Bamboo Flooring - Going Green With Natural Flooring
Bamboo Flooring
With everyone's concern over the environment, sales of natural flooring materials are booming. Bamboo flooring has become extremely popular. It has a similar look of a traditional wood floor but without the damaging affects of the environment.
Natural bamboo is a member of the grass family which means it grows rapidly and the plant is not killed when cut. It continues to be harvested over and over again, taking only about four years to reach 20 yards or more.
There is nothing to give up with using bamboo versus wood - in fact, there is much to be gained. Not only is it environmentally friendly, it is also tough and durable. It is 27% harder than oak and 13% harder than maple. It is also known to be a healthy alternative because there is not the presence of PVC's like in wood. With the concerns over allergens and air quality, bamboo is a better choice.
Installation is done in the same way as other wood flooring. The manufacturing process makes the flooring just as smooth as any other hardwood or laminate. And, because the bamboo is composed of complex fibers, it doesn't absorb moisture as easily as wood. This makes it a great product to use in the kitchen where spills often occur.
Retailers offer a wide range of available styles and colors. Some large suppliers offer online ordering. This way you can order samples from them and after matching them up with your decor you simply order right from home.
Some of the large suppliers are: Bamboo Garden, Envirochoice, Far East, Ming Dynasty, Panda Lumber, Premium Green, Preswick, Springwood, Westhollow and Woodstock.
Bamboo In Your Interior Design
A bamboo floor offers a wider range of design possibilities than an average hardwood floor. Color variations and patterns lend looks that are appealing in a way you wouldn't expect. The differences in finishing techniques account for this.
The video below shows various room scenes all with a different type of bamboo flooring finish. Each room is unique and was given the perfect flooring choice for it's design.
I wouldn't be surprised if natural flooring sales really starting booming. The designs are beautiful. Take a look at the video and see what I mean.
Bamboo Flooring Room Scenes
Natural Bamboo Flooring
You can see how beautiful a bamboo floor can fit into your decor. It is just as warm and rich as a solid hardwood floor. The picture shown is a lighter stain which gives a more natural and clean look. It looks especially nice with the greenery, making it just ooze environmentally friendly.
Since you can get bamboo stained in any color, it is just as versatile as hardwood. The texture of the bamboo is quite similar to wood while the cork has it's own unique texture. See the pictures below for a look at the differences in texture between the two.
Cork Compared To Bamboo Flooring
Floating cork flooring is another natural alternative with many benefits. It is a little more costly but may well be worth it for the advantages.
Like bamboo, cork is a harvested product. It comes from the bark of the cork oak tree and is also a renewable resource. The cellular structure of cork makes it naturally shock absorbing so it is comfortable to walk on and still durable. Because the structure traps air particles it also has great thermal or insulative properties. On top of that it is great for noise reduction. All these points make for a more comfortable home.
The quality that I found to be very desirable is it's resistance to insects. Cork contains suberin which is a natural repellent to insects, mites, mold and it protects against rotting. You can't get much better than that.
So, if you are in the market for a new floor, you may want to give one of these new natural flooring trends a try.
Versatility Of Natural Cork Flooring
Natural cork flooring can take on a whole different look depending on how it is used. Look at the two pictures shown. In the top picture, the floor was stained and varnished to give a more formal look. It was used in a foyer and would also go very well in a kitchen or bedroom.
The bottom picture shows are more natural informal look. It is being used in an excercise room, which is an excellent place to use cork. Since a work out area may become somewhat moist, the resistance to mold would be a huge advantage. The shock absorbing quality of the floor would be easy on the joints while working out.
Sound Insulation
One other great place to use cork flooring, that must be mentioned, is a kid's playroom. The sound insulation qualities of cork make it very desirable for keeping noise contained. In fact, maybe it would be a good idea to wrap the walls with it. Okay, maybe not...
Any room in the house, that you want to keep the noise level absorbed, would be a good room to think about cork flooring.
Watch the video below to see a fun room redo by HGTV where they transformed a room into a playroom/guest bedroom using cork flooring.
Cork Flooring - HGTV
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