Home Improvement – Real Estate

The recent trend in home furnishing is characterized by the steady rise in use of flooring materials like bamboo compared to other traditional flooring materials. Before you go for any particular flooring material, try to check out the different benefits of installing bamboo flooring. Bamboo has become one of the primary choices of the homemakers due to its aesthetic beauty, easy availability and durability.

Bamboo Flooring – An In Thing of Home Improvement

Bamboo is often considered to be more durable compared to the hardwood flooring. This species of plant is actually a kind of grass with hollow structure. Some species are harder than the maple wood and some of them are twice harder than the hardwood obtained from red oak.

Variety of Bamboo Flooring

The variety of bamboo flooring can be categorized with its color. Generally it is available in carbonized color and in natural finish. The carbonized form gives a smoky hue to the planks whereas the natural finish of the bamboo flooring offers a blond color. The coloring of the flooring planks depends on the boiling process. Though the bamboo flooring are tougher than most of the hardwood flooring planks yet you should note that the hardness of the bamboo planks are reduced by about 30% if they are boiled harder to give the carbonized finish.

The Important Advantages of Using Bamboo Flooring

Moisture Resistant: Most importantly, bamboo flooring is resistant to moisture. Besides being a laminated product, bamboo flooring has less chances of get warped compared to many other flooring substances. Due to this special feature, you can use bamboo for flooring areas like kitchen, bathroom or any areas in the home, which get easily dampened.

Easy Maintenance: Bamboo flooring does not easily get stains and spills. So this type of flooring is easy to maintain. If the shine of the floors diminishes, then it can be restored with professional help. You need simple mop and scrubber to clean the bamboo floors without putting any rigorous effort to keep the floors clean.
Durability: The bamboo flooring is very durable and compared to many hardwood producing trees, the bamboo planks are harder. The bamboo planks are also difficult to break giving the floors more longevity. Scratches and dent like damages are hardly seen on bamboo flooring.

Easily Grown: Compared to the hardwood producing trees, the bamboo plants are grown and harvested faster. Within a span of five years from planting, bamboo can be harvested whereas the hardwood producing trees fully grow in three to four decades. Moreover, bamboo can be grown from the same plant even after harvesting but this is not possible for hardwood trees. Once they are cut down, they cannot be grown twice.

Besides all other benefits, the use of bamboo flooring is also environmental friendly. When there is dire need to conserve the natural resources and minimize their uses as much as possible, bamboo flooring can be a good option to hardwood flooring. Since the bamboo plants are faster growing than the trees from which hardwood is obtained, they can be harvested within short span of time and meet the demands of the people.

Hardwood flooring plays an important role of making your home or business look attractive. There are a large number of companies which are working in the direction to meet the flooring needs of their clients by offering high quality wood flooring choices to them.

In flooring, finished materials are installed in the floor so as to make its surface smooth and fit for walking. It can be done in a number of ways. Hardwood flooring is gaining importance these days and has become the first choice of almost every single person. This type of flooring imparts a stylish and elegant look to home. That is why; it is preferred over all other flooring options.

Let us here discuss about few important types of hardwood flooring. In general, hardwood flooring is of three types. These are:

Solid hardwood flooring: Solid hardwood flooring is a kind of flooring which is composed of solid blocks of wood.
Engineered hardwood flooring: Engineered hardwood flooring is another important type of flooring which uses wooden and plastic sheets. Here, three to five layers of these sheets are joined together.
This is done in order to increase the strength.

Acrylic Impregnated hardwood flooring: Acrylic Impregnated hardwood flooring is another important type of flooring in which sealant and color are implanted throughout the wood.

One can make his or her house look exquisite with this type of flooring option. Because of its eco-friendly nature, hardwood flooring is considered as the best option for individuals suffering from any allergy related health problem such as asthma.

Hardwood flooring offers a number of advantages and thus it needs proper care and attention. It needs to be protected from dirt, water spill etc. Always use quality cleans for the purpose of cleaning the floor. Avoid the use of soap. Direct exposure to UV rays also affects the quality of hardwood floors.

Bamboo flooring is a growing and popular trend. As an imported staple from Japan, North American consumers have been opting for bamboo more and more in recent years. Bamboo is actually a grass, not a wood, and it’s a popular alternative to hardwood or wood laminate floors. Why choose bamboo, and what are the benefits of bamboo flooring? With bamboo, for the most part, a homeowner can get just as beautiful of a look, plus easier installation, lower cost for materials, and environmentally-friendly benefits.

