Many homeowners choose bamboo flooring for its look, while others select it for its strength. Besides aesthetics and durability, bamboo flooring is a favorite of folks who want to be kind to the environment. The plant itself is one of the most versatile on the planet, with the majority of today's crop coming from China and its neighboring nations. These days, bamboo is going through something of a renaissance, with a burgeoning waiting list of uses and users. What are some of its functions? To name just a few from the complete list, which itself names over 1,500 end uses for bamboo, the wood is found in all kinds of household furniture, various types of screens, fencing, and as a decorative interior wood. Perhaps the most popular destination for bamboo is flooring. As a gorgeous substitute for hardwood, bamboo has countless advantages, and just a handful of drawbacks.
In fact, bamboo is not a tree, or a type of wood, but a plant. A member of the grass family, this fantastic flora grows at the amazing rate of four feet per day! After reaching full height, in about three weeks, bamboo must wait about four more years to attain complete maturity. After that, it is ready to be used as flooring, or one of 1,499 other things.
Environmentally, bamboo is a wonder plant. Its roots are not damaged at all during harvesting, nor does it need to be replanted, ever! Bamboo needs little care at all during its growth phase, and since it prospers in the most hostile of locations, many third-world countries use it as a source of farm income.
Bamboo stalks are called culms. These long poles are boiled in lime and other substances after stripping, in order to remove the plant's natural sugary starch. After a bit of drying and prepping, the bamboo culms are ready for industrial processing, one endpoint of which is flooring. Sometimes the culms are specially processed and darkened, but this extra step causes the poles to lose some of their strength. Purists often avoid the darkened bamboo since it makes for softer floors.
Bamboo is highly moisture resistant, ranking right up there next to some of the best hardwoods for durability and solidity. Though cleansers and waxes will harm bamboo flooring, it can take sanding and polishing quite well, just as any hardwood floor can.
In fact, bamboo is not a tree, or a type of wood, but a plant. A member of the grass family, this fantastic flora grows at the amazing rate of four feet per day! After reaching full height, in about three weeks, bamboo must wait about four more years to attain complete maturity. After that, it is ready to be used as flooring, or one of 1,499 other things.
Environmentally, bamboo is a wonder plant. Its roots are not damaged at all during harvesting, nor does it need to be replanted, ever! Bamboo needs little care at all during its growth phase, and since it prospers in the most hostile of locations, many third-world countries use it as a source of farm income.
Bamboo stalks are called culms. These long poles are boiled in lime and other substances after stripping, in order to remove the plant's natural sugary starch. After a bit of drying and prepping, the bamboo culms are ready for industrial processing, one endpoint of which is flooring. Sometimes the culms are specially processed and darkened, but this extra step causes the poles to lose some of their strength. Purists often avoid the darkened bamboo since it makes for softer floors.
Bamboo is highly moisture resistant, ranking right up there next to some of the best hardwoods for durability and solidity. Though cleansers and waxes will harm bamboo flooring, it can take sanding and polishing quite well, just as any hardwood floor can.
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