Timber flooring has been around for a long time, in the form of solid wood or veneered (floating timber) floors. It’s the first choice for people who want their homes to include the warm look of wood, or who just don’t like carpet. There haven’t been a lot of other options.

However, timber now has competition. Bamboo flooring is a comparable, but durable and environmentally friendly floor alternative. Against the popular floating form of timber floors, it performs favorably.

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’re concerned about sustainability and the environment, bamboo is the better choice. While both timber and bamboo are renewable natural resources, it takes a long time for timber to renew. Veneered timber requires less hardwood to produce, but it still uses softwoods, composite woods, and even toxic and environmentally damaging glues.

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.

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 are issues, you’ll find that bamboo offers a favorable performance. Unlike hardwood veneer floorings, bamboo will hold up to a number of resurfacings, and there’s no treatment or waxing required. To make sure you get a product that’s non toxic and fully sustainable, look for flooring that uses glues that won’t off gas and don’t contain toxic chemicals.

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.

Having a wooden flooring can greatly improve the look and aesthetic appeal of your home. It also increases the house value. In spite of a number of stone flooring and slate flooring options available today, quality wood flooring continues to be a firm favorite. It provides depth and warmth to your home.

There are a wide variety of choices when it comes to hardwood or some different wood types. Depending on your personal choices the type of wood you select will differ. It will also depend on the kind of theme and decor your home has. Wood flooring can safely be used for any room on the house. However due to increased moisture levels in bathrooms and kitches, wood flooring may not be a good idea in these areas.

Choices for wood floors One of the most popular choices remains hardwood as far as wooden flooring goes. There are many different varieties of hardwood some of the most popular being hickory, oak, maple, cherry, bellawood as well as walnut. You can stain these in a multitude of tones and shading effects or even choose to leave the natural color of the wood intact. The hardwood varieties like walnut or cherry have their own rich tone and color and hence do not necessitate additional staining.

Finishing Once the type of wood has been selected, you need to decide upon the finishing alternatives. You could buy a pre finished wood which is stained and has a clear coating protection beforehand. While pre finished wood is more expensive it can save you a lot of hassle and time.

Installation Many people prefer to finish with the installation and then follow up with finish of the wood. The installation involves sanding, staining and applyign urethane on the floor surface. Every subsequent coat will require the floor to be sanded. It can take many days to finish the process. The more urethane coats you provide the better the surface gets protected.

Reclaimed flooring Reclaimed or distressed flooring do not have a smooth finish. They have texture and can look gorgeous with a unique depth and character of their own. The advantage of this type of flooring is that they do not reflect scratches as much as urethane floors show.

Other options Instead of the traditional hardwood varieties there are many other options available nowadays. Laminate flooring can be a good option as these resemble regular hardwood flooring at a fraction of the price. If you use a high quality laminate people won’t be able to make out the difference between real hardwood and this laminate. There are companies like the Armstrong Flooring which manufacture superior grade laminates. Other choices are bamboo flooring or cork flooring.caring for the wood floors Caring for your wood flooring will ensure a long shelf life and a good finish, irrespective of whether you have chosen laminate, hardwood or some other option.

You need to regularly vacuum or sweep the floor to eliminate all traces of dust and dirt. Too much dirt and grime and erode the finish and surface of the wood. It can also leave unslightly scratches on the flooring. You need to place mats at the door entrances so feet can be cleared of dust before entering the house. You need to also do light cleaning of the floor whenever necessary. You could use a dry mop if you feel the need for mopping on an occassional basis. Excess moisture can damage the floor as it seeps through the slats.

Timber flooring has been around for a long time, in the form of solid wood or veneered (floating timber) floors. It’s the first choice for people who want their homes to include the warm look of wood, or who just don’t like carpet. There haven’t been a lot of other options.

Now, however, bamboo flooring offers a comparable, environmentally friendly, durable alternative to traditional timber. Here are some facts about how bamboo flooring performs against popular floating timber floors.

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.

Unlike a floating timber floor, bamboo flooring is permanently attached to the surface it rests on. That allows more stability and less opening of and movement in the joints between individual pieces of flooring.

Unlike both floating and solid timber floors, bamboo flooring doesn’t sound hollow when walked upon. It’s also a lot harder to scratch and easier to clean than either type of timber floor.

Since there’s little to no movement between pieces of bamboo flooring, you can easily refinish your floor. Bamboo provides a better surface than solid timber, and veneered timber can’t be resurfaced at all!

Instead, the damaged portion of the timber floor needs to be replaced. Bamboo can be resurfaced many more times than other types of floor, and could last another five to ten years longer because of it.

If you’re concerned about sustainability and the environment, bamboo is the better choice. While both timber and bamboo are renewable natural resources, it takes a long time for timber to renew. Veneered timber requires less hardwood to produce, but it still uses softwoods, composite woods, and even toxic and environmentally damaging glues.

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.

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’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.