Answering Some Important Questions About Bamboo Flooring for a Home
Bamboo flooring is a great option for any home; it's tough and durable and may offer more variety in its overall appearance than you realize. It's also one of the most eco-friendly choices you can make for timber floorboards. Note a few questions you might have about bamboo flooring for your home, and then discuss this option with a flooring installer as needed so you can make the right choice for your home's new floors and be happy with those floors for years to come.
How is bamboo eco-friendly?
Bamboo grows very quickly, so it can be replenished easily. Harvesting bamboo therefore contributes very little, if any, to deforestation. Also, because the material offers a range of finishes and surface appearances, you may also not need to have it painted or stained, as you might with other types of wood, so there will be less pollution and fewer toxins generated from using those coatings.
What is strand-woven bamboo?
"Strand woven" refers to cutting the bamboo stalks into long strips and then drying them. The strips are then pressed and glued together to create very strong and durable slats used for flooring. Strand-woven bamboo flooring can be one of the strongest wood floors you might choose, and it may also more readily resist the nicks, chips, dents and dings that are common with other types of timber floors.
Can bamboo floors be sanded?
Bamboo is a very dense material itself, and choosing strand-woven bamboo means the flooring will be even more dense and hard. Trying to sand the surface can then be very challenging, if not impossible. If there is damage to your bamboo floor or if you want to change the colour or surface appearance, it's best if you have a professional handle this for you. They may use a solvent to remove any sealer, then repair sections of the floor as needed, and then add a coating or colour made for the dense material of bamboo.
Will bamboo floors change colour over time?
As dense and durable as it is, bamboo is still a natural wood that will absorb light, water and air, and this can affect its surface colour; typically any timber floor will get lighter over time, and bamboo is no exception. However, because of the density of the wood and durability of the flooring, this change is usually very gradual, and you shouldn't notice it until long after you have the floors installed.
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