Many woods require stain to be applied in order to get a different color variation. Bamboo, while naturally a light blond in color, can be altered using high heat for varying lengths of time to create a new color. The bamboo is boiled to bring about the color change. This process is similar to boiling sugar. The longer it cooks the darker it becomes. Carbonization of bamboo is done in various times to create varying shades of wood.

Modern Asian home with bamboo flooring

Consumers might be wandering what other changes carbonization adds to the wood. Natural bamboo is an extremely durable wood before carbonization and after undergoing carbonization is only somewhat softer. The amount that the wood softens is dependent on other factors and varies from one manufacturer to another. Because the variation can be extreme from one manufacturer to another, from 5% to 30% weaker in some cases, consumers need to find out what process is used and how much weaker the wood is after the process. Regardless of whether the wood is 5% or 30% weaker than un-carbonized bamboo, the floor is still strong and durable, more so than many other flooring options.

Carbonized bamboo flooring should not be much more expensive than traditional bamboo flooring. The process is not difficult and does not require added materials to create. Consumers and manufacturers believe that they cost of the flooring is offset by the range of colors available using the carbonization process.

Carbonization does not alter the green or eco-friendly aspect of the flooring, one of the traits that make bamboo flooring popular among so many people. Because bamboo matures in a short three to five years it is considered a sustainable material that is able to regenerate faster than other flooring materials like oak or cherry woods.

Traditional hardwood trees take up to a hundred years to mature which makes harvesting trees a project that takes years for nature to recover from. Deforestation is a major factor in the highly debated global warming argument. Regardless of global warming, the land that trees are taken from remains barren from many years during which time runoff can cause the land to drastically alter.

Carbonized bamboo flooring is an added option for consumers to factor in when deciding to install an eco friendly flooring system that adds both beauty and function to their home. The dark amber colorings that result from the process create works of beauty that fit into any home.

-Sharon Chapman

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