First, bamboo is known for it’s strength and durability, allowing it to support many times it’s weight. It is stronger than many hardwood floors. It is nearly unbreakable, and buyers are often able to get a 25-year warranty on a bamboo floor. Plus, because it’s a plant, it is resistant to moisture and is less likely to develop water stains from spills. The type of processing can affect the strength, such as strand-woven bamboo, whose processing makes it stronger than traditional bamboo. The finish also makes a difference. Bamboo with a Klumpp-brand finish and bamboo with a semi-gloss finish is stronger than bamboo with an aluminum oxide or satin coat finish.

The beautiful and unique look of bamboo is due to its uniformity of color. Bamboo is available in a huge range of colors, from almost white to very dark, and the finish is available in high-gloss, semi-gloss, and matte.

Bamboo is relatively easy to install; it can be glued, nailed, or left as a so-called “floating floor.” It doesn’t require the same cutting tools as harder woods like oak and mahogany; mostly hand tools. The potential for a homeowner to install it themselves can be a big money saver. Bamboo doesn’t need to be installed over any particular type of sub-floor; an inexpensive plywood is sufficient. Some can even be installed directly onto a concrete sub-floor.

Maintenance and cleaning of a bamboo floor is pretty simple. Particles of dirt and grit can scratch the bamboo finish, so they need to be swept with a soft broom or dust mop. It’s recommended to have a mat inside or outside all entry doors, and have everyone wipe their feet before their shoes touch the floor, to absorb water and catch debris. Despite its overall great strength, on certain floors the load pressure from high-heeled shoes on a small surface area can make dents in the bamboo, so high heels should be avoided. If you use throw rugs, make sure they don’t have a rubber no-slip backing, as the rubber can discolor the floor, and make sure the rug itself is colorfast. Use small pieces of felt or other material under chair and table legs and other furniture legs, and don’t drag furniture across the floor. Spot clean with a damp cloth; you can use a wood floor cleaner if needed. Wipe up spills as soon as possible with a soft cloth.

A great benefit of bamboo flooring is that it can be half the cost of traditional hardwood floors, depending on the grade, finish, and the processing applied.

Another appealing quality is that it is an eco-friendly, renewable resource. Once bamboo is cut, it can be re-grown from the same plant again and again. Unlike trees, bamboo completely re-grows within a few years. Plus, remaining bamboo leaves and bamboo shoots are fed to livestock.

Allergy sufferers appreciate that bamboo doesn’t attract dust or dust mites. There are certain allergen concerns with materials used in some bamboo laminate materials and floor adhesives. Lower-quality bamboo from some manufacturers may have problems with resins and outgassing of chemicals such as formaldehyde. However, if a consumer researches and asks questions, they can find a quality manufacturer to alleviate those concerns.

Bamboo floors have a natural beauty and durability. Unlike laminate, bamboo is a completely natural material. It’s an eco-friendly, sustainable resource. Despite its potential vulnerability to high-heeled shoes, bamboo is still more durable than pine and many vinyl floors. Ask for flooring samples to take home, and subject them to your own tests against scratches and dents. Bamboo flooring is available in a wide variety of finishes and colors, easy to install, and easily cleaned and maintained. It’s advised for the consumer to do their homework and choose their manufacturer carefully, to avoid the allergy and durability concerns with certain manufacturers.

Hardwood flooring is one of the most preferred forms of flooring due to its exotic and classic looks. It is used both in commercial as well as the residential sector for its elegant look. It adds the missing aesthetic sense to home and office décor.

But hardwood flooring also poses a threat to the environment. Most environmentalists fear the reduction in the number of trees due to the growing demand of hardwood flooring in Vancouver and other parts of British Columbia. But there is always a counter solution!

Hardwood flooring specialists in Vancouver have identified an environment-friendly way of hardwood flooring. The use of sustainable hardwood flooring is appreciated by the environment-lovers as well. This form of hardwood flooring uses wood only from sustainable trees. The trees and plants which are sustainable in nature find acceptance for the environment-conscious form of hardwood flooring.

There are several hardwood flooring experts who offer sustainable hardwood flooring solution as a highlight service. They also promote the sustainable hardwood products to initiate the use of naturally-sustainable hardwood products than the non-sustainable natural wood products like Solid Hardwood, Laminate flooring and Floating floors.

For environment-friendly flooring, there is use of sustainable wood like Cork and Bamboo. They are available for both commercial as well as the residential sectors. This form of hardwood flooring is equally attractive much like its other counterparts. It also imparts the beauty and luster of any other hardwood flooring and adds elegance to your home or office décor.

Moreover, these natural wooden floors are more advantageous than their other counterparts. Cork floors are more heat and sound insulating and can absorb any amount of impact easily than its other counterparts. Similarly, Bamboo is better than other general forms of hardwood flooring since it is very hard, durable and has unique grain patterns.

