Bamboo Flooring: Top 20 things homeowners should know before purchasing

For a long time now, I’ve been in love with the beauty of bamboo flooring.  The fact that it is considered “green” is another bonus.  Yet, I’ve heard many negative things about bamboo floors as well.  Hopefully the items listed below will help answer questions you may have and rectify any possible bamboo misconceptions as well.

• Though bamboo flooring is categorized with wood floors, it is actually a grass.

• Bamboo flooring is considered ’green’ because of its ability to rapidly regenerate.

• Just because bamboo itself is ‘green’ doesn’t mean that your floor is green.  Has a forest disappeared because it was cleared for the growing of bamboo?  Have panda bears relocated because of the harvesting of the manufacturer’s bamboo?

• Ask yourself how ‘green’ you and your pocketbook are willing to go.  Check with a manufacturer and do your homework to make sure you’re getting the “green grade” you desire.  Make sure you know what you’re getting before you pay a “great deal” for it.

• What about the finish?  If your product is considered ‘green’, but a finish was added to the wood that gives off VOC’s from formaldehyde based glues and finishes, your bamboo floor is no longer as ‘green.’  Look for manufacturers that offer water-based, solvent-free finishing.

• Do you live in an arid region?  Because bamboo is used to high humidity, you will need to be sure it is properly finished and sealed to assure its durability.  The less expensive bamboo flooring may not offer the moisture resistant finishing.

• Buying pre-finished bamboo panels will reduce its susceptibility to moisture.

• The Pattern in your bamboo floor depends on the direction the grass was laid and then glued, commonly named Vertical and Horizontal grain flooring.

• Strand Bamboo flooring is a third pattern, created as the bamboo is mashed up and bound.  It is much denser than either the Vertical or Horizontal grains and said to be nearly indestructible.

• Another common complaint is that bamboo floor colors have been know to fade.  To ensure the installation color, make sure the sub-floor is cured before installing the flooring.  Also, installing blinds and keeping the humidity in your home consistent, will also protect your bamboo from fading.

• Buying pre-finished bamboo panels will reduce its susceptibility to moisture.

• Strand Bamboo flooring is created as the bamboo is mashed up and bound.  It is said to be as hard as an oak floor.

• Some believe bamboo to be a soft wood because it has been known to show dents more than the traditional wood floor.  In general, bamboo floors are slightly harder than oak flooring.

• Not all bamboo floors will perform the same.  Depending on proper installation and the product used, some will lose their color, warp, delaminate, and even split.

• Bamboo that is harvested after 4 years will be considerably softer than that harvested and milled after 6 years.  Another way to check the age of your bamboo is to measure the plank length.   According to Mike at the Green Building Center, “The ideal height is approximately 6 ft. Before that it hasn’t reached its maximum hardness, and after that it starts to soften again. So when you see flooring that only comes in 3 ft lengths you should be suspicious.”  Make sure you are buying the appropriate grade for your project.

• There are two types of bamboo flooring.  For areas with low humidity, solid  (or traditional) bamboo will help avoid some of the potential problems as there are less materials glued together.

• The other type of bamboo flooring is the engineered click system (also called plank board, floating, or wideboard), which is much like many of today’s laminate floors.  They are fairly easy to install, especially if you are DIY savy.  The long, wide boards can glide over an imperfect subfloor, making them a great choice for a renovation.

• If you’re installing your project yourself, make sure you allow enough time for your bamboo to acclimate before installation (several days), and have the temperature/air conditioning set to what you expect the normal condition to be.  This should help avoid warping, later contraction, and expansion.

• There is a range of pricing available.  I’ve seen clearance flooring at Simple Floors for a couple dollars a square foot.  There are other suppliers out there selling at more than $7-8 per sf.  My preferred local ‘green’ supplier, Green Building Center, advertises $5-6.25 per sf for Plyboo bamboo flooring.  An easily accessible supplier, The Home Depot, offers an engineered click bamboo for $3.29 a sf.

• Find additional information at the following bamboo supplier sites:

Green Building Supply
Green Building Center
Plyboo
Bamboo Flooring Biz
The Home Depot

(The photo was taken at Balance Massage & Wellness Center, located just outside of Park City, UT. The Owner Marty, made ‘green’ choices when renovating the old home.  Balance is a wonderful example of green remodeling.)

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