Bamboo flooring is a grass, not a wood.
Bamboo produces new shoots each year and is indiviually
harvested from controlled forests within three to five
years. Because bamboo has an extensive root system constantly
growing underground, it replentishes itself naturally.
By using bamboo you help to preserve the habitat of
endangered wildlife, unlike the harvesting of other
hardwoods.
Bamboo is ideal for your floor:
Harder than maple and 58% more stable than
red oak
Scuff, stain and water-resistant
Can be used in any room, as well as porches
where water would be a concern with conventional hardwoods
Natural bamboo stained with our OS Color produces
a finish as hard as mesquite
Your floor is likely to last 100 years!
Horizontal or Vertical?
Either way, your floor is the same top-notch eco-friendly
quality, but looks a little different:
Side view of bamboo flooring. The top plank
shows vertical construction; the bottom one is horizontal.
In horizontal finishes, the strips of bamboo
are cut the same direction that the bamboo grows and stacked
on top of one another. This produces a finish that is
"brushlike" in appearance.
In vertical finishes, the strips are cut
through the width of bamboo stalk and laid side-by-side,
giving more of a striped appearance.
Carbonized or Natural?
When the bamboo is being dried for processing,
carbon can be introduced into the drying chamber. The carbon
is absorbed into the bamboo and oxides the fiber, changing
it into a pleasing brown color. This color is not a surface
treatment—it permeates the entire flooringÑso scuffs
can be easily sanded away without changing the look of the
floor.
Unfinished or Finished?
Unfinished bamboo comes with a square edge on
the planks—when you put two of them together, little
space is left between them. The floor can then be finished
with OS Color or other permeating stain or sealant for longer
life. Finished bamboo floors are coated with polyurethane
and have beveled edges. This produces a floor with a "planked"
appearance. The floor cannot be stained, as the polyurethane
seals the bamboo completely.