There is no denying the beauty and durability of traditional hardwood flooring, especially ones with nice grain patterns and stained in warm colors. However, with the increased interest in conservation and concern for the environment, more and more people are looking for alternatives to hardwood flooring for their homes. There are many different natural and man-made flooring materials available today but none as unique as bamboo.

Bamboo is an ideal material to make into eco friendly flooring: It grows extremely fast; it is sturdy and stable; it is beautiful to look at; and it is cost effective.

Bamboo flooring is made from bamboo, which is a grass. Bamboo is considered a renewable resource because it is a fast growing plant that can be harvested again and again. Bamboo is the fasting growing plant on Earth. Some species of bamboo can grow up to three feet in a single day.  Because of its rapid growth, bamboo can be harvested every 3 to 5 years, as opposed to oak trees which can take up to 10 to 20 years to grow to useful size. Quality bamboo flooring is usually made with bamboo that is harvested in its 7th year.

While bamboo is not wood, bamboo flooring is comparable to hardwood floors in sturdiness and durability. It is almost as hard as oak and maple, and tougher than many of the traditional hardwood flooring materials used in the average homes. However, bear in mind that the durability of bamboo flooring depends on the species of bamboo, the age of the plant when it was harvested, and the process used to make the flooring.

Bamboo can be stained and finished just like regular hardwood and thus, bamboo flooring comes in a variety of colors and grains, just like hardwood flooring. Some people appreciate the more subtle grain patterns of bamboo as compared to the more pronounced ring like patterns of hardwood.

Another great benefit of bamboo flooring is price. Time was when bamboo flooring was hard to find and expensive. However, thanks to its growing popularity and increased production, bamboo flooring prices have come down. The average cost of bamboo flooring is between $2 and $4 per square foot, which is comparable to the price of oak flooring. And bamboo floor planks are no longer difficult to find as they are commonly sold alongside traditional hardwood flooring at all the hardware stores.

Installing bamboo flooring is easy too. Bamboo floors can be installed using any of the usual hardwood floor installation methods, which include free floating floor where the planks are simply glued together to form a single piece and float freely over the sub-floor, straight gluing a new floor to an existing floor, and a basic nailing method of nailing each plank to the sub-floor.

Bamboo flooring is proving to be a versatile and attractive alternative to hardwood flooring. It is unique in appearance, available in many different colors and grain patterns, and competitively priced.

Bamboo flooring gives a stylish, beautiful and elegant edge to your home and lifestyle. It immediately draws the attention of the visitors and gives a unique and remarkable recognition to your rooms. With its ecological benefits and natural beauty, bamboo flooring is extremely popular among homeowners. Bamboo is regarded as one of the fastest growing plants and strongest woods on the earth. It is a highly renewable resource as it replenishes itself within 5-7 years of its harvest. With timber resources under continued environmental pressure, bamboo makes an ideal environmentally friendly flooring choice for your home.

Before choosing the bamboo as your next flooring choice, it is important that you know the different types of the bamboo flooring available on the market. There are different types of bamboo flooring, both in terms of cut and of color. If we talk about the way in which the bamboo planks are produced, bamboo flooring can be classified as Solid and Strand Woven bamboo flooring. On the basis of color, bamboo flooring can be differentiated as Natural, Carbonized and Stained bamboo flooring.

Solid bamboo flooring makes use of several solid bamboo strips adhered together. Solid bamboo floors are available in vertical or horizontal style. Vertical bamboo flooring lays the bamboo strips on their narrow sides. In the vertical bamboo flooring, strips are laid across the floor in bunches with their border faces glued then compressed together. Vertical bamboo floor lacks the visible nodes and offers a more uniform look than horizontal bamboo floor. It is regarded as a durable and strong flooring choice because the edge grains of bamboo provide flooring of adequate thickness. Horizontal bamboo flooring lays the strips side by side and strips are glued then compressed together along the narrow dimensions. Horizontal or flat-grain bamboo flooring displays the knuckles or natural nodes of the bamboo in a way so the nodes are visible on the surface, adding to the attraction and natural beauty of the floor. As the strips in the horizontal bamboo flooring are glued in three cross-grained layers, it makes this type of bamboo floor tough and hard.

Strand Woven or Compressed bamboo flooring is made up of thin strands of bamboo material which are woven together and impregnated with an adhesive. This mixture is then heated under extreme pressure to create bamboo flooring with an attractive woven look and a beautiful pattern. Strand woven bamboo floors can also be produced from strands of both natural and carbonized bamboo, thus creating a unique and beautiful effect similar to tiger stripes. Engineered bamboo flooring consists of a surface layer of bamboo backed by multiple layers of pine, plywood or fiberboard underneath it.