Bamboo is now becoming a popular flooring choice among homeowners and builders. Before it gained popularity in North America, cheap bamboo flooring had been used in Asia and other Pacific countries for decades. It wasn’t until recently that people saw its true economic, environmental, and architectural potential.
Without further adieu, here are five reasons why bamboo is an awesome choice for flooring materials.
Bamboo is stronger than many hardwoods
Quite interestingly, bamboo flooring is extremely harder and stronger than most hardwoods. Certain species of bamboo rate higher than maple, and some almost rank twice as high as red oak, which is commonly used in households.
It’s surprisingly very resilient, despite the fact that it is classified in the plant kingdom as a type of grass (not a tree!). Bamboo floorings can withstand the impact of dropping heavy objects on them. Bamboo resists denting more effectively than most hardwoods.
While you’d normally have to be extremely careful with your hardwood floor, you won’t have to, even with cheap bamboo floors!
Bamboo is highly resistant to water
Bamboo flooring is an excellent choice due to its remarkable resistance to water. Unlike many other hardwood options like black walnut flooring, which require immediate drying and caution during wet maintenance, bamboo flooring is relatively low maintenance in this regard. It can withstand water exposure without significant concerns or the need for constant vigilance. This water-resistant property of bamboo makes it a practical and convenient flooring material for areas where moisture or occasional spills may occur.
You can have peace of mind knowing that your bamboo floors are less prone to damage or warping from water-related incidents, making them a durable and reliable option for various environments. So, if you’re looking for flooring that can handle moisture with ease and minimal upkeep, bamboo flooring is a wise choice.
Easy on the environment
It’s grass, after all! It’s THE fastest-growing type of grass. It only takes 5 years for a bamboo plant to produce fully-mature shoots. After which, it’s ready for harvest and use. What’s even more wonderful about this is that they can re-grow themselves even after you harvest them – no need to replant.
Now let’s consider hardwood trees (and most other trees). Red oak takes roughly 30 years (three decades!) to reach maximum height. Only then can it be cut down. And once you cut the tree down, you have to plant another fresh one.
Easy to clean
Even a cheap bamboo floor isn’t so high-maintenance. Most of the time, you’ll only need to sweep dust and dirt away using an ordinary broom. You don’t have to use any special type of cleaning agent or vacuum cleaner to keep your bamboo floor spic and span. However, if you do want to maximize the lifespan of your bamboo flooring, a little pampering isn’t so bad.
The best cheap bamboo flooring isn’t even hard to come by. Because it’s practically a renewable source of wood, the price of bamboo can compete with most other alternatives. With all these benefits brought to light, it’s quite easy to see why bamboo flooring is becoming popular.
How to Find Good, Cheap Bamboo Flooring
When finding good, cheap bamboo flooring, you will want to pay attention to specific issues. Bamboo flooring can be great – it can be an economical, earth-friendly, and great-looking option for people looking for new flooring. However, there are some potential issues that you need to be aware of if you are looking for the best cheap bamboo flooring available.
First, one way to get a cheap bamboo floor is to compromise on the hardness level. All floors are measured by the ‘Jank Hardness’ scale (where the hardest wood floor, the Brazilian Walnut, has a rating of 3684 pounds), so this is how you tell how hard your bamboo floor will be.
This is very important if you want your floor to last a long time and if you want it to look good for more than a few years. As such, this is the first thing you should check when buying bamboo flooring. Normal hardness levels can range from 1180 to 3000 lbs, with the harder the floor equating to a higher number and typically a higher price. The question is: do you need a floor with a Jank Hardness ranking of 3000 pounds?
In most cases, probably not. However, if you are looking to throw a lot of high-end parties (where women will wear high heels), have kids running around and banging things on the floor, or are hard on floors in general, then you may want to consider spending a little more money and get the harder floor – that may end up being the better deal in the long run.
The second aspect of cheap bamboo floors you must double-check is the number and quality of the finishing coatings applied to the flooring. The more and the higher quality of finishes, the higher price you will usually pay. In addition, eco-minded people should pay attention to whether formaldehyde was used in the process.
A third characteristic of bamboo flooring to check in your process of finding the best deal is the installation methods available. There are three ways to install a bamboo floor – gluing, nailing, and simply putting the pieces together (done on floating bamboo floors).
A lot of times, the discount bamboo flooring will only come with the nailing down option, which increases your installation time and materials cost, ultimately increasing the overall price of the floor.
Summary
While it may not sound like it’s possible to get the best bamboo flooring and a great price, you actually can. By understanding the differences between hardness ratings, the number of coatings, and installation options, you will be able to determine if that cheap bamboo flooring online is a good deal or just a cheap piece of flooring that will end up costing you more in the long run as you have to refinish or replace it after just a few years.
Look at these details, speak with the salesman, and you can find the right bamboo for your floor at the right price.