Recently, bamboo flooring has risen significantly in popularity. That’s because people are hearing that this type of flooring lasts longer and is more environmentally friendly than many kinds of hardwood flooring. It’s a good choice for a number of different situations, and has many advantages.

However, bamboo flooring, while durable and attractive, isn’t the right choice for every home. Many traditional homes have hardwood flooring in them, and this traditional material works well with older homes, especially antique houses. It takes longer to install hardwood floors than bamboo, but for some people, this traditional floor type’s look and feel is worth the inconvenience.

Bamboo is a spectacularly beautiful floor type, but it’s not the same as a traditional wood floor. Color variation in bamboo is minimal, so it tends to be more uniform than old fashioned wood.

This is considered a benefit by some, and for others, it’s a reason not to use bamboo. If you’re not sure, remember that bamboo flooring does eliminate the dust and much of the mess associated with installing a hardwood floor. It’s significantly more convenient, since the pieces arrive ready to install.

If you love a traditional look, or are restoring a vintage home or building to its original state, you may be turned off by bamboo. However, the market is beginning to develop bamboo flooring that looks a lot more like traditional wood. So, in the future, you may have more options than simply using difficult to sustain wood floors.

Oak, maple, and similar hardwoods are the most common materials used in traditional floors. They’re beautiful and durable, but problems may occur over time. Wood can warp and splinter if exposed to heat and cold, or to changes in moisture.

Many people also feel that hardwood flooring is too expensive and environmentally unfriendly for use in the majority of homes. Bamboo grows up to thirty centimeters a day, while hardwoods can take years or even decades to reach a size where they can be harvested. A bamboo grove that’s sustainably managed can be harvested every few years by comparison. Add into that the decrease in proper management of hardwood forests, and you have a serious concern.

Bamboo needs no fertilizer, and is reasonably sustainable to farm. However, that doesn’t make every bamboo product ecologically friendly. Learn where your bamboo comes from - some plantations use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and plant unsustainable monocultures.

These types of practices occur mostly in countries that don’t regulate or enforce their regulations. All you have to do to find out if your bamboo is being grown sustainably is do a little research. There are plenty of products out there that are made with environmentally sustainable bamboo - just find out what you can to be sure you’re getting the product you’re paying for.

If durability is a serious concern, bamboo is the better choice over hardwood. Bamboo stands up well to daily wear, and there are a number of floors that come with a warranty. You should, however, be willing to spend the money for a quality product that will last out the years.

Where contraction and expansion due to weather are problems, bamboo holds up well. Compared to a hardwood veneer, it can be resurfaced more often, and needs no treatments or waxing to keep looking good. However, some products do contain environmentally unfriendly glues - look for nontoxic types when you buy your flooring.

If you’re interested in finding out how hardwood flooring and bamboo compare, an online search will quickly tell you. You’ll be able to view a wide range of products and see what all your options are. Bamboo could be the right floor for your home.

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