Carbonized Bamboo Flooring
From Floor Coverings
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What is carbonized bamboo flooring?
Is bamboo a renewable flooring product?
Bamboo is in the forefront of renewable floor product technology, and people are using it more every day, as different and new products are created from this versatile plant. Giant grass stalks about six years along in their maturity are cut down and then chopped into logs. Strips are sliced off and then undergo further processing, which turns them into bamboo planks suitable for flooring use. These planks can be either vertical or horizontally stacked, and I'm sure there are also a few exotic designs out there. One thing to watch out for when considering this type of flooring is the fact that there are no standards or governing agency for the product, as there are with hardwood flooring products. Therefore, the quality can vary widely as the longevity may, also. Hot pressing is used to bind the strips together and every factor of the manufacturing and even growing process can affect the quality outcome.
Does bamboo flooring come in click lock?
Bamboo flooring is a rapidly growing, eco-friendly type of flooring. With several ways to process the fresh bamboo, there are some options available to the floor product buyer. Bamboo flooring which has been carbonized is not suitable to high traffic areas such as in commercial building walkways or offices or similar. It can get scratched and even dented quite easily. Because bamboo flooring is made to install by the tongue and groove interlock method, it is as easy for a do it yourselfer as any other type of hardwood or laminate flooring. When considering lower grade bamboo and flooring, be aware that more formaldehyde resin is used in these types of products. And consider the thickness of the boards and the number of strips as well. There are a lot of factors to weigh in order to get the best possible product when you purchase.
Natural and Carbonized bamboo floors.
With bamboo flooring, there is the natural, light and airy color of the plant itself, and then the product can either be stained or carbonized. The latter process makes the bamboo flooring a darker shade, but there are a few minuses to this process. When the strips of bamboo undergo heating under pressure, sugar in the plant turns the color of coffee. This is about the same process as blowtorching a creme brulee and getting that lovely shade of caramel on top. If, in the manufacturing process, the bamboo strips can be carbonized shortly after harvesting and not exposed to any boiling water during the processing, then this type of flooring will be about 8% harder. Boiling water is normally used in the process, however. And, its purpose is to eliminate the sugars and any insects in this gigantic species of grass.
Dehumidifiers and bamboo flooring.
Any finish applied to bamboo flooring, and especially to the carbonized variety, has to be quite insulating and then it will help protect the flooring from most scratches and dings, in a residential setting. The edges of the sections have to be sealed also. Use of a dehumidifier aids in the preservation of this highly attractive and renewable resource flooring. Installation of bamboo flooring by a contractor or flooring specialist runs about the same as regular hardwood or laminate flooring, and a homeowner may choose this if they are unsure about their own installation capabilities.
