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Are you thinking about bamboo flooring? The popularity of using this quick growing grass as a flooring option is steadily increasing.
Health concerns are directing us away from toxic, synthetic carpeting. And we are being pushed toward hardwood floors. Real estate agents urge their clients to replace carpeting with wood floors if possible. Bamboo is and extremely versatile option that comes in over 50 shades and works with almost any design style.

Bamboo floors with a low VOC finish are much less toxic than synthetic carpeting. And many consider bamboo to be more stable than Red Oak and 33% more dent resistant than White Oak. Bamboo is a softer hardwood floor sometimes compared to Black Walnut but it has excellent moisture resistance. However, some colors are achieved through a heating process which can make them even softer.
Although bamboo flooring has been around for a long time, our studies regarding the consequences of cutting down all our trees has encouraged a growing trend to use it more.
Our beloved, life-giving trees are being chopped down at an alarming rate. As Oak trees which are an extremely popular flooring option take up to 120 years to fully mature, are being cut down in large quantity, we need to consider the detrimental effects. Bamboo, which is self generating and matures in as little as 5 years is a terrific solution. It should easily be categorized as eco-friendly. However, there are a few issues.
Around 600 million people make a living from bamboo. And in some areas, entire forests are being cut down to grow this profitable grass. This totally contradicts the eco-friendly cause and eliminates the bio-diversity which sustains a complex natural environment.
So which is the greater evil? Are we damned if we do bamboo and damned if we don't? Is it more detrimental to cut down a tree that took 120 years to mature or wipe out an entire forest to grow bamboo? Thankfully, there are companies who are doing their best to insure nature is replenished. And there are alternatives to both oak and bamboo. But there is no need to eliminate them from our flooring menu.
We can responsibly preserve our planet. With careful research of the sources of these natural products, we can do our part to insure suppliers are concerned with the environment. Make sure that bamboo suppliers are being eco-friendly. Ask about the source.
The cost of bamboo is about the same as hardwood. Flooring starts at about $1.70 per sq. ft. Care and preventative maintenance are also about the same. Dust mop a few times a week and you can wash it with a damp cloth. But make sure the environmental benefits outweigh the alternatives. As bamboo becomes increasingly trendy, we must demand that it be harvested in a conscientious manner.

Learn more about this author, Sherri Clark.
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