BAMBOO - BACK

Bamboo is renewable, recyclable, biodegradable and environmentally sound.  Bamboo flooring is recognized as a true gem in modern sustainable architecture.  It is an attractive alternative to hardwood because it is eco-friendly, dimensionally stable, 27% harder than Northern Red Oak, 13% harder than hard Maple, can either be nailed-down, glued-down or floated, and it’s resistant to flammability.

Bamboo is composed of complex fibers that do not absorb moisture as easily as wood. Unlike hardwood, bamboo is not a product of trees; it’s a fast growing grass.  Bamboo can grow from sprouts to harvesting in three to five years, thus an acre of bamboo can provide more flooring than an acre of trees.  When bamboo shoots are cut the roots remain intact and fresh new sprouts grow in their place.  It can be harvested twice per decade unlike timber, which takes generations to grow to its full potential.  The dense root mass of bamboo helps prevent soil erosion and provides a viable crop opportunity in hilly acres where other crops cannot grow.

The use of bamboo in building materials may be new to Americans but Asian countries have been using bamboo in construction for millennia. Bamboo is being specified more and more in response to rising concerns about indoor air quality, allergens, off-gassing, and the presence of PVC’s often associated with traditional building materials.

Our suppliers source bamboo from the Anji area, China’s bamboo capital where local authorities impose strict controls of the cutting process in the adjoining forests. The species used for flooring is harvested from selected groves in Southern China. And, the good news is that pandas do not eat this species of bamboo.

Bamboo is sold as both solid and engineered flooring systems

Here is how bamboo is harvested and manufactured to make solid bamboo flooring:

1. Bamboo is harvested once it reaches an age of 5 years
2. The round, hollow tubes are sliced into strips
3. These strips are boiled to remove the sugars that make them flimsy
4. The strips are then stacked together to a minimum 5/8” thickness
5. A process using heat and pressure fuses the strips together
6. The joined strips dry as one solid board
7. The boards are then milled and ready for coloring or installation

Here is how bamboo is harvested and manufactured to make tongue & grove engineered flooring:

1. Bamboo is harvested once it reaches an age of 5 years
2. The round, hollow tubes are sliced into strips
3. These strips are boiled to remove the sugars that make them flimsy
4. The strips are dried and begin to harden
5. The strips are applied to backings made of recycled materials
6. The tongue & groove features are cut into the finished boards