Apr 11 2010
Bamboo Click Flooring
Bamboo click flooring is a type of bamboo flooring that is engineered and easy enough to install that homeowners can do it themselves. Homeowners who are looking to save money on their bamboo flooring can use this to their advantage by not having to pay a professional installer.
Bamboo click flooring is made using a process that creates pieces that interlock like puzzle pieces. The bamboo strips are placed on top of a supporting piece of wood before being cut into the click and lock pieces and sold in kits to the public.
This type of bamboo flooring offers several advantages over solid bamboo flooring, the main one being that it can be installed as a floating system over any subfloor. Solid bamboo flooring must be attached to the subfloor and cannot be installed as a floating floor.
Some bamboo click flooring manufacturers suggest using glue in the joints of the flooring pieces for added strength. However, not all click flooring systems suggest glue and some leave the decision up to the installer.
Just like other bamboo flooring types, click flooring is a strong, durable choice in bamboo that will last for many years and bring beauty and elegance to any décor. It is also an environmentally friendly flooring choice that is sustainable.
Bamboo’s sustainability comes from its ability to regrow and be ready for harvest in such a short time. Bamboo can be harvested for use at three to six years of age. This means that the land that was harvested is only barren for three to six years, which prevents major damage from occurring due to runoff and erosion.
Traditional hardwoods, on the other hand, take from fifty to one hundred years to mature and be ready for harvest. This means the land is left barren for just as many years. Animals are displaced, the land is left to the effects of the weather, the soil is altered during the process and the atmosphere suffers from the lack of exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen that occurs.
These environmental facts make it easy to see why installing a bamboo flooring system is a good idea. Some people might argue that they can’t find the variety of colors in bamboo that they do in traditional hardwoods. The simple reply would be that they haven’t looked.
Bamboo is available in many different colors. Natural bamboo is a beautiful blond color that is light and airy enough to match any décor. For a darker wood, the bamboo is carbonized or boiled. This process darkens the wood to an amber color. The color becomes darker the longer it is boiled.
Finally, some manufacturers will stain the bamboo in many more shades than are available through carbonization. This staining makes it possible to find colors similar to those in the oak, cherry and pine families.
Bamboo click flooring is bamboo’s answer for the do-it-yourselfer who wants to bring the beauty of bamboo into the home and be environmentally friendly at the same time.
-Sharon V. Chapman
No related posts.