Bamboo Flooring-A Choice for Going Green

Bamboo Flooring-Why is it considered a green product?

Bamboo many seem like an odd choice for a flooring product that can take on the look of a wood floor, but it can, and beautifully.

Bamboo flooring is part of the going green effort because it is renewable and does so quickly as opposed to other resources.

Using trees for the lumber to make wood flooring products destroys the whole tree, and a new tree must be planted in it's place, taking many years to grow to maturity.

Bamboo is a green product because it is harvested and renewable like an orchard. This means that the plant itself is not destroyed, and the grasses regenerate and come to a place where it can be harvested again in about three years.

Bamboo Flooring-What does it have to offer?

• The trend toward hard surface flooring is increasing, and many homeowners are installing less carpet than in previous years. Bamboo flooring, like other hard surface flooring is much kinder to those who suffer allergies.
• Bamboo flooring is available in many finishes and can provide the look of wood without depleting our natural resources. Bamboo can be found in finishes as light as a washed look to as dark as walnut, or even darker, and in many attractive medium shades. There is no need to sacrifice the many looks of wood by selecting a bamboo floor.
• Bamboo, like regular laminate flooring is easier to maintan. Dust mopping and damp mopping on a regular basis are recommended. Like all hard surface flooring, spills should be cleaned up as quickly as possible.

Bamboo flooring-what should I know about selection and installation?

When selecting bamboo flooring it is wise to buy in the mid price range or higher to get a better quality product. Before purchasing be sure it is accompanied with instructions from the manufacturer about installation and care.

Don't rely on the sales person, who may mean well but have little real knowledge of the product. Bamboo flooring is usually installed either with glue or some type of fastener rather than snaping together like other flooring products. For this reason, you want to use the products that are recommended to be used specifically with the product you select. This is important to how your flooring will perform over time.

Follow installation directions, and be sure to let your bamboo flooring adjust to it's new environment before beginning the install. It is recommended that bamboo be in the room where it will be installed and at the temperature the room will normally be kept at for several days before beginning installation. This is as important for areas where rooms are usually air conditioned as it is for those that will normally be heated.