Ghosts!

Timber flooring, in the form of solid timber or newer veneers (also called floating timber), has long been the primary choice of people who want the warm look of wood on their floors, or who want to avoid carpet. For many years, there just weren’t any other options.

However, that has changed in recent years. Bamboo flooring is an environmentally friendly, strong, lasting alternative to using timber flooring. Here’s some information about bamboo and how it performs against floating and solid timber.

Floating timber floors are most popular because they’re inexpensive. Unlike solid timber, they’re made up of wood veneer just a few millimeters in thickness. This veneer is laminated onto less expensive wood, or onto a wood composite. Bamboo floors, on the other hand, can be made of solid bamboo. That means that they’re more durable, and may be less expensive than a solid timber floor. As a plus, bamboo is harder to damage and much stronger than most woods.

A bamboo floor, unlike floating timber, is fixed permanently to the surface on which it sits. That makes it a lot more stable than timber. There’s less movement or opening of the joints between the individual pieces.

Unlike many timber floors, both solid and floating, bamboo doesn’t make that hollow sound when you walk on it. Bamboo flooring is also more resistant to scratching and easier to clean than many hardwood floor types.

The fact that the individual pieces of flooring don’t move or shift also makes refinishing bamboo easier. There’s a much better surface to work with than solid timber, and veneered wood floors can’t be refinished at all!

Veneered timber flooring must be replaced if it’s damaged. Bamboo, on the other hand, can last another five to ten years if you have it resurfaced. It can even be resurfaced more times than just about any other floor type.

If you’ve got environmental concerns about the materials you put in your house, you’ll probably prefer bamboo. While both of them are renewable resources from natural sources, it takes a lot longer to replace timber forests. While veneered timber flooring uses less valuable hardwood in its manufacture, it relies on wood waste and softwoods to provide support for the veneer. Composites used in this material may use toxic glues, as well.

Bamboo, on the other hand, recovers rapidly from being harvested. A single bamboo grove can be harvested once every five years. Look for products with non toxic glues and water based surface coatings, and you’ll be able to be certain that there’s less damage from flooring manufacture, too.

You may find that bamboo looks a lot different than ordinary timber. While the appearance of this grass is appealing to many, it might not work out well if you really love the feel and look of hardwood. For many people, however, the lack of environmental damage and durability of bamboo makes the appearance change worthwhile.

You can find bamboo flooring in just about any finish or color – it’ll go with any decorating scheme. Finding flooring that works well in your home is simple in most cases.

If you’ve been considering bamboo flooring, or just want to find out more, take a look online. There are lots of stores offering bamboo flooring that’ll last for years, feel a lot like hardwood, and be kind to the world around you.