With Bamboo Flooring, It's Easy Being Green
by Jessica Groach-Santina
Home Improvement Ideas Columnist
Bamboo, once the domain of pandas and chow mein dishes, is all grown up. These days, it's a beautiful, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional hardwood flooring.
Hardwood flooring is the must-have home improvement, because of its luxurious beauty, its durability, and its maintenance ease. So get the beauty of hardwood without depleting the earth's natural resources: think grass.
Bamboo, which is actually a grass, not a wood, fully matures in just three years, meaning it's completely renewable--unlike most hardwoods, which take 50 years or more to mature. It won't contribute to deforestation of the rainforests, it never requires replanting, and it grows with little or no fertilization or pesticides. Plus, most bamboo finishes have low-VOC emissions.
The Advantages of a Bamboo Floor
Not only will your environmental conscience be clear, but you'll also enjoy your bamboo floor's durability and unique beauty. Bamboo flooring is similar to oak hardwood flooring in dent-resistance, but in many ways it's more dimensionally stable than hardwood, and it requires less refinishing.
Bamboo flooring may be practical, but it's also beautiful. Bamboo usually comes in two colors: a light, natural honey, or a darker amber that's achieved through steaming. It can also be stained or dyed on site. Its rich texture features thin strips of varying color and bamboo nodes, which provide a "wow" factor for houseguests.
Installing Your Bamboo Flooring
While bamboo flooring is a bit pricier than your average hardwood flooring - anywhere from $4 to $8 per square foot, plus installation - the typical structural warranty is around 25 years. Bamboo floors can be floated on a sub-floor, glued, or fitted with a tongue-and-groove. Considering its environmental benefits, unique appearance, flexibility, and durability, an investment in bamboo flooring is a big investment in style, and an even greater investment in the planet.
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About the Author
Jessica Groach-Santina is a freelance writer with a background in media and promotions. She also teaches first-year writing courses at the University of Nevada, Reno.
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