All About Bamboo Floors

Bamboo is a type of grass. Being so, you might think that it is as soft and brittle as the typical grass species we know and can no way be used as building material. However, bamboo has proven itself very resilient and flexible, making it the material of choice for many structure builders.

The cost of bamboo flooring averages at between $2 and $4 for every square foot, which is just about the same price as oak. This is a fair price considering the many benefits it offers.

Installing bamboo flooring does not require any special and specific technique. In fact, there are several ways you can lay them on: You can float them, nail them down, or glue them on. Bamboo is also easier to get than oak because it only takes around 3 years for it to mature, as opposed to oak which can take up to a hundred years to be fully mature.

It is important to note that bamboo is not a wood -- it's a grass, so we cannot call it hardwood. However, it can last as long as the standard hardwoods we have around, so that's probably why most people mistake it as such.

To make a flat, solid floor, the bamboo tubes are cut into strips. These are then these are boiled to strip the starch away. The boiled strips proceed to the drying and lamination process, and then milled to become strip floor boards. This is the same process that hardwoods like maple or oak go through. Finally, the strips are treated using a preservative to slow down decay.

There is something about bamboo floors that gives a room an ethnic and earthy feel. Because hardwoods like oak are rather dark and, thus, look too rich and heavy, using bamboo as your flooring makes your space appear lighter, airier, and less contrived.

But perhaps the best thing about bamboo floors is that they are easy to acquire and install. Bamboo floor strips are sold at all building materials stores. You don't have to search far and wide to get your hands on them.