Mark Roemer Oakland Looks at The Pros and Cons of Bamboo Flooring

Introduction

According to Mark Roemer Oakland, homeowners usually go with hardwood or stone flooring for their property. However, bamboo can be an amazing alternative. Let’s check out why bamboo may or may not be the ideal flooring choice for you:

The Debate

Pros:

1. Budget-friendly – Hardwood flooring is very expensive and can easily cost you double digits for every square foot. Moreover, the rising price of timber makes things even worse. On the other hand, bamboo is farmed with different techniques, grows quickly, is less in demand and is widely available. That’s why you can get it for bargain prices. Good quality bamboo flooring with green certification can be availed at less than $5.

2. High durability – For many, the high durability of bamboo is quite surprising. Homes with bamboo flooring and high foot traffic have found the material to last for a long time without any abrasions. Even if you have curious children or pets who like to make things fall to the floor, you won’t be able to damage the bamboo. Moreover, the compressive strength of bamboo is higher than concrete which makes it good for your squishy feet.

5. Environment-friendly – Hardwood floors, as nice as they feel, are harvested from white and red oaks, hickory, maple and other such trees. Their maturing and harvesting cycle is also very long and ranges anywhere from twenty years to over a century. Compared to that, bamboo is much more sustainable and renewable. 

It belongs to the grass family and hence matures rapidly and is ready for harvest within just 5 years. Moreover, there is no need to replant the root for harvesting. The delicate chemistry and microbiology of the soil are preserved. It doesn’t rely on extensive use of herbicides and pesticides either. Apart from that, bamboo forests absorb multiple times the carbon absorbed by hardwood forests from the atmosphere and help to fight climate change. 

Cons:

1. VOC emission – Shredded bamboo stalks are treated with intense heat, pressure and adhesives to create bamboo planks. The process is delicate and if there isn’t strict quality control the resultant planks can emit large quantities of toxic volatile organic chemicals over time. That’s why it’s important to go with a reputed brand when you buy bamboo flooring. Check for Floorscore certification and CARB Phase 2 standard before your purchase. 

2. Prone to scratches – Despite the high durability of bamboo, it isn’t immune to scratches. Like hardwood flooring, bamboo can also get scratches and damage due to dragging of heavy furniture or impact from sharp objects. That’s why you may need to go through the extra step of using felt pads along with bamboo flooring. You also need to refinish it after certain periods, sometimes more often than hardwood. 

Conclusion

Mark Roemer Oakland suggests that you assess the pros and cons of bamboo flooring before installing it in your home. There may be some features that overshadow the rest in your particular case.