Saturday, January 3, 2009

Why Use Bamboo Flooring as an Alternative

By Harry Manning

Bamboo flooring provides an fantastic alternative to traditional hardwood flooring.

Rising in popularity as an alternative, bamboo flooring has quite a few attractive features that make it a feasible choice for modern homeowners.

Though harvested mostly in China, bamboo flooring can now be found easily in both European and North American markets.

Many of those that started using bamboo flooring early on note its environmental friendliness.

The bamboo plant regrows within a few seasons and can be harvested repeatedly without lasting damage.

In fact, the bamboo plant is considered a grass, as it grows far quicker than a forest.

When done responsibly, bamboo plant harvesting can be done without causing any lasting damage.

How does bamboo flooring compare with traditional hardwoods? High quality bamboo flooring is harder and more durable than even the most expensive hardwood flooring.

Moisture is also less of a problem for bamboo flooring. Where traditional hardwood may cup and crown due to water exposure, bamboo flooring will keep out water without a problem.

Bamboo flooring is processed as a laminate and treated under very high pressure with a high caliber adhesive.

This makes bamboo flooring very resistant to abrasions and scratches, where less hardened hardwood floors may show scratches after a while.

Bamboo flooring has become a great deal more affordable in recent times as well.

Best of all, bamboo flooring is simple enough to lay down without any professional help.

Like many of the newer hardwoods, bamboo flooring is made with a groove that allows the planks to interlock, making them considerably easier to install.

Before installing a bamboo floor, allow the planks settle into their new environment for no less than 72 hours.

While bamboo flooring does not suffer from water damage like hardwood, they do need some time to adjust to their new climate before installation.

What steps need to be taken in order to provide maintenance for a bamboo floor? Upkeep requirements are fairly simple for bamboo flooring.

Be sure to clean the floor after installing it, using a mop with a small amount of water.

Regular dusting and sweeping should be done after installation. This will prevent dust and dirt from collecting on the finish.

A rug used at the entrance way will keep out a great deal of dust and dirt.

Dirt and small rocks can easily scratch the finish, and a rug can do a great deal to prevent this problem. - 16463

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