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Go wild for bamboo flooring

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 7:23 PM

Bamboo floors do not only look good - they can also help you to achieve a greener home.

Having wooden floors finished to a high shine and offering durability and comfort underfoot that are also sustainable and not harmful to the planet may seem too good to be true - but with bamboo flooring it can be a reality.

This is because bamboo is in fact a tall and incredibly fast growing grass. This means that new bamboo is able to grow and replace any of the plant that has been used at a much faster rate than trees, so it is among the most sustainable materials available to you if you are looking to give your home an eco makeover.

While hardwood trees will have to be left for several years before they are ready for harvest, a bamboo plant will have reached that stage in a mere fraction of the time.

Considering it is a grass, the plant is extremely tough - something that may be important to you if you are looking to install a floor that stands the test of time. Thanks to an additional treatment, in some cases it can be made as strong as oak!

Another advantage it has over traditional wood is that it is less prone to shrinking, expanding or warping under water, as it has several qualities that help to make it moisture-resistant.

And it looks great too - bamboo is anything but bland and you can pick from a range of shades and finishes in order to choose the one that best matches your home. This type of flooring can need a little more maintenance than hardwood, but this is sure to be a price worth paying given all of its other benefits.

When you buy natural bamboo flooring, you will need to choose from two grain orientations - vertical and horizontal - which will affect the way your finished floor looks.

A vertical orientation is great for small spaces as the colouring is consistent and even and there are more lines within the pattern, helping to create a feeling of space. Meanwhile, the horizontal option features more nodes - the characteristic of the bamboo cane - which can add a natural flair to the room by creating a focal point.

But whichever style you choose, your new bamboo flooring is sure to be one of the features you come to love most in your home.
 

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