Renovations are a fairly common procedure. However, something new is happening in many people's renovations - they're choosing a unique new type of flooring.

Bamboo flooring is fast becoming a popular choice among homeowners building new homes or putting new floors in older homes. This excellent new flooring alternative has lots of benefits to offer, from sustainability to longevity.

While bamboo isn't most people's first choice when laying down a new floor, it should be. This material is light weight, attractive, and lasts a long time, reducing the need to replace your floor again in a few years.

There are over fifteen hundred species of bamboo in the world, and though they're not all suitable for flooring, many of them are. This quick growing grass is considered a sustainable source for flooring because it replaces itself in only a few years.

In fact, bamboo grows so fast that it can be a real pest if it isn't harvested. One Japanese variety can grow a hundred and twenty centimeters in just twenty-four hours.

While bamboo used for flooring isn't that speedy, it can replace itself after harvesting in only three to five years. Harvesting doesn't kill the plant, either - it just keeps growing.

Bamboo might seem rickety - after all, it's a hollow grass. However, it's really an extremely strong material, especially when processed for flooring.

Strips of bamboo are cut from the round pole and pressed flat, then laminated together to create a veneered flooring product. Usually, this flooring is available in tile or tongue and groove plank formats, and can be obtained prefinished or unfinished.

Available bamboo flooring in Perth and surrounding areas comes in many different patterns and colors. There are bamboo products that look a lot like hardwood, and those which take advantage of the material's unique knots and patterns to create a distinctive flooring material.

Colors are obtained by heating the bamboo, and range from very light natural shades to dark colors that can rival walnut and mahogany. It should be noted, however, that this heat treatment means darker colors are a little bit softer.

Bamboo flooring is a relatively new type of flooring in Australia - it's been available in Asia, Europe and the US for almost a decade, but has only come to Australia in recent years. That means many people won't have heard of bamboo flooring in Perth.

However, even though it's relatively new, this material is growing in popularity as people discover that high quality bamboo products are ideal for their homes. Well made bamboo flooring isn't subject to cupping, warping or splitting, and stays attractive and durable with only a little care.

This naturally moisture resistant material is ideal for the Australian climate as long as you buy products that are well made and use quality materials. It can be fixed to almost any type of subfloor, too.

If you're building a new home or thinking about putting a new floor in an old one, don't forget about bamboo. It could make a big difference in the look and feel of your home.