Is all Bamboo Flooring Created Equal?

Bamboo is bamboo right? It comes in a natural shade and is installed like a solid hardwood floor? 

When it comes to bamboo there are over 1500 species. One of the hardest species that can be found in good bamboo flooring is called Moso. When harvested right it has a greater compressive strength than concrete but the key is the reliability that the manufacturing process is being followed. Bamboo does indeed grow quickly, 4' in 48 hours and up to 80' feet within 2 months. However time is needed for the walls to thicken and this maturity takes 5.5 to 6 years to occur before it can be harvested for flooring. The Moso species at this point is 160% harder than oak.

From a design stand point you can choose from the classic bamboo looks with a vertical or flattened style or you can choose a hardwood look alike grain pattern to satisfy the need for a rich colour or other variation. Bamboo is also now getting on trend and offering a wire brush finish which has gained popularity in recent years.

Available as a solid floor or engineered floor bamboo allows for great flexibility in where it can be installed both in residential and commercial applications.  Cement floors in your basement or high traffic areas are perfectly suited for bamboo.

Our suggestion is simple, research the company prior to purchasing a bamboo floor to see if they discuss their harvesting methods, the type of bamboo species they harvest and then see if they offer the design that's right for you and your budget.  

And for all us green thumbs out there it certainly does make for a good environmentally friendly story and has been used in many notable installations with this very fact in mind.

Bamboo Ideabook.