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Quality Bamboo Floors

Bamboo is considered one of the most recent and appealing products in the flooring industry. Although bamboo was initially considered by some flooring professional as a trendy product, it has confirmed to be a flooring option that is appealing, lasting, versatile, economical and very environmentally friendly.These characteristicsof bamboo have made its popularity grow exceedingly in recent years. With all the knowledgeon how bamboo is made, the different designsto choose from, durability, and the environmental factor, you can decidefor yourself if bamboo will be your latest flooring choice.

What Exactly is Bamboo Anyway?

Bamboo is part of the grass family than can be found in almost all parts of the earth. However, the bamboo that is used for flooring primarily grow in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Bamboo can grow up to three feet a day and be harvested every five to six years in these regions.This harvesting does not kill the bamboo and in fact the bamboo will grow new stalks without the need for replanting. The end result is a product that has a Janka hardness rating of up to 25% greater than red oak and about comparableto North American maple. And because bamboo is a grass, it is much more resistant to moisture than any hardwood, resulting in a product that expands much less than other hardwoods. Ultimately bamboo flooring is strong, durable, and can be sanded and refinished just like most hardwood floors, but is incomparablein its positive environmental impact.

The Manufacturing Process

After the stalks have been cut down they are cut to prescribed lengths and then pushed against knives to product splits. These splits are then flattened and put through a four sided mill. Some of these splits are steamed to produce the carbonized color. Bamboo has natural sugars within it that when steamed will turn the bamboo to a rich brown color. At this point, bamboo is kiln dried to assure an adequatemoisture content.The final phase before finishing is gluing, then followed by hot pressing.These planks are then fed into a planer that also cuts the tongue and grooves. From here they are sanded, finished, and boxed.

Horizontal, Vertical, and Strand Woven

Bamboo flooring comes in horizontal grain, vertical grain, and strand woven. Each of these styles features its own unique look and performance. Horizontal grain is made by laying the splits horizontally, stacked three high, and then gluing them together. The finished product gives an appearance of bamboo stalks where one can see the knuckles of the bamboo. Vertical grain is made by laying the splits vertically and gluing them together. This gives a unique appearance of long narrow strips where the knuckles are mostly hidden. Strand woven bamboo is made by mixing various scraps of bamboo with glue and compressing it. The final appearance is one that is very unique and random where one can see the knuckles occasionally. Vertical grain is typically about 2-5% softer than the horizontal grain. In the flooring world this is really a minute amount and should not be considered when choosing a style. The strand woven however can have a Janka rating as high as 4000 because of the compression that takes place during the manufacturing process. No wood's hardness can compare to strand woven bamboo.

For more information check bamboo flooring website.

About the Author

Has been in the flooring industry for over 20 years.

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