Today, many have great concern about conserving our planet and environment for future generations. That’s why green flooring, which is environmentally friendly, has become popular in modern times. At www.woodwudyshop.com, we offer the best selection of top quality green flooring available at the best prices. One such option, being bamboo or strand woven bamboo flooring.
Bamboo is a rapid growing plant that can reach heights of more than twenty-four inches in a twenty-four hour period and in four months it reaches its maximum capacity for height and thickness. However, it does not reach full maturity until between four and seven years because it has to go through a hardening process after reaching full growth before it is harvested to produce top quality flooring. Due to its extraordinary rate of growth and ability to replenish itself so quickly, it caught the attention of flooring manufacturers as a great alternative option for producing green hardwood flooring, even though it is actually a grass and not real wood.
Unfortunately, there are manufacturers that only care about making money and refuse to wait the four to seven years for the hardening process to take place and the bamboo to reach full maturity, so they harvest the bamboo early. When this bamboo is used to manufacture flooring, it cannot be manufactured properly or safely and will produce cheap, low quality flooring that lacks durability, because it did not go through the natural hardening process necessary to produce high quality flooring. To make up for this, the manufacturer will use a lot of formaldehyde as an adhesive to harden the soft bamboo. This presents a problem because formaldehyde is a VOC (volatile organic compound) that can cause cancer. You don’t have to worry about sub-standard bamboo flooring when you purchase from www.woodwudyshop.com. We carry products from only the leading manufacturers of green flooring products, who properly harvest their bamboo at the peak of maturity and produce the highest quality bamboo on the market, so that all of our bamboo flooring is VOC compliant.
After harvesting the bamboo is cut and boiled to remove the sugars that might be contained in the bamboo. This is done to prevent bugs from being attracted to the bamboo and to keep mold at bay. Afterwards, it is ready for carbonization, which is accomplished by steaming the bamboo to darken it to create the deeper tones of bamboo flooring. If the bamboo is going to be used to manufacture the natural look of bamboo flooring then the carbonization process is bypassed. The bamboo is then dried so that there is no moisture remaining to prevent warping. Finally, the strips of bamboo are bonded together with adhesives under intense pressure to create a solid piece of bamboo, which is cut into planks for flooring. The left over bamboo remnants from this process add up to about 60% of the original product. The pieces are used to produce strand woven bamboo so that there is no waste.
Strand woven bamboo is produced when the remaining bamboo remnants are combined with eco friendly adhesives and extreme pressure is applied to fuse them together to create one whole piece, which is then cut into planks. Regular bamboo is about as hard as red oak, which has a Janka Hardness Rating of 1,290. However, strand woven bamboo is similar in hardness to Brazilian walnut, which is an exotic hardwood that is tremendously hard and very durable. It is 126% stronger than maple grown in North America and 154% harder than red oak. The kicker is that these woods are much more expensive than bamboo, take many years longer to grow than bamboo and are not considered a renewable resource like bamboo. Strand woven bamboo is tough enough for commercial use and is the perfect choice of flooring for offices and hospitals that desire to go green.
Green flooring like bamboo is important and must be installed in a commercial building, such as a hospital, if such organization is seeking LEED certification.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a system that rates commercial buildings that are considered to be green by incorporating environmentally friendly products and practices, to verify if they meet the qualifications to become LEED certified. Advisors are available to provide instruction and leadership during the design phase of the building and during construction to ensure that it meets the criteria for LEED certification. After the building is constructed, they also provide assistance in setting up the groundwork and structure for operations and maintenance of the building to become LEED certified. Even though it is costly in the beginning, it is worth it in the long run because utility bills will be lower from using energy efficient designs and materials and they can take advantage of tax exemptions. These are some of the advantages of going green in the workplace. It is a good idea to use green products in the home as well to lower energy costs and do our part in helping to save the environment. Bamboo flooring is a great way to incorporate green products into your home and can save you money in the process. www.woodwudyshop.com is a leader in the flooring industry and we can meet all of your flooring needs.
If you would like additional information about any of our green flooring products, please give us a call at 1-877-966-3983.
At Woodwudy Wholesale Flooring we are always glad to serve you.
