Go Green With Bamboo Flooring 
Bamboo flooring is an attractive option for flooring do to its close likeness to hardwood flooring. It is known for its durability, strength, and insect resistance and is consider eco friendly. The hardness of bamboo is anywhere from 1180 to 1380 comparative to Maple at 1360, Hickory at 1820 and Oak at 1360. In the United States, manufactured bamboo flooring is made by cutting mature bamboo poles into strips. From there, the strips are crosscut to their anticipated length and once again cut into strips based on the width needed. The outer skin of the bamboo is removed and the bamboo is boiled to remove traces of starch and sugars. The major colors of bamboo are natural which looks like beech and carbonized which looks similar to oak. If a darker color is preferred, the bamboo would go through a steaming process, which changes the color from light to a brown. Bamboo floors, which have been manufactured, are available in planks with grain orientation either horizontal or vertical. Vertical floors will have each of the pieces placed vertically on the narrowest edge and then pressed laminated side to side. This gives a lined, uniform effect to the finished floor. Horizontal floors are crafted with individual slats arranged horizontally on the widest edge. They are joined side by side using a laminate system with high pressure. When finished properly the floor will hold the unique characteristics of the bamboo. Bamboo flooring is an excellent way to go green. Bamboo is a plant not a tree. It is grass not wood, thus it grows much faster and is considered a renewable material source. The primary species of bamboo is Moso. A Moso bamboo plant can grow as tall as 47 inches in a 24-hour period. Given this, it takes only three to five years for the plant to reach maturity comparative to trees. Bamboo also can be harvested and no need to replant is necessary. This is due to the fact the root system of the plant stays intact. Its unique root structure allows the soil to stay in place, which aids in preventing erosion. This type of root structure is called rhizome. Lastly bamboo is not a pest infested plant, with very few pests to worry about no pesticides are used.
