HARDWOOD FLOORING ALTERNATIVE: BAMBOO FLOORING
Bamboo flooring is a perfect choice for flooring in basements or any area that is repeatedly exposed to moisture. Bamboo is ideal for humid climates because it has low absorption properties and bamboo performs well in drier climates. In fact, bamboo flooring is not only a good choice for its moisture resistance, beauty, affordability, and ease of installation, but it is a green material.
Because bamboo is such a renewable resource, it is typically harvested from plantations where it is harvested in four to seven years and replanted. The wild habitats are not disturbed for commercial use of bamboo.
Even though bamboo is actually a grass that can be woven together and used for wood applications, it is a great alternative to hardwood flooring. It has a Janka Scale rating of 1642, which is above oak and maple and just under hickory. The scratch resistance is very high and its tensile strength rivals steel.
GREEN PROPERTIES
While bamboo is not a tree, it is the fastest growing plant in the world and contributes greatly to reducing greenhouse gases. It is extremely conducive to fresh air. Bamboo produces greater biomass and 30% more oxygen than comparable-sized hardwood forests. Wild habitats provide erosion prevention, soil restoration, improvement of watersheds, even removing toxins from contaminated soil and water.
Bamboo grows to approximately 60 feet high in four to seven years, which is much more quickly than the maturation of hardwood trees. The average hardwood tree takes approximately 50 to 70 years to reach that height. Bamboo offers a highly renewable source of food and building materials, while providing other environmental benefits. Left to its own devices, bamboo regenerates annually without replanting. It takes nearly ten times as long to reap similar environmental benefits from hardwood trees.
BENEFITS OF BAMBOO FLOORING
In conjunction with its green properties and plentiful/renewable supply, bamboo is quickly becoming one of the most popular types of residential as well as commercial flooring choice. The fact that bamboo performs well in humid and drier climates helps to promote its benefits on a wide scale basis. Many homeowners, business owners, and contractors are touting the strong points of utilizing this material. Below is a list of bamboo flooring benefits.
- Bamboo is a renewable and plentiful resource.
- Bamboo floor resins can easily meet stringent environmental standards.
- Bamboo floors are termite resistant.
- Bamboo floors are moisture and stain resistant.
- Bamboo floors are easier to clean.
- Bamboo floors are harder than most hardwoods.
- Bamboo floors have an expansion rate that is only about 50% of hardwoods.
- Bamboo flooring costs 10% to 50% less than hardwood flooring.
- Bamboo flooring can be installed over numerous types of sub-flooring, including concrete and even a radiant heat floor.
BAMBOO FLOORING OPTIONS
Several types of bamboo flooring are available for consumers to achieve the customized appearance they prefer. Layouts are available in both vertical and horizontal grain. Vertical grain is when the bamboo slats are turned on the side as they are melded giving a narrower look. Horizontal grain has a wider appearance because the planks are laid flat before melding. Preference determines which is more aesthetically-pleasing.
HAND-SCRAPED - Distressed, textured, and antique flooring refers to bamboo that is hand-scraped. Manufacturers of hand-scraped flooring consider this an art form. The process produces a solid bamboo layer with a custom plank hand-scraped or textured bamboo flooring layer on top. This type of flooring takes longer to produce than the solid or engineered styles. This type of flooring has experienced a surge of popularity in Italy and the Middle East because renovations are taking place in older, classical buildings.
STRAND-WOVEN - Bamboo already has a strong rating on the Janka Hardness Rating Scale. However, the strand-woven manufacturing process can be compared to putting bamboo on steroids. This flooring is ideal for homes with very active pets or children. It has all the benefits of hardwood and can take more punishment than average hardwood flooring and other bamboo flooring.
Long strips of the bamboo are heated, weaved together, and then laminated under extreme pressure. The result is flooring that is harder and denser than traditional bamboo flooring. Strand-woven bamboo flooring is twice as hard and more resilient than red oak.
The grain is very distinct and resembles traditional hardwoods. This hybrid appearance combines the uniqueness of bamboo with the classic hardwood floor presence.
SOLID - This type of flooring is heavier and harder than engineered or textured flooring. It is made of whole strips. Solid bamboo flooring may be used in any climate, but is better suited to low-humidity and regions where the flooring will not expand and contract as much. A special brand is precision engineered for use over radiant heat flooring. This type of floor features heat-resistant adhesives and a heat-diffusion channeling system, providing peace of mind when laid over radiant heat.
ENGINEERED BAMBOO FLOORING - This type of flooring has a bamboo wear surface laminated to a plywood base. Engineered floors are ideal for basements and laying over concrete surfaces because they are more resistant to moisture than solid floors. Despite the fact that bamboo flooring has a slower expansion than hardwood floors, the slower expansion and contraction rate also makes engineered bamboo flooring an excellent choice for installation over radiant heat flooring like engineered hardwood flooring, engineered bamboo flooring is dimensionally stable and can be used in glue down and floating floor installations.
FLOORING FINISHES
Carbonized Finish - During the manufacturing process, the strips of bamboo are boiled. This process darkens the color. However, this process does make the bamboo softer. The coloring is inconsistent from plank to plank. The colors will range from light to medium to dark. Ensuring a balanced appearance may take some time and no two installations will look alike.
Natural Finish - There is no processing to change the color of the bamboo. The bright hues of natural bamboo can serve to open up small spaces. It is often used in low-lit corridors.
Stained Finish - Bamboo flooring can be stained to match homeowner and designer specifications. Many manufacturers will offer various shades of stained bamboo flooring.
