Bamboo Flooring vs Hardwood Flooring

Bamboo Flooring vs Hardwood Flooring - The Pros And Cons

Written by Mark Hutchison

Friday, 25 July 2008

by MarkHutchison

Recently, bamboo flooring has risen significantly in popularity. That's because people are hearing that this type of flooring lasts longer and is more environmentally friendly than many kinds of hardwood flooring. It's a good choice for a number of different situations, and has many advantages.

Of course, the benefits of bamboo don't mean that it's perfect for everyone. There are some reasons that hardwood is traditional, and in an antique home, it may work better. It takes longer to put in hardwood flooring, but for some, the look outweighs the trouble.

Bamboo is one of the more attractive types of floor, but it won't look the same as wood. This type of flooring varies little in color, making it more uniform.

This is considered a benefit by some, and for others, it's a reason not to use bamboo. If you're not sure, remember that bamboo flooring does eliminate the dust and much of the mess associated with installing a hardwood floor. It's significantly more convenient, since the pieces arrive ready to install.

If you love a traditional look, or are restoring a vintage home or building to its original state, you may be turned off by bamboo. However, the market is beginning to develop bamboo flooring that looks a lot more like traditional wood. So, in the future, you may have more options than simply using difficult to sustain wood floors.

Traditional hardwoods include blackbutt, jarrah, karri, iron bark and others. These durable woods can develop problems over the years. Moisture and temperature changes have been known to cause damage, warping and splintering.

It's also expensive, and less sustainable than bamboo, which can grow at a rate of up to thirty centimeters a day. While a bamboo grove can be harvested every few years, it takes decades for a hardwood forest to grow to a size where it can be harvested for lumber. Many hardwood sources aren't being responsibly maintained.

Since bamboo grows quickly, and requires no fertilizers, it can be sustainably farmed. That doesn't mean that every bamboo crop is environmentally responsible, however. Some bamboo plantations, despite the advantages of this plant, are planting only one species and using fertilizers and pesticides on their crops. These bamboo sources are a lot less friendly than well managed bamboo.

You'll find these kinds of practices mostly in China and other countries where regulation is minimally enforced. Fortunately, it takes only a little research to tell you if you're getting some of the large percentage of products made from sustainably produced bamboo.

If durability is a serious concern, bamboo is the better choice over hardwood. Bamboo stands up well to daily wear, and there are a number of floors that come with a warranty. You should, however, be willing to spend the money for a quality product that will last out the years.

In climates where contraction and expansion are problems, bamboo performs favorably. It can also be resurfaced more often than hardwood veneer type floorings, and requires no waxing or other treatment to maintain its natural beauty. Remember to look for products that contain only non-toxic glues for a fully sustainable product.

Anyone who's curious about how bamboo flooring holds up when compared to hardwood should take a look online. It's easy to see the whole range of available products and find out more about this great type of floor. It could be right for your home.

Article Author:

While timber floors have always been popular in Australia, bamboo floors are now starting to take market share, due to a range of great reasons. Visit Bamboozle in Perth - www.bamboozle.com.au - to learn more.

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