Are you environmentally conscious? More and more people are these days, and that’s caused an explosion in the popularity of bamboo flooring.

Bamboo is like a hardwood, but is not a wood at all. As a hollow-grass, it is considered a renewable resource because it grows rapidly, replenishing itself. Bamboo can reach maturity in 5-6 years, growing to 80 feet in height. Considered environmentally friendly, many people are taking a whole new look at bamboo flooring.

Did you know that bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant on this planet. Some species of bamboo can grow as much as 1 meter per day.

For the environmentally conscious, bamboo is critical in emitting oxygen in to the atmosphere; generating more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees does. As the fastest growing canopy, bamboo lowers light intensity and protects against ultraviolet rays, while acting as an atmospheric and soil purifier. Simply put, bamboo is a plentiful natural resource and a viable alternative to deforestation of the world’s trees. Choose a bamboo floor and you are helping to curb the problem of global warming.

Bamboo a Practical Flooring

Bamboo floors have a similar hardness to any hardwood floor. When bamboo goes through the manufacturing process to become flooring, the bamboo becomes hard enough to be made into solid and engineered floor planks. You would consider installing bamboo flooring in any similar location that would be good for wood floors.

Just like wood, bamboo will scratch. So, look for bamboo flooring with a solid finish on it for durability. And just like wood, bamboo flooring can be stained. Although many people leave their bamboo floors natural preferring the lighter blonde coloring that the naturally milled bamboo offers. Keep in mind, that just like woods all stain differently, so it’s also true with bamboo. So, expect some variation in your plank colorings.

Bamboo flooring comes in both a vertical and horizontal graining pattern. Check for samples to see which style you prefer … with the grain or cross-grain cuts. The grain patterns are very different from each other, so be sure you choose the bamboo cut that is right for you.

Installing your Bamboo Floor

Bamboo can be glued to concrete slabs, stapled to wood sub-floors, and floated over most existing floor coverings. Anything you can do with wood flooring, you can do with bamboo flooring. Bamboo floors are also available in floating floor styles as well.

Installing your bamboo floor is much the same processes as with conventional hardwood flooring. The type of bamboo flooring you pick will dictate the installation process.