PRE-INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
All manufacturers have requirements and recommendations for pre-installation. Depending upon the environment, humidity levels, and overlay surface type, you will want to follow the well-researched installation instructions. The following information contains guidelines and any manufacturer instructions supersede what is written below. The manufacturers have the interest to make certain your flooring choice looks great. They know that an unattractive product does harm to their reputation.
Concrete Slab Surfaces
As mentioned above, there are two types of bamboo flooring that are ideal for laying over concrete slabs and in basements. If the proper preparation is not done when laying the cement slab, considerable water vapor can wick through from the ground surface below. New construction homeowners can make certain the proper preparations are followed when pouring the concrete slab.
However, owners of older homes have no such luxury. It is a good idea to have a moisture content test prior to laying the flooring. Another important precaution is to place a moisture barrier over the concrete. Usually the recommendation is 6 mil polyurethane sheeting, but please check with the flooring manufacturer.
When choosing engineered bamboo flooring, pay attention to the wear surface layer. The higher the ply count of the laminate indicates increased stability against expansion and contraction from moisture. All bamboo flooring has a lower expansion than any hardwood flooring, but engineered bamboo flooring is superior when compared to other types of bamboo flooring and can be used in any type of climate.
Engineered bamboo flooring is precision-engineered to be dimensionally stable. It is superior for glue-down, cleat, and floating (glued to each other) installations. Floating installation is ideal for concrete slab surfaces.
Sub-Flooring Surfaces
Follow the recommendations of the manufacturer for laying flooring on a sub-floor surface. Again, engineered bamboo flooring is also a good choice for sub-floor surfaces. Keep in mind that most manufacturers will recommend a flat, clean, and dry surface so most times felt coverings need to be replaced with a polyurethane foam underlayment. The underlayment will act as a moisture barrier, sound reducer, and cushion for the new flooring. If doors open into the room, make certain they will clear the surface of the installed flooring.
Acclimating the Flooring
Most engineered bamboo flooring manufacturers recommend the flooring be acclimated for two to three days with the boxes unopened in the room. The room temperature should be set to the normal living level for proper acclimation. More detailed information will be contained in the manufacturer's instructions.
DRAWING A PLAN
Whether you do the material ordering or have a representative figure out the amount of flooring needed, it is a good idea to make a sketch of the flooring project. Returning excess flooring is a minor inconvenience when comparing it to discovering you are short of material. Graph paper will help you scale the project dimensions. Most manufacturer recommendations allow for a ½ " space between the outer edges of the flooring and walls, cabinets, or other fixed objects.
AESTHETIC INSTALLATION STRATEGIES
Because bamboo has natural color variations, it is recommended that you take a strategic approach to ensure even distribution. Opening and sorting a few boxes at a time usually is quite effective at mixing the variations during the installation process. This will help ensure the best appearance when the installation is completed.
The use of spacers will assist in maintaining expansion space. Before placing the first plank, it is recommended to install the planks parallel to the longest wall. To ensure this aesthetic recommendation, lay the first plank in a corner with the long groove toward the long wall. Connect the short side of the second plank together with the mating side of the beginning plank. This advice should be in the manufacturer's instructions, but it is essential to ensure proper installation.
Offsetting the end splices of consecutive rows by a minimum of six inches, will allow for the most attractive finished appearance. Continue the second row by connecting the short edges of the planks firs, then the long edges. Finishing off the last row may entail rip cutting the planks to size. Be certain to cut enough to create the short edges first, and then use a pull bar to tap the long edges together.
FINISHING TOUCHES
If installing the bamboo flooring in basements or near stairs, stair treads and stair (bull) nose are available from some manufacturers. This can really dress up and coordinate the final appearance.
Other types of trim pieces are also available. Consider ordering bamboo risers, reducers, t-molding, quarter rounds, thresholds (either baby thresholds or end molding,) baseboard, register vents, etcetera. These trim pieces can really dress up the final project.
MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Your manufacturer will include maintenance recommendations in their instructions. However, there are a few generalized recommendations that can be shared. One thing to keep in mind is that bamboo flooring is not scratch- and dent-proof. They are more resistant to scratching and denting than traditional hardwood flooring, but not immune to them.
If you have pets, scratching may be of greatest concern to you. The strand-woven and engineered bamboo are the most resistant to scratching and denting in that order. Also, you may be able to use vinyl nail caps that can usually be found at your local pet stores. Unfortunately, there is no such thing available.
Carbonized flooring finishes is usually softer and will ding more easily. Natural-colored bamboo is prone to showing grime and shoe marks due to the bright color. Attention to cleaning and care will minimize these problems. Using rugs in high-traffic areas and bathrooms will help to control damage from scratching and denting.
Cleaning frequently with a vacuum or dry mop is usually the best way to keep the floor attractive and will remove grit that can be ground-in if left unattended. If you have pets, it has been stated that Swiffer mops may contain chemicals that can be very damaging to their health. Please consult your pet store and veterinarian before considering their use.
For any solution that you choose to utilize, be sure to consult your manufacturer for the type of solution and the recommended frequency. Any wood floor cleaning agents should be diluted before use. A urethane coating can be applied to assist in retaining the shine and texture of the flooring. For commercial use, it is recommended to reapply the coating every two years. For residential settings, the recommendation is to reapply the coating every eight years.
SEARCHING FOR BAMBOO FLOORING
Armed with the above information, you are ready to begin your search for flooring. If you have no local dealers to obtain the flooring from, the Internet offers reputable manufacturers. The pricing and shipping is very competitive because most of the manufacturers deal with large amounts of flooring and obtain their supplies from a large, dedicated plantation.
Some manufacturers offer recommendations for local installers. If none are available, you may want to ask local installers if they have had experience laying hardwood flooring. As long as they follow the manufacturer instructions, there should be no concerns. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, the same recommendations apply, follow the manufacturer instructions!
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