Organic Bamboo Flooring

By Author: Jeff Goldberg
Total Articles: 4762
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There are so many benefits to using green bamboo products. Companies that apply the green, sustainable construction concept to their products and services are doing their part to protect the globe, reduce carbon emissions and expand the use of sustainable materials. Proven sustainable construction ideas work and the companies that use them should be supported. After all, in the long run, we all benefit from going green.

Bamboo is well known for its durable strength, its natural elegance and its natural beauty. The facts are that bamboo has a higher tensile strength than many steel alloys and a higher compressive strength than many concrete mixtures. Those characteristics explain why bamboo has been used by builders for thousands of years.

The regenerative qualities of bamboo make it a perfect building solution for today's sustainable, green building trends. Whereas more commonly used woods are taken from trees that can take up to 40 years to reproduce, bamboo can be re-harvested in about three years. The re-harvesting of bamboo is actually beneficial to the planet and as the roots stay in tact, no erosion ...
... of existing soil conditions takes place. Yes, bamboo is a healthy, sturdy and quickly regenerated plant that accomplishes all the sustainable goals.

The bamboo fabric is produced from weaving the silky threads that come from pulping the plant's stalks. Bamboo cloth is 100% biodegradable. When bamboo is discarded, there is no harm to the environment. Surprisingly the strong bamboo fibers are porous. The increased airflow makes bamboo four times more absorbent than cotton.

Bamboo is so diverse and contains so many health benefits that scientists at the University of Hawaii's Medical School recently performed tests on the extract from Moso bamboo leaves. These scientists found that the extract contained anti-oxidants, proteins, micro-nutrients, trace minerals, amino acids, carotenoids and soluble and insoluble fiber that may help inhibit breast cancer. Moso bamboo is the variety, which provides the strong, thick poles used in many bamboo construction projects.

In an era when so many traditional building concepts have proven to take a large measure of the planet's environmental health, it is refreshing to identify products that really work to the planet's advantage. Like solar power and wind energy, bamboo is one of those positive products.

Green manufacturers of bamboo flooring constantly strive to perfect their products. Unbeknownst to most homeowners, traditionally constructed residences contain at least trace amounts of formaldehyde. These amounts stem from the cloth and wood adhesives used in homes. Formaldehyde can cause many negative health side effects, especially in children.

Green bamboo plywood or decking materials are manufactured without urea formaldehyde. More information about formaldehyde used in many wood products can be found on the Environmental Protection Agency's web site.

Recently scientists have suggested that mass plantings of bamboo may reverse the effects of global warming. While this proposition remain under review, it does lend credence to the concept that bamboo is our greenest woody building product.

Green bamboo flooring uses strips that are cut from whole bamboo canes. These strips are then boiled in water to remove sugars and preserve the wood. After the boiling process, the premium strips are selected for manufacturing.

The selected boards are treated and dried for 15 days. When a moisture content of 6% is achieved, the strips are considered stable and ready for use. The bamboo floorboards can be nailed, glued or floated. Green bamboo floorboards that use a tongue and groove interlocking system are the most highly rated by green advocates.

Bamboo floors do it all. They are distinctively elegant, strong and durable and environmentally responsible, just the way you want them. Your choice of bamboo says a lot about you and the home you are building. Thank you!
About Author:
At Cali Bamboo where we promote the use of bamboo as an alternative product made from renewable resources, that can help make a difference in the future of our planet. Visit online today.