Bamboo flooring is one of the hardest, most durable wood floorings on the market, making it perfect for use in high traffic areas. It is manufactured in three different ways. We will discuss the various methods of construction and the pros and cons of each one.   

 

Bamboo Construction Types

 

Solid Bamboo Flooring

 

Natural bamboo grows in hollow, thin stalks, to which bamboo flooring is created by cutting and bonding strips of bamboo together to make one solid piece. Therefore, the plank is completely bamboo throughout, but is made of many strips of bamboo. Due to its construction, it is extremely strong and resilient. Another advantage that solid bamboo has over hardwood is that it may be installed over concrete as well as wood sub-floors.   

 

Engineered Bamboo Flooring

 

Engineered bamboo flooring has a plywood core, (usually made of birth or some other common wood) that is constructed by bonding and compressing thin layers of wood together in a crisscross pattern. This limits the flooring from expanding and contracting due to weather and temperature changes. A thin top layer of real bamboo is affixed to the plywood core, similar to engineered hardwood and it can be installed by gluing it to a concrete sub-floor or nailing it to a wood sub-floor. 

 

Engineered HDF Core Bamboo

 

In this type of engineered bamboo flooring, a top layer of real bamboo is attached to a high density fiberboard core, instead of a plywood core, similar to laminate. The difference being that the top layer of laminate is a picture of real wood attached to a HDF core and engineered HDF bamboo has a top layer of real bamboo. This flooring is constructed with an edge joining system, so that they can be installed in a floating method over a wood sub-floor, concrete or an existing floor. An underlayment must be put down over the sub-floor before the planks are installed. Some engineered HDF bamboo is constructed with an underlayment already attached, saving time and making installation even easier to do yourself. You can still elect to put install an underlayment, even though one is attached, if you desire a quieter and more comfortable floor.     

 

Styles of Bamboo

 

Strand Woven Bamboo

 

Strand woven bamboo is manufactured by bonding shredded bamboo fibers together with resins using heat and extreme pressure, resulting in flooring that is four times harder than red oak hardwood. Due to it being highly durable, it is recommended for commercial use where there is a lot of foot traffic, in addition to residential use. It is appropriate for kitchens, dens, hallways or any high traffic areas and is available in solid bamboo, engineered bamboo or engineered HDF core bamboo.  

 

 Horizontal Bamboo Flooring

 

Since bamboo is hollow, it must be cut into strips and bonded together to produce the flooring. It is called horizontal bamboo, when these strips are laid flat and bonded together and the knots and growth rings are evident when you look at the flooring, giving it a more organic and rustic look. Some people feel that these imperfections add interest and character to the flooring.   

 

 Vertical Bamboo Flooring

 

When the strips of bamboo are laid on their sides before being bonded together, it is called vertical bamboo. You cannot see the natural imperfections such as the knots and growth rings, offering a totally different, cleaner look that would appeal to those who appreciate a modern appearance for a contemporary décor.   

 

Bamboo Finishes

 

The quality of the finish on the bamboo flooring is very important, because it directly affects how durable and scratch resistant the flooring will be and its ability to withstand wear and tear and heavy foot traffic. Bamboo flooring, like hardwood, is topped with a protective surface finish of up to eleven coats of polyurethane, which is infused with aluminum oxide and UV cured to produce a harder, extremely durable floor. Some flooring companies buy from manufacturers that use cheap off brand finishes, so that they can offer lower prices. However, at www.woodwudyshop.com, we offer bamboo flooring from manufacturers that only use top, name brand finishes that are the best on the market. When you buy from us, you can be assured of the best quality flooring for the best possible price. If you would like additional information about bamboo flooring, please contact us at 1-877-966-3983.

At Woodwudy Wholesale Flooring we are always glad to serve you.