My Indiana Home Blog

Bamboo flooring is in fact a latest trend in the wood flooring industry. Why? Because bamboo is durable, attactive and an environmentaly friendly option over other hardwood floors. Just imagine a huge great room with vaulted ceilings and gleaming bamboo floors, especially if your home is for sale. That would surely attract a buyer to purchase your home. Before you decide to install new flooring, it's important to do some research on what type of flooring is right for you, and lets not forget what actually fits with the style of your home. If you want a warm and inviting look, bamboo may just be for you!

Here are some pros and cons of using bamboo flooring in your home:

Pros:

• Proponents of bamboo claim it is harder than most hardwoods, but studies show this is yet to be a proven fact.
• Naturally colored bamboo flooring is about as hard as maple, and darker bamboo is a little softer than red oak, creating a beautiful look.
• Naturally colored bamboo has a honey blonde color creating a light, airy feel to a home. When bamboo is heated, or carbonized, the bamboo becomes darker and softer as a final product.
• Bamboo is a good environmentally friendly flooring choice in some ways. It is a grass and grows very quickly. It also matures in three years and when it is harvested, the root system stays in fact, protecting against erosion and regenerating on it's own. Where a tree needs 20-120 years to mature and grow.
• Some manufacturers also use less toxic glues and preservatives in production too. Although keep in mind that this varies with each manufacturer and what chemicals they use to finish the product. They could be either formaldehyde and/or Volatile organice compound-free.

Cons:

• Some evidence suggests that bamboo floors will show dents from everyday use.
• Manufactures use certain chemicals such as formaldehyde that will emit toxic gas for many months following production, or possibly in your home.
• Consider where the bamboo is grown. All bamboo is grown in Asia, so transporting it to the United States can be expensive and consume a good amount of patrolium. This is a negative factor in an environmentalists eyes. Also if natural forests were cleared to make room for the bamboo, and if fertilizers were used to clear the growth, then the impact it has on the environment is also negative.

It's really up to you as a consumer to decide what's important. Despite the minor environmental factors, it has many more positives than cutting down forests to clear trees. Plus it is absolutely beautiful in a home!