Why is bamboo flooring good

Bamboo floors are relatively easy to maintain. Sweeping and vacuuming regularly to remove dust and debris should suffice. An occasional cleanse with a bamboo floor cleaner or a mild soap and water solution can help it look cleaner. Over time, bamboo can get scratched and discolored. Fortunately, the surface is easy to refinish by sanding it down and applying a new coating seal. Refinishing the top layer can bring a new, even look to the floor again, protecting it from future damage.

Keep in mind that engineered bamboo flooring cannot be refinished. Bamboo flooring is beneficial for areas with high traffic like living rooms, kitchens and entryways. It is naturally resistant to abrasion caused by footwork and the impact of fallen objects. Strand woven bamboo flooring weaves the grass fibers together, creating an interlocking pattern that can be three times stronger than other types of bamboo flooring. DIYers can cut installation costs depending on the type of bamboo flooring they use.

This installation method is quick and effortless, and it also allows the floor to expand and contract as humidity levels change in the room. Bamboo naturally has few pests. Even during harvesting, it requires little use of pesticides. Some of the chemicals used to treat bamboo flooring make digestion impossible for termites.

Overall, most types of bamboo flooring are pet resistant. In addition, bamboo is inhospitable to dust mites and repels dust and pollen, and it makes an excellent choice for allergy-prone homeowners. On the downside, bamboo flooring shares many disadvantages with hardwood floors.

Both are susceptible to scratches and require special sealants to protect against water. For anyone considering bamboo flooring options, these are some cons to consider. While bamboo is highly durable, its surface can easily scratch, just like most wood floors.

This condition means that the lifespan of these floors is shorter than solid hardwood, which can be sanded and refinished multiple times. Likewise, the glues used to adhere the veneer to the core material can break down over time, resulting in separation.

If you picture rows of bamboo stalks lining your floor when you think about bamboo flooring, think again. Bamboo flooring actually closely resembles other wood flooring types, but it is made quite differently. The raw bamboo is first boiled and steamed to remove the sugars and starches present in the natural material.

Then hundreds of strands of raw bamboo are machine woven and pressed together to make the flooring. Bamboo is available solid planks , planed to a desired finish, or in an engineered format that features a bamboo top layer.

Bamboo flooring has a number of practical benefits. Many bamboo options can last upwards of 50 years if properly maintained, although the average lifespan ranges from years with normal family wear-and-tear. It is harder than most hardwoods, which makes it extremely durable.

Additionally, bamboo is termite resistant and comes in a huge choice of stains and plank widths. The cost is generally less than traditional hardwood and, like engineered hardwood, bamboo flooring is easy to install for DIYers.

However, bamboo does have a few detracting points. This lack of scale can make choosing a quality bamboo flooring brand more difficult. Well, the benefits continue! Speaking of being on a budget, you can save money by installing your floors yourself. Bamboo is so easy to install, especially using the floating floor method. Most homeowners should be able to install floors in a room over a weekend.

We all live busy lives; so, when we buy new things for our house. Bamboo floors will do that for you. Cleaning is easy and similar to hardwood flooring.

How long does it take you to clean your current floors? That will be enough to pick up routine dirt, debris, and dust. Occasionally, you might need more intense cleaning with a damp — not wet! This type of bamboo is not as hard or durable as stranded bamboo, but it can have a very striking appearance. It, too, is available both in nail-down planks and as floating floor planks. Engineered bamboo flooring is made by bonding a thin layer of bamboo onto a plywood or MDF core. This flooring is comparable to engineered hardwood and is installed in the same way—usually with click-lock planks that float over a foam underlayment.

It is the least expensive and least durable form of bamboo flooring, and it cannot be refinished. Unless it is stained, most bamboo flooring has a natural blonde or amber color that resembles unfinished maple or birch, but darker tones are available through a process called carbonizing, which entails subjecting the planks to high temperatures. While the color can be very attractive, carbonized bamboo is softer than uncarbonized forms, and is more susceptible to scratching.

Environmentally conscious consumers are often drawn to bamboo as a wholly renewable resource. Unlike the hardwood lumber industry, where trees can take decades to mature, bamboo stalks grow so fast that there is little environmental liability to the harvest practices.

Moreover, bamboo stalks that are cut simply continue to grow and replenish themselves so that they can be harvested. But the manufacturing process creates other environmental concerns.

Bamboo floor planks are manufactured by slicing or shredding the stalks of bamboo grass plants and then compressing the pulp back together using heat, pressure, and a resin-based adhesive identical to those used in many other flooring products.

This adhesive often contains urea-formaldehyde that can outgas into the air. The level of adhesive used and the amount of toxins emitted will vary, depending on how the bamboo planks are manufactured. Cheaper products may contain more formaldehyde, while more expensive products may use alternative materials in the resins.

The amount of formaldehyde used in bamboo flooring is similar to that found in engineered hardwood flooring or MDF sheathing, and it tends to be a problem only for sensitive individuals. This material is priced at about the same level as most hardwood floors. Installation costs for bamboo flooring are much the same as for hardwood flooring. If you are a DIYer, be aware that there is no independent system for rating the quality of bamboo materials in the same way that hardwood is graded.

Retailers will often sort lots into grade A and grade B materials, but that is an arbitrary system that means different things to different retailers. This makes it important to find a quality, reputable flooring dealer to ensure that you are getting top-quality material.

Bamboo is relatively easy to maintain. Just sweep or vacuum it regularly to remove small particle debris. You can also occasionally damp mop it or clean it with a non-wax, non-alkaline, hardwood or bamboo floor cleanser. When compared to hardwood, bamboo is slightly more resistant to water damage. And bamboo is slightly harder than many hardwoods, giving it somewhat better resistance to scratches and dents.

But this is not a water-proof or scratch-proof material.