Bamboo Flooring – a Greener Option?

In recent years, bamboo floors are the rage. Environmentally conscious homeowners to choose a traditional wood floor running for their durability and environmentally friendly home. However, some critics are sounding the alarm that bamboo flooring is not as green as they could be.

There are different types of bamboo floors available to consumers. In North America, manufactured bamboo flooring, which is often found, is highly processed. The bamboo is split and flattened at first, then dried. Later, it is laminated in layers with glue under high pressure. Bamboo floors are typically made of planks with either vertical or horizontal grain available.

Bamboo flooring is available in two great colors: natural (similar to beech) and carbonized (similar to Oak). Bamboo flooring is its color from a process called carbonization where bamboo is steamed under pressure and temperature controlled. Like bio-organisms and reduce the sugar, the color of the material in a brown. Natural and carbonized bamboo floors are often called bamboo. This can be somewhat misleading, because the structures are layered, similar to cons-plated.

A major advantage is that bamboo is a renewable resource. Bamboo is a grass-conditioning, the running time in about three years, met while many traditional hardwoods (oak, for example) may be 120 years to mature. Bamboo regenerates with replanting and requires minimal fertilization or pesticides. Bamboo flooring is also water resistant, making them a safe choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

However, some argue that bamboo is not sustainably managed. It is true that the plant be regenerated forests being cleared to grow bamboo. Producers in Asia, particularly China, have been aggressive in their planting often at the expense of existing forests and their ecosystems. If bamboo is converted into plans, plants with formaldehyde adhesive often high. If you install bamboo flooring in your home, keep in mind that, like all wood floors, it will be damaged by bumps scratches, etc.

Ultimately, you must do your homework before purchasing bamboo flooring. If it is a beautiful wood with a high capacity for regeneration, beware of possible risks to the health of adhesives used to find the product. Ask questions and do not be afraid to ask for test results. A good company offers flooring adhesives that emit less than 0.01 ppm of the substance. You may have to pay a little more for this option, but your health is worth it. You should also install a bamboo floor before you make your final decision. The feeling of a bamboo floor can depending on how the material has been processed and the target is applied. They want to be sure you new floor will grace your home for decades, not according to need years to be demolished.

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