How Good is Bamboo as Flooring?

How good is bamboo as flooring? Well – it all depends. As a wood, it is a fantastic product for use in almost any medium. It has been used for centuries by many different cultures because it is easy to work with, light, and strong. Moreover, it is strong without being brittle and easily cracked. Many people have the image of bamboo as an uneven wood that is rounded, because of how it looks in its natural state, but this is not the case with wood used for flooring. Instead this wood has been treated so it is capable of being shaped into nearly any form, including flooring. Additionally, the wood can be stained or heat treated to produce different colors to match any décor. In its natural state, the wood is already wonderful to look at and matches well, so you probably won’t have too much trouble picking one that fits your home.

There are three basic types of bamboo floors – floating, laminated, and hardwood. As a hardwood, bamboo is vulnerable to stains and other damages that are common for any hardwood. Bamboo is not the hardest wood and when treated to color it, the wood becomes even softer. Still this wood has a great look and if you don’t have too much traffic in your home, it should last for many years.

Laminated woods are protected from these damages and still give the sound of hardwood. These are a much better choice as they last for 10 to 15 years and won’t have any of the drawbacks of hardwoods. In this same realm, floating floors are easy to install, which can significantly lower your cost since they simply snap into place. However they won’t last as long as laminated wood and require additional cushioning to help ensure that the wood is comfortable to walk on.

Regardless of which choice you go with, you’ll find that these woods are a great choice for the environment and for the developing world. Bamboo harvesting is much less strenuous on the environment than other wood harvesting and it is a fast growing wood that is quickly replenished. Many of the areas of the world that harvest this wood are still developing, so more exports for demand of bamboo provides these countries with greater economic security.

These benefits combined with a great look makes using bamboo a great decision compared to other woods of similar quality and lifespan in your home.