Bamboo Flooring – The Durable Wood Floor
Wood flooring is a great option for any home that is looking to achieve a warm and inviting look for any room in the home. In particular, bamboo wood flooring is considered one of the most durable of all wood floor types. Whether you choose a solid bamboo wood floor or laminate bamboo flooring you’re certain to get one of the most durable wood floors for your money.
Then main species used in the production of wood flooring is Moso due to its abundance in China and other Asian countries. The type of bamboo flooring used in most North American homes differs greatly from the bamboo flooring traditionally installed in Asian homes. But each type of flooring offers the same advantages over other types of wood flooring. In particular, bamboo wood flooring is highly resistant to moisture and insects, making this the ideal wood flooring to install in kitchen areas. Another great feature, especially in today’s environmentally sensitive market, is bamboos classification as a renewable resource by the United States Green Building Council’s LEED program. Since bamboo is scientifically classified as a grass, it grows to mature height in about half the time of other trees.
As with any product there are always disadvantages as well as advantages to installing it in your home. Unfortunately, even though bamboo wood flooring is a material that’s classified as environmentally friendly there are still some issues concerning its production. The two major sticking points concern deforestation and chemicals used in the laminating process. Many environmentalists are concerned about the rate of deforestation in order to create tree farms for the sole purpose of manufacturing trees to harvest. The rate of natural forests that are being cleared to make way for tree farms continues to increase every year at an alarming rate. Still, yet another concern are the types of adhesives used in the manufacturing process. These adhesives are used when laminating the layers of bamboo into a single flooring plank. Many companies use an adhesive which contains formaldehyde, a highly toxic chemical. However, this practice is slowly being phased out in favor of more environmentally conscious methods.
In terms of pricing between other wood floors, bamboo is on the more expensive side. This flooring is available in natural colors or it can be stained during production. As one would expect, the extra steps in manufacturing a stained bamboo wood floor means it is slightly more expensive than a natural or carbonized bamboo wood floor. Generally speaking, oak and maple laminate wood flooring, the two most common, average about $1to $3 a square foot. On the other hand, bamboo wood flooring averages between $2.50 and $4.50 a square foot depending on the finish.
The installation process and skill level required varies depending on whether you’re installing laminate or solid wood flooring. Solid wood flooring is considerably more difficult to install than laminate wood flooring and requires additional tools. First and foremost, when installing either type of floor, centering the flooring so that there are even sized pieces along either side of the room is critical. From there, the installation techniques are completely different. In order to properly install solid wood flooring you would need a tape measure, miter saw, jig saw, and flooring nail gun. The edges of wood flooring strips are tongue-in-groove allowing the individual pieces to lock together at which point they are fastened to the wooden subfloor using a flooring nail gun.
Laminate bamboo flooring is manufactured in planks, which contain several individual strips of bamboo in each plank. These planks have interlocking seams that makes installing this type of floor much easier than solid wood flooring. Because the pieces lock together, they require no glue or nailing to secure them in place. You will need a miter saw or any type of power saw to cut the individual planks to size.
Depending on your confidence level, a laminate bamboo wood floor can be installed with relative ease. Installing a solid wood floor however, given the skill level and equipment required, should probably be undertaken by a professional contractor to achieve the best results. However, with a little know-how, a tape measure and some confidence, the average homeowner can install a laminate bamboo wood floor with professional results.
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