Floating Bamboo flooring provides an excellent alternative to traditional hardwood flooring. Growing in popularity as an alternative, bamboo flooring has many features that make it stand out when compared to hardwood. Although harvested primarily in China, bamboo flooring is now widely available in North America and Europe. Many of those that adopted bamboo flooring early on point out its environmental friendliness. The bamboo plant regrows within a few seasons and can be harvested repeatedly without permanent damage. In fact, the bamboo plant is considered a grass, as it grows far faster than a forest. When done responsibly, bamboo plant harvesting can be accomplished in a environmentally friendly manner.
How does bamboo flooring compare with traditional hardwoods? High quality bamboo flooring provides a tougher surface than even the rarest and most expensive hardwoods. Moisture is also less of a problem for bamboo flooring. Where traditional hardwood may buckle and crack because of water exposure, bamboo flooring will keep out water without a problem. Bamboo flooring is processed as a laminate and treated under extremely high pressure with a high quality adhesive. This makes bamboo flooring very resistant to abrasions and scratches, where a hardwood floor would end up showing scratches. Bamboo flooring has become a great deal more affordable in recent times as well.
What should be done to maintain a bamboo floor? Maintenance requirements are fairly easy for bamboo flooring. Be sure to clean the floor after installing it, using a mop with only a little bit of water. Regular dusting and sweeping should be done after installation. This will prevent a build up of dust that can dull the finish. A mat used at the entrance way will keep out a great deal of dust and dirt. Dirt and small rocks will end up damaging the finish, and a mat can do a great deal to prevent this problem.
Best of all, bamboo flooring is easy 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. Prior to laying down a bamboo floor, allow the planks sit in their new environment for no less than 72 hours. Although bamboo flooring does not suffer from water damage like hardwood, they do need some time to adjust to the new environment before installation.

Mon, Apr 20, 2009
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