Bamboo Flooring Pros and Cons

Eco-Friendly Bamboo Flooring Pros and Cons

Bamboo has recently come on the scene as a fantastic option for lots of applications, including flooring.

Although bamboo flooring is not for everybody, many people feel it is a great way to 'go-green'. Continue reading if you think if this flooring option may be right for you.

Bamboo Flooring - The Pros

Because of it's rapid growth, bamboo is very renewable. It grows like crazy - in some instances up to a foot a day.

Liken that to many hardwood trees than can take up to 120 years to reach maturity, bamboo is a notable, fast growing choice.

Also, bamboo does not necessitate any pesticides or herbicides during it's growth period, which a major pro. If you are trying to live a more green lifestyle, that is a fantastic way to commence. This is exceedingly beneficial for several reasons.

The residents that live close to the crops and the workers harvesting the corps are not exposed to chemicals. Also, the contractors installing the product and the occupants of the homes are not exposed to these chemicals.

Also bamboo tends to be very strong. When compared to hardwoods that are used for flooring, bamboo even exceeds the hardness rating of some of them. Additionally, there are some species of bamboo that in fact, have a hardness rating higher than that of maple and almost double compared to oak flooring.

When looking at bamboo flooring pros and cons, it's additionally significant to note that bamboo is additionally quite resistant to moisture.

Since bamboo thrives typically in tropical areas, it is very resistant to spills. Typically bamboo can be used in kitchens and bathrooms because of these spill resistant properties. These are areas where traditional woods can be a problem.

Once it is installed, bamboo flooring is very simple to care for. To keep your flooring looking like brand new, damp mop the floor weekly. Also be sure to keep dust and dirt off the surface with regular sweeping or vacuuming.

Lastly, you will find that bamboo is very comfortable under foot. Even though the composition of the bamboo is often stronger than hardwood options, it's easier on your body.

Bamboo Flooring Pros and Cons - The Cons:

Unfortunately, there are some negative aspects to installing bamboo flooring as well. In considering bamboo flooring pros and cons, we regrettably have to discuss some of the negative aspects of the product, so we will discuss these cons below.

One of the biggest drawbacks for those of us trying to live an eco-friendly lifestyle is that most bamboo is typically grown in China. With usage outside the Asian Continent, this means that the product has to be shipped great distances. Because of the negative aspect of shipping, this takes away some of the eco-friendly properties of the product. With more and more bamboo being raised in the USA, this concern may be diminished or eliminated in the near future.

Additionally, carefully select the manufacturer of bamboo as some of the bamboo is created with glues and finishes that have high levels of VOC's. Volatile organic compounds, or VOC's are very unhealthy for both the installing contractors, and even more unhealthy for the home occupants. VOC's impact the indoor air quality of your home, because they off-gas for many years. VOC's should be avoided whenever possible, as there are many health issues associated with their exposure. Before purchasing your bamboo product, be sure to examine the MSDS sheets, which are the Material Safety and Data Sheets. They will list all of the VOC information.

Be aware that there are quality concerns with some of the bamboo flooring products on the market. So do your research vigilantly and avoid poor products. Since most bamboo requires 5 years of growth to fully mature, it is a much more long-lasting product than bamboo that is harvested after only 3 years. When selecting this as a flooring option, you don't want to buy the cheapest product you can get your hands on - it won't hold up in the long run.

One final negative aspect of bamboo flooring is that the finish may fade. Manufacturers use protective UV coatings now, but when bamboo is exposed consistently to direct sunlight, it will still fade over time, which means that homeowners need to be careful where it is installed in their homes and how much direct sunlight it's exposed to.

As you can see the bamboo flooring pros and cons are widely varied. Even with the list of cons, I believe that the pros far outweigh them, and bamboo flooring is a great way to contribute to your environmentally-friendly lifestyle. More than anything else though, be sure to do your research on each product. What may be perfect for one family, or one household may not work at all for another!

To learn more about this using bamboo flooring, visit our article Bamboo Flooring Pros and Cons.

Another green flooring article on bamboo you may be interested in may be Engineered Bamboo Flooring.