| Recently there's been a fierce debate between two | | | | around GBP25 per square meter (prices correct for |
| camps - one touting bamboo flooring as one of the | | | | 2010), strand-woven planks are even more |
| best eco building materials; the other one saying that | | | | expensive. |
| it is not that environmentally friendly after all. | | | | Bamboo stems grow very quickly. In fact they can |
| Well, the truth is that bamboo flooring is not a 100% | | | | reach 20 metres in just a month. It takes just a |
| green material. It would be green if it was used the | | | | couple of years for a stem to mature and reach the |
| way it is used in traditional Chinese houses when the | | | | right hardness for it to be usable as a building |
| stems are just cut as flat as possible and placed on | | | | material. Wood takes around 50 years to mature. |
| the floor without caring too much about the gaps. | | | | Although due to its sustainable nature, bamboo can |
| The bamboo flooring products that come to the US | | | | be considered a contender among other eco building |
| and England are engineered. It means that work and | | | | materials, there are some environmental concerns |
| energy has been put in to create the final product. | | | | pertaining to it. |
| Generally there are two types of bamboo flooring: | | | | Firstly, we have to be worried about the pandas - |
| solid and strand-woven. | | | | they are very vulnerable and some plantations can |
| The solid option is made by cutting the stems to | | | | disturb them. Also, some scientists attribute |
| strips, boiling them and then pressing the strips | | | | deforestation of some China regions to an increased |
| together. There is glue involved and much pressure, | | | | interest in bamboo plantations. They are cutting the |
| which consumes energy and fossil fuels. | | | | forest to free the space for plantations. Another |
| Strand-woven flooring is manufactured by grating the | | | | issue is the glues they use to manufacture the final |
| stems into long thin fibres, which then get woven | | | | product. If it contains formaldehyde or any other |
| and glued into flat planks. The textures and quality in | | | | volatile compound, your bamboo flooring is as bad as |
| both options are absolutely amazing. | | | | the lowest quality chipboard MDF. The best advice |
| Bamboo makes a very high quality flooring, it is partly | | | | that can be given is to buy only those materials that |
| fireproof, rot-proof and naturally wood-worm | | | | are certified and that clearly state the country of |
| deterring. This type of material should last for tens of | | | | origin and the name of the maker. If the salesperson |
| years because it is as sturdy as hardwood. No | | | | cannot answer you regarding the glue used in |
| wonder in the shops it is always placed in the | | | | production, just don't buy it - formaldehyde is very |
| premium materials aisle. Solid bamboo will cost you | | | | dangerous! |