Thinking of installing new flooring throughout your home? Maybe it’s time to give bamboo a second look.

But if you’ve looked online for more information about bamboo flooring, you’re probably left a little overwhelmed. Is bamboo a good choice? Will you love it as much as other hardwood choices? And what about the newest bamboo flooring option that’s making waves online – is strand woven bamboo flooring a good choice?

Strand woven bamboo combats many of the problems people had with the pressed, composite bamboo planks. It’s still renewable, still a beautiful addition to your home, and is one of the most desirable green flooring choices on the market today.

Should you consider it for your home?

Is Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring The Best Bamboo Flooring

The first thing to understand about bamboo is it’s not hardwood; it’s grass. When you see bamboo competing with other hardwood flooring choices, understand it won’t act exactly like many of the most popular hardwood choices, like oak or cherry.

Instead, strand woven bamboo flooring is made by compressing bamboo fibers together. Think of bamboo as resembling a banana. The fibers are stripped from the plant, layer by layer.

Strand woven bamboo takes the strongest fibers from the plant, and fuses them together with a glue composite that makes them stronger than before. Traditional bamboo floors created flooring more like hardwood, layering bamboo together either horizontally or vertically. The difference is noticeable right from the beginning, with strand woven bamboo floors far superior in standing the test of time.

Traditional bamboo floors weren’t as resilient as hardwood

While the first phase of bamboo flooring was marketed as a competitive alternative to other hardwoods, people were often disappointed almost immediately after installation. They scratched easier than hardwood. They dented easier than hardwood.

Strand woven bamboo, however, is much stronger because of the glue composite woven into the bamboo strands. This binds the strands together and makes them more resistant to wear and tear. Think of it as woven rope laid together instead of individual strands of thread.

Traditional bamboo floors were more susceptible to biological growth

One of the most concerning aspects of traditional bamboo was its susceptibility to biological growth. Bamboo must be treated with a borax solution in order to prevent mold from growing. If this process wasn’t performed correctly, mold could continue to grow after installation, causing visual problems as well as health issues for anyone living in your home.

Strand woven bamboo improves on this because of the process used to combine with the glue composite. Any mold that may have attached itself to the bamboo will be cured in the process.

Traditional bamboo floors couldn’t be sanded and refinished

This, of course, depends on the manufacturer. But in general, original bamboo floors were too thin to be sanded and refinished again and again. When you sand a lower grade bamboo floor, you may see signs of fraying of the strands, which shows in the refinishing process.

Because strand woven bamboo flooring is stronger, it can take the sanding and refinishing process a number of times over the years, giving you added longevity in your flooring choices. However, keep in mind that nothing is comparable to a solid hardwood floor.

Traditional bamboo flooring wasn’t water resistant

Bamboo is a grass. Most people think it’s water resistant and resilient because of the structure of grass blades. While it can have some water resistant qualities, traditional bamboo flooring could be damaged quite easily with spills. It was important to clean any water or other moisture from the area as quickly as possible. That made the original bamboo floors not a good choice in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.

Once again, by adding the glue composite to strand woven bamboo flooring, it made a stronger surface area that can withstand more moisture and humidity levels. Only you can know the way your family functions, and if bamboo is a good choice for the rooms in your home.

If you do install bamboo flooring, be advised that you should follow certain safety measures to keep your floors in good condition.

• Avoid spills as much as possible
• When spills happen, clean them as quickly as you can
• Place doormats at the entry if you’re using it at entry points and in hallways
• Leave boots and other shoes from outside, especially if they are wet, off the bamboo floors
• Do not install bamboo in bathrooms, especially with showers and tubs

What Styles Are Available For Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring

One of the best reasons to choose strand woven bamboo flooring is because it comes in just about every shade of wood. If there is a hardwood color you’ve been dreaming of installing in your home, you’ll find a strand woven bamboo flooring option to match.

Walnut, cherry, oak, and ash – from the lightest to darkest colors, you’ll find it for your bamboo flooring. But that’s not the only choice you’ll be able to make. Would you like laminated or not? This changes the level of shine on the surface area of the floor. If you like muted, with no shine, there’s an option for you. If you want the beauty of a high sheen, there’s a choice for you too.

Some manufacturers also integrate patterns into the final product. This gives you the option to further customize your final look and feel. Want a tiger stripe? Want multiple colors woven together? Consider some of the more exotic bamboo selections to install in your room; you’ll find one of a kind looks that can please just about any homeowner.

Of course, the more exotic you go with your final selection, the higher priced flooring option you’ll have. Still, it’s nice to know that this is an eco-friendly option, that will last for years to come.

Strand woven bamboo flooring does take a labor intensive installation process, and isn’t something the average DIYer can do. Some variations can take as long as 30 days for acclimation, and you can’t cut corners if you want it installed the right way the first time.

But if you are ready to have this one-of-a-kind flooring installed in your home this year, we can help you make it happen. Stop by today and find the perfect bamboo flooring for your home.