BAMBOO

Using bamboo for flooring has become one of the hottest trends in decorating, especially among those who are looking to "go green."

Bamboo floors have a warm, natural look, and can be used in homes of any age and style. Bamboo is suitable for almost any room in the home:

• living rooms,
• dining rooms,
• family rooms,
• hallways,
• stairs
• kitchens

Bamboo is attractive as a building material because it is very hard, strong, and dimensionally stable. It is hard as maple, and 50% more stable than red oak.

Bamboo is actually a grass that is harvested from managed plantations. It is an easily replenished resource that grows back in about three years after it has been harvested. Environmentally, Bamboo matures in three years, regenerates without the need for replanting and requires minimal fertilization or pesticides.

To manufacture bamboo flooring, the hollow round shoots are sliced into strips, which are then boiled to remove the starch. The strips are dried and laminated into solid boards, vertical and horizontal, which are then milled into standard strip flooring profiles.

Bamboo comes in a light, natural color, and a darker, amber (or carbonized) variety. This amber color is achieved by pressure steaming the Bamboo, which darkens it by carbonization.

To clean a bamboo floor

simply vacuum or sweep frequently, and occasionally mop with clear water.