If you are contemplating flooring for your new home or looking to increase the salability of your existing home, you may well have looked into hardwood floors. Few things can add pizzazz to a house like a fresh new hardwood floor after all. But if you are interested in hardwood and want something a little more unique, why not take a look at bamboo flooring?

Bamboo has been utilized by many cultures over millennia for a variety of purposes from food and wine to paper to textiles and building materials. In the past few years we have seen an increase in bamboo furniture, clothing, and kitchen items. Many new products take advantage of either the antibacterial properties of bamboo or its hard lightweight nature.

Because of the fast growing nature of bamboo, it is classed as a renewable resource. Bamboo grows to its full height in only one year, though it is not harvested until it is between two to seven years old because the characteristic hardness that we associate with bamboo comes from the mature stalks or culms.

There are a few different ways that the flooring is constructed; strand woven, engineered, and solid bamboo flooring. Strand woven flooring is made with the fibres of the bamboo which have been stripped from the stalks. The strands of fibre are boiled and woven together with adhesive and then pressed into sheets which are then cut into boards. The result of this process is a very durable product which has a very distinct pattern. The great durability of this product makes it a good choice for high traffic areas.

Engineered and solid bamboo floors are a lot like the hardwood versions of these styles. Engineered bamboo floors are comprised of sandwiched layers of bamboo, sometimes with a wood core; while solid bamboo flooring is made of pieces of steam flattened bamboo set side by side and glued into planks. All of the styles of bamboo flooring can come in natural tones, carbonized (darkened), or stained colours. There are a lot of options when looking at bamboo alternatives to hardwood.

It is important to note that when you are looking at any new products, particularly ones that claim to be green alternatives, to do your homework. While bamboo itself is a green product, many of the glues used by some of the producers of bamboo flooring are not and may contain formaldehyde. Keep in mind, the best additions to your new home are ones that have a minimal amount of impact on you in the way of volatile organic compounds being given off by your surroundings. Take a look at what brands of bamboo flooring are available to you; look for fair trade and FSC approved products and strive to keep your living space healthy.

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