Hardness of hardwood and bamboo floors explained

There is nothing more beautiful than beautifully installed hardwood floors. The provide a warm organic look in a room and are an attractive feature even bare. Until recently hardwood floors were usually constructed of red oak, maple and cherry. But oak has become progressively more and more expensive. It takes sixty to seventy years for oak and other hardwoods to reach harvest. It only takes three to five years for bamboo to grow to harvest. It is a renewable resource that is considered a tree-like grass.

Recently bamboo floors have become very popular. Bamboo is also considered a hardwood and grows very quickly, sometimes three feet in a day. It can be brought to market very quickly. Bamboo comes as "carbonized" and natural. This means that the carbonized version is darker in color and softer. The dark color is brought about by steaming but that softens the bamboo. Natural bamboo is considered to be fifty percent more stable than red oak.

Bamboo has been compared to as being as hard as hard maple. Most woods are compared to either oak or maple for their properties. Some species of bamboo such as Teragren bamboo is about twenty-five percent harder than red oak and twelve percent harder than North American maple. There are over one thousand types of bamboo but Moso bamboo is recommended as one to look for. It is the most valuable bamboo in China.

Wood floors included, bamboo floors are prone to scratches and dings shoe heels, animal claws and other objects that can leave scratches from their impact. Bamboo tends to be less absorbent than cherry, so it is preferred for kitchens and bathrooms.

When considering the purchase of flooring, it is recommended that the buyer walk on the flooring that they are interested in. Different species of bamboo and wood flooring will have a different feel underfoot. The appeal is not just visual. Investigating how it resonates underfoot will help in deciding which is the most pleasant.

In Australia the wood for comparing hardness is jarrah. Bamboo is nearly twice as hard as jarrah. The finish is a polyurethane of several finishes. It is clear that bamboo flooring is an excellent alternative to traditional wood flooring. Bamboo is much more resilient to scratches than wood, is just as attractive and is less expensive.It is nonetheless recommended to use a matte finish which slows much less abrasion than gloss or semi-gloss. Since bamboo is a laminate the adhesives add strength and durability to the overall durability of bamboo.