If you are looking for a way to make your home look a bit warmer or more inviting, maybe you should give some bamboo wood floors a try.
Bamboo, found on the North American continent, is a highly processed wood. The bamboo goes through a process where it is split into layers then flattened, dried and glued in layers together.
There are two ways to lay bamboo flooring. There's vertical and horizontal. Lying the bamboo vertically will cause the pattern to be uniformed and will give your floor a more sleek and organized look. If you are looking for a more unique floor pattern, the wood can be laid in a more erratic way to create some quirk.
Here are steps to take care of your floor
- Avoiding walking on new floors with heels
- Use protective pads on legs of chairs and tables
- Change location of furniture, bamboo will fade with time
- Keep out of direct sunlight
- Floors will stain if spills aren't cleaned right away
Best places to shop:
Can be found at your local hardware store
Local Lowes and home Depot, Ace Hardware
You can find wood floors as low as 1.25 per square foot!
Bamboo flooring is good for all of you who are working to be a it more environmentally conscious. It is made from 100 percent recycled wood, so you don't have to feel like you're killing the whole rainforest just to have a beautiful dining room. These floors are relatively easy to maintain. Sweep them daily, and once a week or so, make sure to take a little Mop and Glo and go over the clean floor with a dry mop to keep the wood shiny.
Showing posts with label bamboo floors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bamboo floors. Show all posts
Friday, 24 December 2010
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Bamboo Flooring - A Greener Option?
Over the last few years, bamboo floors have become the latest craze. Environmentally conscious home owners are choosing them over traditional hardwood floors because of their sustainability and environmentally sound origins. However, some critics are raising the alarm that bamboo flooring are not as "green" as they could be.
There are different forms of bamboo floors available to consumers. In North America, the manufactured bamboo flooring that is commonly found is highly processed. The bamboo is first split and flattened, and then dried. Later it is laminated in layers with glue under high pressure. Manufactured bamboo floors are usually available in planks with either vertical- or horizontal-grain orientation.
Bamboo flooring is available in two major colors: natural (similar to beech) and carbonized (similar to oak). Bamboo flooring gets its color from a process called carbonization in which bamboo is steamed under a controlled pressure and temperature. As the bio-organisms and sugar breaks down, the color of the material changes into a brown. Natural and carbonized bamboo floors are often referred to as solid bamboo. This can be somewhat misleading as the structures are layered, similar to a plywood.
One of the main advantages of bamboo is that it is a renewable resource. The bamboo plant is a grass that reaches maturity in about three years while many conventional hardwood floors (such as oak) can take 120 years to grow to maturity. The bamboo plant also regenerates with replanting and requires minimal fertilization or pesticides. Bamboo floors are also considered to be water repellant, making them a save choice in kitchens and bathrooms.
However, some will argue that bamboo is not being managed in a sustainable fashion. While it is true that the plant regenerates, forests are being cleared to grow bamboo. Producers in Asia, mainly China, have been aggressive in their planting often at the expense of existing woodlands and their ecosystems. When the bamboo is transformed into plans, the factories often use glues with high levels of formaldehyde. Should you choose to install bamboo floors in your home, beware that, like any hardwood floors, it can be damaged by dents, scratches, etc.
The bottom line is that you will have to do your homework before you buy bamboo flooring materials. While it is a beautiful wood with a high regeneration capacity, beware of the potential health risk of the glues used to make the product. Ask questions and don't be shy to request test results. Reputable flooring companies offer glues that emit less than 0.01 parts per million of the substance. You may have to pay a little more for this option, but your health is worth it. Also, be sure to walk on an installed bamboo floor before making your final decision. The feel of a bamboo floor can vary depending on how the material has been treated and the finish applied. You want to be sure that you new floor will grace your home for decades and not have to be ripped up after a few years.
There are different forms of bamboo floors available to consumers. In North America, the manufactured bamboo flooring that is commonly found is highly processed. The bamboo is first split and flattened, and then dried. Later it is laminated in layers with glue under high pressure. Manufactured bamboo floors are usually available in planks with either vertical- or horizontal-grain orientation.
Bamboo flooring is available in two major colors: natural (similar to beech) and carbonized (similar to oak). Bamboo flooring gets its color from a process called carbonization in which bamboo is steamed under a controlled pressure and temperature. As the bio-organisms and sugar breaks down, the color of the material changes into a brown. Natural and carbonized bamboo floors are often referred to as solid bamboo. This can be somewhat misleading as the structures are layered, similar to a plywood.
One of the main advantages of bamboo is that it is a renewable resource. The bamboo plant is a grass that reaches maturity in about three years while many conventional hardwood floors (such as oak) can take 120 years to grow to maturity. The bamboo plant also regenerates with replanting and requires minimal fertilization or pesticides. Bamboo floors are also considered to be water repellant, making them a save choice in kitchens and bathrooms.
However, some will argue that bamboo is not being managed in a sustainable fashion. While it is true that the plant regenerates, forests are being cleared to grow bamboo. Producers in Asia, mainly China, have been aggressive in their planting often at the expense of existing woodlands and their ecosystems. When the bamboo is transformed into plans, the factories often use glues with high levels of formaldehyde. Should you choose to install bamboo floors in your home, beware that, like any hardwood floors, it can be damaged by dents, scratches, etc.
The bottom line is that you will have to do your homework before you buy bamboo flooring materials. While it is a beautiful wood with a high regeneration capacity, beware of the potential health risk of the glues used to make the product. Ask questions and don't be shy to request test results. Reputable flooring companies offer glues that emit less than 0.01 parts per million of the substance. You may have to pay a little more for this option, but your health is worth it. Also, be sure to walk on an installed bamboo floor before making your final decision. The feel of a bamboo floor can vary depending on how the material has been treated and the finish applied. You want to be sure that you new floor will grace your home for decades and not have to be ripped up after a few years.
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