For an attractive alternative to traditional hard wood flooring, many people decide to go with bamboo flooring. Growing in popularity, bamboo flooring has many attractive features that make it a viable option for modern homeowners. Bamboo flooring is cultivated mainly in South Asia and is available to consumers through out Europe and North America. Many early adopters of bamboo flooring point out its environmental friendliness. The bamboo plant grows very quickly when compared with the time it takes a forest to regrow. Commonly mistaken as a member of the tree family, Bamboo is in the grass category and grows much faster than trees. Today, Bamboo is cultivated and harvested much more responsibly and environmentally friendly than in past years.

In what way does bamboo and traditional hardwood flooring products compare with each other? High quality bamboo flooring products are harder and more durable than even the most expensive hardwood flooring. Moisture is also less of a problem for bamboo flooring. To a certain extent, bamboo flooring can absorb moisture more readily, when many hardwood brands can buckle or crack due to water exposure. The processing of bamboo flooring as a laminate is done with extreme pressure, treating it with a high quality glue product. This makes bamboo flooring very resistant to abrasions and scratches, where less treated hardwood floors may show scratches after a while. In today’s economy, bamboo flooring is increasing in popularity because it is one of the more affordable natural flooring products available.

Best of all, bamboo flooring can typically be installed at home without any professional assistance. Similar to other natural wood flooring products today, bamboo is produced in a manner where pieces can be joined together by snapping them in place without using any glue. However, before you begin installing a new bamboo floor you will need to allow the wood time to adjust to the surrounding temperature, usually for around three days. Although bamboo flooring is very resistant to moisture, they do need some time to adjust to their new climate before installation.

What should be done to maintain a bamboo floor? Maintenance requirements are fairly simple for bamboo flooring. Basic cleaning for spills should involve a lightly damp cloth, many retailers recommend using wood cleaners formulated for pre-finished hardwood or laminate floors and express the importance of wiping up spills immediately, and then buff drying afterwards. Long term cleaning will depend on the amount of wear on the floor, because once it begins to take on a dull appearance you will need to recoat the Urethane finish. There are several tips you can follow to help keep your bamboo flooring looking great for many years to come and one of which, is to only use a urethane-base finish verses any type of waxing. Beware of high heels; the average size woman in high heels can exert as much as 2,000 pounds per square inch of pressure on the floor and this can damage even the toughest flooring material. Make sure to always follow the manufacturer’s recommendation, as a properly maintained floor significantly increases the likelihood of the longevity of your bamboo flooring.