Underground Journal

Bamboo The Hardwood Alternative

If you enjoy the look of a great hardwood floor but know that it is not a good choice for the environment you should consider a better alternative, bamboo flooring.

Hardwood flooring is a problem as it it taken from forests. Even if the trees which are harvested are being replaced it will take anywhere from fifteen to twenty five years before the tree is actually replaced by another mature tree which can be used for more flooring planks. Bamboo is from the grass family and is a very fast growing plant. The roots of bamboo never have to be removed which means that the plant is never killed and is allowed to be regenerated, growing back in three to five years. Another advantage to not having to remove the roots of bamboo is that there is little to no actual soil erosion caused by its harvest. Soil erosion is a huge problem in the old and new growth forests where trees are being cut down for hardwood.

Don’t let the style of bamboo flooring fool you, when picking bamboo you don’t have to settle for a “bamboo” look. There are other choices to be had. One type of bamboo flooring is a strand woven bamboo, this has a grain which looks exactly like hardwood. This flooring can also be dyed, creating the look and any type of wood you would like.

Many times we pay more for deciding on a choice for an eco friendly house, though choosing bamboo flooring is actually the cheaper decision for your new floor. Bamboo can cost as much as half the price of conventional hardwood when raw materials are concerned. The costs of installation of both hardwood and bamboo is similar. Bamboo is also much tougher than many hardwood floors. It is harder than both maple and oak on the Janka hardness scale.

You should check with your local flooring supplier for good bamboo alternatives to hardwood flooring.

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