Bamboo Flooring – A Green Flooring Solution
Bamboo flooring is a refreshing new flooring concept in a world that is becoming more concerned bout the sustainability of things that we use. For homeowners who want a beautiful floor without having to sacrifice cost, quality, or the environment, bamboo flooring is a great hardwood solution. It is environmentally sound as well as durable and resilient.
Bamboo first appeared on the international market as a floor covering in the early 1990’s. It was a hard sell in the United States, however, as people were only familiar with common uses like fishing pole and chopsticks. Changing the perception of bamboo as a viable flooring option was a slow process, but bamboo is now a very popular flooring choice.
If you are skeptical about whether bamboo flooring can possibly be more durable than other types of wood, consider that regular trees will bend and eventually crack in windy or stormy weather. Bamboo, however, is pliable and resilient, unlike regular wood. It bends under conditions that would cause other trees to break.
Bamboo is one of the most environmentally friendly flooring materials available as well as one of the hardest and most durable. Bamboo is classified as a grass and grows at a rapid rate. Tree harvesting is detrimental to the environment as it can take from 15 to 100 years for trees to fully mature. Bamboo, on the other hand, can be harvested every five to seven years, making it a more environmentally sound as well as more economical choice for beautiful hardwood flooring.
You will find that bamboo flooring is available in a wide range of grains, colors and styles just like traditional hardwood floor. Bamboo can give your decor any look you want, from a traditional down-home feel to a modern chic look.
When shopping for flooring, look beyond traditional wood. Environmentally-friendly, sustainable materials are in vogue. If you are serious about going “green”, bamboo flooring is a great choice in terms of sustainability as well as durability and style.