Bamboo Flooring Guide

Quickly becoming one of America’s top choices in flooring – Bamboo seems to be making its way into projects large and small, commercial and residential. With the same charm and value as traditional hardwood flooring, bamboo has the added bonus of being environmentally friendly.  

PROS

• Bamboo regenerates in 3-5 years making Bamboo flooring an environmentally friendly choice.
• Available in various styles and colors
• Multiple types of easy installation processes including “floating” and glue-less applications.
• Comparable in strength and durability to most hardwoods.
• Often less expensive than many popular hardwoods.
• Adds tremendous value to your home.
• Most bamboo products are recognized LEED products (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) making it a popular choice in LEED certified commercial projects.

CONS

• While tough and durable, if not maintained properly, and cleaned regularly, dirt and other factors can start to dull the surface.
• High-heels and spiked athletic shoes can dent flooring.

Bamboo – The Plant

Bamboo is a fast-growing grass primarily found in Asia. Bamboo is actually considered the fastest growing woody plant in the world. It is made up of a hard, hollow stem, which when matured provides a very durable material for construction and many other applications. There are over 1000 known species of bamboo grown all over the world.

How it’s processed

Bamboo flooring is made from the bamboo stalks. Bamboo is harvested at maturity (average of about 6 years old). The stalks are then cut into long strips which are then cut into widths similar to what you see in stacked horizontal bamboo flooring.

To Carbonize or Not….

At this point, there are two options – carbonized or natural. Natural bamboos retain their original appearance, but are boiled to eliminate excess sugars which can attract termites. Carbonized bamboo undergoes a carbonization process which darkens the bamboo and reduces the overall hardness of the bamboo. Carbonized bamboos will typically dent and scratch easier then those that are natural bamboo floors.

Once these processes have occurred, the bamboos are typically sorted for quality or “grade.” Lower grades, or “B” grades, result in lower quality, less expensive flooring. Higher grades, or “A” grades, are of higher quality and produce more beautiful but more expensive flooring.

Next, the bamboo is typically kiln dried, milled, glued, and finished. The drying process eliminates excess moisture. Pieces or strands are then glued together either face up (horizontal) or side to side (vertical). The pieces are then pressed together and bound using heat and lots of pressure.

These “blanks” are then milled and finished. Bamboo typically has the same tongue and groove application as traditional hardwood. Finished bamboo can come in different thicknesses depending on how many plies the final product consists of. 5/8” is typical of 3-ply systems or vertical style floors.

Bamboo is offered in both solid and engineered applications. Engineered bamboo is similar to traditional engineered hardwoods with a backing, dense core, and bamboo veneer on top. Engineered products are often more dimensionally stable and better suited for applications where moisture may be an issue. Engineered products are fine for installing below grade, which is not recommended for solid products.

Styles

Horizontal: Horizontal bamboo uses strips of bamboo laid face up for a wider grain pattern.

Vertical:Vertical bamboo uses strips of bamboo laid face to face, with the “side” of each strip as the visible end.

Stranded: Strand bamboo is an extremely hard and durable variation. This style is processed a bit differently. It uses shredded fibers of bamboo, mixed together with adhesive and subjected to intense pressure. Strand bamboo can come either natural or carbonized.

Stained: Bamboo is available in a variety of pre-stained colors to fit any décor. Browse through our bamboo section to see the many colors available.

    

Hand-Scraped: Hand-scraped bamboo has a unique texture and look. Hand-scraped or “distressed” woods have indentations running down the boards at random.

Engineered:Engineered Bamboo uses a backing and dense core with a bamboo veneer on top.

Installation

Similar to traditional hardwoods, bamboo can be installed in a variety of ways depending on type of bamboo (solid, engineered) and what type of subfloor you are working with.

If you are working with a wood subfloor, nailing or stapling the floor is the typical method for solid bamboo.

