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Bamboo Flooring Is Taking The Design World By Storm
By Kevin Brown
Are you looking for something different for your house? Maybe you do not
want to be like all of your neighbors and you want to stand out from the
crowd? Alternatively, perhaps you simply need a flooring option that will
stand up to a lot of wear and tear and you like the natural look? Whatever
your reasons are, bamboo flooring is a hot new trend in the interior design
world and for good reason.
The Benefits Of Bamboo Flooring
The three main reasons to use bamboo flooring are very simple.
1) The Properties of the Flooring
2) The Aesthetic Beauty of the Flooring
3) The Environmental Benefits
The Properties Of Bamboo
When you choose flooring for your home, you typically want a long lasting
and durable floor. You do not want install a floor only to have to replace
it in a few years, so you need to choose a floor that will stand up to the
test of time. Bamboo is a strong floor that is actually harder than most
of the standard hardwoods. In fact, it was given a strength rating higher
than maple and almost double that of red oak!
Because bamboo is so tough, it will stand up to a lot more wear and tear
than the standard hardwood floors. It is a very resilient material and is
able to take a much bigger impact without leaving a dent.
One of the best features of bamboo flooring is the fact that it is a water
resistant floor covering. Bamboo is naturally moisture resistant because
of the environment where it is grown. In addition, for added moisture protection,
bamboo undergoes a lamination process making it even more resistant to warping
and gapping.
In fact, because of the excellent moisture resistant properties of bamboo
flooring, it is recommended for use in kitchens and bathrooms where regular
hardwood flooring and even laminate flooring types are not usually advised.
The Aesthetic Value Of Bamboo
Bamboo is not a wood product, which is commonly thought. In fact, bamboo
is a grass plant, not a tree like most people think. Because it is a grass,
bamboo has a much different look than traditional hardwood floorings. The
color of the floor is naturally quite light with some darker bands from the
nodes of the bamboo plant. In addition, bamboo floorboards have a very tight
grain and are uniform in color, which makes them very easy to match.
Because bamboo is naturally light in color, you may be thinking that it is
not very good for interior designs where you need a darker flooring color.
Bamboo flooring can be darkened with a carbonization process where steam
and pressure turns the sugar in the bamboo a darker color. The darker shade
will usually turn a honey brown color. Now with more advancements, bamboo
can be stained in many different colors. In fact, you can find bamboo in
over thirty different colors and styles. Therefore, there is something for
everyone and everybody’s homes.
The Environmental Benefits Of Bamboo
In an age where environmental concerns are in the forefront of everybody’s
minds, bamboo flooring is a perfect route for an environmentally conscious
consumer. Because bamboo is a grass plant and not a tree, it is a renewable
resource. After every harvest, the plant will grow back to be harvested again,
while an oak tree for example, will not.
A bamboo plant takes only five years for it to reach maturity at 50 feet
high. Traditional hardwood trees take at least three decades to reach maturity,
sometimes taking 200 years. Once you cut down a tree to make hardwood flooring
you cannot reuse that tree.
Because bamboo is such a resilient flooring material, and does not dent,
scratch or wear as quickly and easily as traditional hardwood flooring, there
is much less maintenance and repair needed. Environmentally conscious consumers
will recognize that, if a floor covering requires fewer chemicals to clean
and repair it, it is a much more environmentally friendly material.
Bamboo is also treated to be mildew and insect resistant which makes it an
excellent choice in areas where you need to be concerned with termites, or
if there is a lot of moisture in the air. This process is done safely and
without the use of harsh chemicals that can be a concern for environmentally
conscious consumers.
Because consumers are becoming more environmentally concerned, builders and
developers are also becoming more attuned to environmental issues. They are
more often turning to bamboo flooring because of all of the “green”
properties that it possesses.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a flooring option that is different and will provide
you the unique benefits of laminate flooring, but a strength and durability
stronger than traditional hardwood floors, than take a look at the options
provided with bamboo floors.
© 2005 http://www.laminate-flooring-now.com
Kevin Brown is successful author and publisher of many informative websites
including
http://www.laminate-flooring-now.com. His websites offer tips
and advice on a wide array of topics including
laminate
floors, bamboo flooring, cork flooring and more.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
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