Mar 05 2010
Bamboo Flooring Pros & Cons
The idea of bamboo flooring is appealing to many people and becoming more so every day. As one of the newer woods available in hardwood flooring, bamboo has melded well in the flooring world that is accustomed to traditional hardwoods harvested from forests around the world, instead, bamboo is a grass that is grown and harvested in very short periods of time. Before making the final decision on flooring it is wise to know all of bamboo flooring’s pros and cons in order to not be caught off guard.
Bamboo flooring is typically made from Chinese bamboo. Chinese bamboo is one of the hardest and most durable of bamboos grown. This makes the flooring created from bamboo as strong as if not stronger than flooring made from oak and other hardwoods. Bamboo flooring is not made using only bamboo. Laminate holds the bamboo strips together which increases the strength of the bamboo floor.
Bamboo Flooring
Another pro for bamboo flooring is its cost. The cost of bamboo flooring when compared to the cost of other hardwood floors is significantly less. In addition to the cost of the flooring being less, the installation cost is also less. Add to these savings the reduced cost of marinating the floors and bamboo wins the cost effectiveness comparison hands down.
Maintaining bamboo flooring is simple and easy. A dust mop to remove the dust and particles and an occasional damp mop are all that is needed. It couldn’t be much easier.
The environmental impact is another reason for choosing bamboo. Unlike hardwood floors that are created at the expense of forests that are unable to replenish themselves quickly, bamboo is mature and ready to harvest in five years, hardwood trees can take anywhere from fifty to several hundred years to mature.
Naturally, the beauty of bamboo has to be included in a list of the pros of bamboo flooring. From the stunning blonde bamboo to the rich ambers created during carbonization, bamboo flooring is perfect for any room in the house. It can be dressed up and elegant without being stuffy or causal and fun without being tacky.
It’s not easy to come up with the disadvantages to bamboo flooring because there aren’t any serious ones. There are reports from some consumers that the floors are brittle and chip when heavy objects are dropped on them but they neglect to say how heavy the objects are. No one can expect a flooring to stand up to a cement block being dropped on it. Even cement floors will crack under enough stress.
A common issue is can be the installation. Bamboo flooring can’t be floated like some other flooring types which means it isn’t acceptable for all locations, particularly if the flooring must be floated.
The pros and cons of bamboo flooring is more of a pros list than it is a comparison as there aren’t many cons and quite a few pros for using the eco-friendly floor choice in any room of the house.
-Sharon Chapman
No related posts.