List of Pros and Cons of Strand Bamboo Flooring
Strand bamboo flooring is a unique form of flooring, one that utilizes natural materials to cover a surface. While strand bamboo flooring has many similar properties to hardwood flooring, it also shares many of the same susceptibilities to damage and the same drawbacks. By properly researching the material before deciding to use strand bamboo flooring for your household or business project, you can avoid some of these pitfalls.
Informing yourself is wise when making any major decision. Knowing about the benefits and the drawbacks to strand bamboo flooring helps you during the process. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons that are associated with strand bamboo flooring.
List of Pros of Strand Bamboo Flooring
1. Friendly From an Ecological Standpoint.
Since strand bamboo flooring is constructed from natural forms of vegetation, this allows the material to grow to a mature level in a much more rapid fashion than sources of hardwood flooring are able to. Bamboo plants are renewable resources and reach a full level of maturity within five years, whereas the hardwood tree takes almost twenty years to reach true maturity.
The construction industry has begun to keep a closer watch on materials used and their ability to be replenished once they are removed from their natural state. The consumer has become far more conscious about the damage that is caused by using materials that are not viable for the future. Gone are the days of simply choosing flooring because it is cheap and/or durable.
2. Easier Maintenance Than Other Forms of Flooring.
When a person has a strand bamboo flooring in their home or business, it is much easier to maintain than other forms of flooring that they could have chosen. In order to maintain strand bamboo flooring once it has been installed, all you need to do is vacuum and sweep the flooring on a consistent basis, as these actions remove the debris and small particles that tend to collect on any form of flooring.
For those who are aiming for a more deep cleaning method, you can use a damp mop on occasion to maximize the floor’s level of cleanliness. There are also specialized cleansers that can be used strictly for strand bamboo flooring. Consumers have a wide range of non alkaline, non wax floor cleaners available to them, which help to keep their bamboo flooring spotless, with very little effort expended.
3. High Level of Durability.
While some may hear about strand bamboo flooring and be led to believe that it is flimsy and will fall apart rapidly, strand bamboo flooring is just as durable as hardwood flooring, if not more so. Depending upon the type of bamboo that you are purchasing, there are a wide range of variations that are quite durable and strong. Even though strand bamboo flooring can still become damaged from exposure to water and typical warping, it is more resistant than conventional hardwood flooring.
If you are looking for the strongest bamboo, there are natural variations that have not been carbonized and are as strong as red oak, if not stronger. When shopping for strand bamboo flooring, look into the techniques of harvesting and manufacturing and you will be able to find the flooring with the highest possible level of durability.
4. Stylish and Aesthetically Pleasing.
Strand bamboo flooring typically appeals to those who are trying to construct a home or business that is different from the rest. With so many cookie cutter style set ups, it is no wonder why so many people are turning to strand bamboo flooring. By installing strand bamboo flooring in your living space or place or business, you are immediately conveying an increased sense of elegance. Strand bamboo flooring is one of the trendiest forms of flooring currently available.
Much like any other flooring format, strand bamboo can become worn down over the course of time. When scratches and discoloration take place, strand bamboo flooring can be refinished, to restore its original luster. Depending upon the thickness of the bamboo planks used to install the floor, a refinishing job can be deceptively simple and keep your floors looking like brand new. A fresh new look for your strand bamboo floor is just a small amount of sanding away.
List of Cons of Strand Bamboo Flooring
1. Volatile Organic Chemicals Are Emitted.
In order to successfully manufacture the bamboo planks that you are going to need to construct your flooring, the stalks of bamboo grass plants need to be sliced and shredded. Once the pieces have been sliced and shredded, they are then fused back together with the usage of tremendous amounts of pressure, heat and an adhesive that is strongly based in resin. This particular adhesive can be harmful to the environment.
When this adhesive is used during the process of constructing strand bamboo flooring, there are certain volatile organic chemicals (which are also known as VOCs) that are released into the surrounding environment. These chemicals can also be released into your living space over the course of time. That is why it is important to investigate the manufacturing processes of your strand bamboo flooring before installation, so that you can potentially avoid this all too common pitfall.
2. Unable To Be Used In Areas With High/Low Humidity Levels.
While strand bamboo flooring can be a great choice for many citizens around the world, those who reside in areas where high levels of humidity are frequent may not be able to get the most out of this particular flooring option. When humidity is high, the air contains large amounts of moisture. If moisture levels are high, then the floor can sustain serious damages, especially over the course of a particularly brutal summer.
The main reason for this phenomenon is warm air causing the floor’s planks to sustain damages. The planks begin to plump due to the high concentration of moisture in the air. Conversely, strand bamboo flooring is also difficult to use in areas where the humidity is extremely low. In dry environments, the bamboo planks begin to shrink as time passes, which leads to cracks in the flooring. Repairs for either of these issues can be costly, so make sure you live in an area that can sustain strand bamboo flooring before installing.
3. No Concrete Grading System For Bamboo.
Unlike other forms of flooring that are graded on a strict scale, those who purchase bamboo are forced to deal with a grading system that can be inconclusive. There is currently no independent system on hand for grading the quality of bamboo and the majority of bamboo retailers will typically separate their stock into two non specific categories, Grade A and Grade B. Savvier consumers may not be able to make an informed decision under these circumstances.
The Grade A/Grade B system does not have any ironclad rules and is more arbitrary than consumers typically care for. For consumers who would rather be able to have an independent gauge as to the quality of the flooring they select, this is not acceptable. Strand bamboo flooring depends upon the consumer’s ability to locate a reputable dealer. This sort of activity may appeal to some of the more industrious home and business owners out there, but will not be feasible for all.
4. Numerous Environmental Concerns.
Strand bamboo flooring can be environmentally friendly, but skeptics are dubious as to whether it is a foreseeable long term solution. Bamboo is, of course, a natural material and since it is one of the most renewable flooring materials available, numerous consumers are able to ignore the myriad of environmental concerns that arise as a result of its usage.
Forests around the world have been cut down and replaced with fields of bamboo, so that companies can maximize its current level of trendiness. This contributes to the environmental ambiguity of strand bamboo flooring. Bamboo flooring projects are considered to be helpful to the environment and are in many ways, but until further research is conducted into the long term effects, this cannot be proven definitively. Add in the aforementioned volatile chemicals that can potentially be released into a living space and you have a recipe for continued issues over the long haul.