Bamboo floor

Bamboo floor manufacturers and sellers promote its strength, durability, its eco-friendliness and its natural resistance to insects and moisture.

Each varies in its manufacturing process and differs largely based on economic viability and local preferences.

[2] To remove starch and sugars the strips of bamboo are boiled in a solution of boric acid or lime.

If a darker color similar to oak is desired, the bamboo goes through a carbonizing process of steaming under controlled pressure and heat.

Though the use of UF resins, which emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is harmful to indoor air quality, bamboo flooring uses a relatively small amount compared with other materials, such as particleboards.

[citation needed] Strand woven bamboo flooring can be refinished with a clear-coat quite easily, however applying a stain on-site can be challenging.

[4] Rhizome root structures are horizontal stems that grow below the surface and help a plant reproduce vegetatively.

[7] In the United States of America, The Lacey Act recently strengthened the accountability in the sourcing of timber products.

Bamboo certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) meets criteria for environmental sustainability and social responsibility, and several flooring products are available with this option.

The United States Green Building Council's LEED program allows points for the use of bamboo floors by virtue of it being a rapidly renewable resource.

Since the majority of bamboo timber comes from China, it has to be shipped to the international destinations by boat and then by truck to vendors.

A study which compared the embodied energy (including transportation) of bamboo flooring from Hunan Province, China to Denver, Colorado favored locally sourced concrete above bamboo flooring due to the additional carbon costs associated with transport.

According to the stringent California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards there can be no more than 0.05 ppm (parts per million) of outgassed formaldehyde.

[12] Manufacturers are now offering formaldehyde-free bamboo flooring, but they can claim that they have "no added urea-formaldehyde" without providing substantial proof.

Cleaning detergents should be checked to make sure that they are safe for hard wood floors before they are added to the mop water.