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Bamboo flooring provides an excellent alternative to traditional hardwood flooring.  Growing in popularity as an alternative, bamboo flooring has many attractive features that make it a viable option for modern homeowners.  Although harvested mostly in China, bamboo flooring is now widely available in North America and Europe.  Many early adopters of bamboo flooring point out its environmental friendliness.  The bamboo plant regrows very quickly when compared with the time it takes a forest to regrow.  In fact, the bamboo plant is considered a grass, as it grows much quicker than any tree.  When done responsibly, bamboo plant harvesting can be done without causing any permanent damage.

How does bamboo flooring compare with traditional hardwoods?  High quality bamboo flooring is harder and more durable than even the most expensive hardwood flooring.  Moisture is also less of a problem for bamboo flooring.  Where traditional hardwood may buckle and crack because of water exposure, bamboo flooring can absorb the moisture without a problem.  Bamboo flooring is processed as a laminate and treated under extremely high pressure with a high quality glue.  This makes bamboo flooring very resistant to abrasions and scratches, where a hardwood floor would end up showing scratches.  Bamboo flooring has become a great deal more affordable in recent times as well.

Best of all, bamboo flooring is easy enough to lay down without any professional help.  Like many of the newer hardwoods, bamboo flooring is made with a groove that allows the planks to interlock, making them considerably easier to install.  Before installing a bamboo floor, let the planks sit in their new environment for no less than 72 hours.  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.  Be sure to clean the floor after installing it, using a mop with only a little bit of water.  Regular dusting and sweeping should be done after installation.  This will prevent a build up of dust that can dull the finish.  A mat should be placed at the entrance to prevent dust and dirt from coming into the room.  Dirt and small rocks can easily scratch the finish, and a mat can do a great deal to prevent this problem.

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Filed under: Flooring

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