Bamboo flooring is a great choice for the environmentally conscious because of its fast growth cycle and biodegradable qualities. When following this style, builders minimized the installation of superfluous decorative elements such as cornices, moldings, and trim. With the rising popularity of bamboo as flooring, the Janka test has been forced to include the diverse ratings for different bamboo floors. Strand-woven boards are made of shredded bamboo that’s compressed under pressure to form boards. There are many environmental as well as health benefits to choosing bamboo for your home that are important to consider.
Bamboo floors also carry the benefit of being moisture resistant, and this is especially true with the stranded variety. ARC carries a comprehensive lifetime structural warranty and a 25-year residential wear ARC bamboo floor with absolute peace of mind. But bamboo seems fairly priced when you consider its rather complicated manufacturing process and the fact that it’s harvested in East Asia.
Solid, tongue-and-groove bamboo is installed similarly to traditional hardwood flooring: It’s fastened down with nails or staples, with or without mastic. Not all bamboo flooring is the same, however; be sure to look for Moso bamboo, as it’s considered the hardest and most durable. Each plank is tongue-and-groove on the sides and ends to ensure a long-lasting, tight installation.
The Janka hardness test is done only on solid wood products and does not apply to a veneered flooring product, engineered flooring is not solid wood and only the thin surface veneer has the botanical species on it. Strand woven bamboo & eucalyptus floors are considerably harder than traditional wood floors, so they’re resistant to denting, high traffic, and most anything else an active family can throw at them! According to David Hayward, technical manager at the Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA), there are essentially two types of bamboo flooring (strand-woven or laminated) based on different manufacturing techniques. The installation process is easy with all Bamboo flooring now designed with an easy to use Click Lock system. Solid or engineered bamboo comes in strand-woven, hand-scraped, or dyed with a nail, glue, or floating installation. The best part is that the range of colors and textures available in bamboo flooring is as extensive as your imagination.
The flooring isn’t attached to the subfloor in any manner, so installation goes fast. Physical obstructions such as kitchen islands will also be problematic if proper expansion space is not allocated. Prices are often based on the thickness of the flooring; the thicker the plank, the more it costs. From a sproutling, bamboo can be harvested in a matter of 3-5 years, which is quite fast.