flooring is more durable than laminate, but it is not 100% bamboo.  It is, however, a better choice for those who live in a humid climate.  Strand woven bamboo flooring is the strongest and most durable bamboo available for flooring.  it is created by shredding and combining the bamboo fibers with a low VOC adhesive and pressure to create a flooring that is twice as dense as laminate bamboo.  If your home has lots of high-impact traffic and you are concerned about your flooring lasting many years to come, strand woven bamboo is the best choice available.  

All that said, if you are remodeling your home and considering wood flooring, bamboo is an excellent alternative.  It is just as beautiful as any other type of hardwood flooring and will produce the same effect.  It is comparable in ease of installation to hardwood, and as durable as many other types of wood flooring.  For the greatest durability, your best choice is strand woven bamboo flooring.  Any type of bamboo installation will be more cost effective than it’s hardwood counterpart.

Strand woven bamboo flooring is truly a durable, beautiful, and sustainable alternative to traditional rain forest harvested hardwoods. Learn more about the benefits of strand woven bamboo flooring here.

Temperance is a freelance writer who enjoys writing and the outdoors.