With most other subfloors, glue-down or floating methods are the primary choice. When using the glue-down method, be sure to use the manufactures recommended adhesive, as using anything else may void the warranty. If none are recommended, avoid using water-based adhesives as they tend to not perform as well.

If using a floating installation system, remember that an underlayment typically needs to be installed first. This will provide both a softer cushion for the floor, as well as protect against moisture and (in some cases) sound control.

With all systems, an area for expansion needs to be left open around all edges. Refer to your manufacture for more details.

Installation Checklist:

Always check, or have your professional installer check for excessive moisture content in the slab. While bamboo is not as affected by moisture as traditional hardwoods, excess moisture can still cause cupping and in certain instances cause adhesive failure.

Check the sub-floor for levelness and cleanliness. No one likes an uneven floor!

Leave adequate time for the material to acclimate before installation. This will help to minimize the shrinkage/expansion of bamboo once installed. Check with the manufacturer for their recommended acclimation time (typically around 72 hours). Be sure that the material is being stored in the room to which it will be installed, and that the temperature is regulated and set to the normal temperature of the room for best results.

If using a professional installer, be sure that any furniture or personal belongings have been removed from the space prior to your scheduled install date. While you may request that the installer move the furniture, be prepared to pay more for this service, and always inquire if they will be moving the furniture back into place upon completion.

Determine ahead of time who will be responsible for removing the existing floor coverings. This is often easiest for the installer to take care of, but again be prepared to pay an additional charge.

Pay attention to details such as doorways and transition points. Is the wood flooring higher than your old flooring? Will the doors be able to open, or will adjustments to the door need to me made? Has anything been figured for a transition between the wood and other flooring materials (carpet, tile, etc)? Transition or border pieces are not only visibly pleasing, but prevent tripping hazards.

Installation will certainly produce waste. Be sure to work out the details of final cleaning and deposal of waste with your installer, as this may or may not be included in the price of install.

Always do a pre-installation and post-installation walk-thru with your installation professional to insure that any and all questions are addressed up front, and that you are satisfied with the install upon completion.

Accessories

Bamboo flooring products will often have a variety of trim and accessory pieces available. While not all lines have all trim pieces available, you will typically find that reducers, t-moldings, stair-nosings, and quarter rounds are among the most readily available.

Care and Maintenance

Proper care and maintenance is essential to the continued beauty and longevity of your floors. Here are a few basic tips to help maintain your floors:

DO:

• Vacuum, sweep, or dust mop your floors once a week. Be sure that if using a vacuum, the head is felt, or use a brush so as not to scratch the floors. Walking on dirty floors is the fastest way to ruin the finish of your floor.
• Wipe up spills and tracked in dirt immediately.
• Periodically clean the floors using your manufactures recommended floor care products.
• Use interior and exterior doormats to help collect dirt entering the house.
• Place area rugs in areas of high traffic or potential water spills such as in front of the kitchen sink. Avoid rugs with solid rubber or vinyl backing as these may discolor the bamboo beneath.
• Use furniture pads on legs and under rollers to prevent scratching.
• Keep your pets nails trimmed to avoid scratching the floors.
• Protect floors from direct sunlight by using curtains or shades.
• Maintain relative humidity. Humidity should remain between 45% and 65% throughout the year to avoid excessive expansion/contraction of wood. During winter months, a humidifier may be recommended. During summer months, running the air conditioner or de-humidifier is recommended.

DO NOT:

• Do NOT use water or soap to clean your bamboo floors. Water can permanentlydamage bamboo.
• Don’t use oil based, wax, polish, or strong ammoniated or abrasive cleaners
• Don’t use steel wool or scouring powder.
• Don’t use any type of buffing machine.
• Avoid walking on floors with high heels or spiked athletic shoes
• When moving furniture, avoid dragging or sliding heavy objects.
• Do not allow excess floor cleaner to sit on bamboo, always wipe up immediately.

For care and maintenance information related to specific manufactures, please see their websites.