Types of Bamboo Flooring

When having to decide on the appropriate type of bamboo flooring for a home, learning about the various grain and installation types, as well as color and texture types, will be of great help in the choice making process. Each grain, color and texture type will come with décor issues, while different installation methods may change the convenience and cost of the process.

Grain Types

Bamboo comes in three major types of grain: horizontal, vertical and strand-woven. Each type of grain has other characteristics that can change the overall look the buyer is trying to achieve and these characteristics should help the buyers decide which of these grain types soothes their needs the best.

Horizontal Bamboo

Horizontal bamboo means plank facing in a horizontal direction, placed facing one another. They randomly display the knuckles or growth rings of the stalk, being attached to each other before being pressurized and finished.

Vertical bamboo

Vertical bamboo means planks facing in a vertical direction, being placed next to one another. They create a smooth uniform look by being attached this way before being pressurized and finished.

Strand-Woven bamboo

Strand-woven bamboo means planks made from the remaining strand of the trimmed stalk from the long bamboo fillets, being compressed together using an adhesive before being pressurized and finished. This type of processing results in the strand-woven grain being twice as hard as the horizontal and vertical bamboo.

Installation Types

Considering the costs and complications of the installation types, it is a very wise thing to consider all these installation types before deciding which one of the bamboo flooring works best for your home or business. Methods like glue-seam floating installation or glueless-click installation, as well as a nail or glue down type of installation are a few methods that can be used for bamboo flooring. No matter what type of installation method you decide upon, make sure to buy more bamboo flooring than required to finish the job, keeping in mind the mistakes in measurement, the imperfections in the boards and future repairs.

Nail Down/Glue Down

This process resembles the installment of a hardwood floor. The standard hammer is useless because of the hardness of the flooring, making it impossible to get the nails flush with the flooring. To complete the job correctly and successfully, the use of special and specific tools, including an electric hammer or a stapler is much needed. The guidelines and installation instructions differ and depend on the sub-flooring the bamboo Is to be installed over. It is best to have a professional install the bamboo flooring, unless you are a very experienced DIYer in this area.

Floating: Glue-Seam

An underlayment to protect the bamboo from the sub-flooring material is required for such kind of installation. A moisture barrier may be required as well. Because it is impossible to separate the flooring planks and correct any mistakes made after a few seconds after the adhesive is applied because of how quick it dries, it is very important to lay out the flooring before adding any glue adhesive to it. The best way to do it is to lay out the whole design of the flooring and go back in sections to apply the glue, and it can be done as a do-it-yourself job, but for the less experienced it is best to leave it out to professionals.

Floating: Glueless-Click

Because it does not require any glue or nails, this is the simplest of the bamboo installation methods and it is very easy for those new to floor installation, as the planks simply click together and fall into place correctly. This is the best way to do it for those of you who have very little DIY experience and are looking to install their own flooring. There is no need for concern as to the planks coming apart after the installation, because the pieces fit together correct and tight. There is almost no difference between this finished product of the installation method and the other installation methods.

Color Types

Natural, carbonized, stained and direct print are the options that the buyers have when it comes to color types. The decision comes down to the owners’ need, each of the color types having distinct properties. The strength and durability of the bamboo stays the same in spite of the color type chosen, carbonized being an exception as being softer than the other types.

Natural

Natural bamboo has a very light, blonde type color to It and has no colorants or stains added, and it is very easy to find, going well with most decors.

Carbonized

The bamboo is boiled for a longer period of time, allowing for the sugars in the plant to caramelize, therefore adding color to the bamboo. Depending on the period of time the bamboo is boiled and caramelized, the shades will vary and, along with the process, the bamboo will become softer than other types of the bamboo.

Tiger

Made using a combination of natural and carbonized strips, tiger bamboo has a unique “tiger stripe”-like pattern.

Stained

The coloring of this bamboo type is changed after being treated with a wood stain. It is available in multiple shades varying from light to dark. Having such a great variety of stain options makes it easy to match it to any décor.

Direct Print

If you want the appearance of another type of wood, for example oak, cherry or maple, but still want to have the benefits of bamboo, this type allows you to have a bamboo flooring which has printed the patterns seen on other hardwoods onto the bamboo before it is pressurized and sealed.

Surface Texture Types

Smooth, hand scraped and hand sculpted are the three main choices homeowners and builders have for surface texture types. Each one of those provides an unique look for the flooring. Before deciding upon one, make sure to look at various samples of texture types before choosing the one that suits you most. Hand Scraped

Being scraped by hand, this type of surface texture gives the floor an aged and “antique” look. Being available in a variety of styles and colors, it offers an unique approach to the appearance of the bamboo flooring in a home or business. This texture option makes the flooring a bit more pricy because of the manual work involved in the process.

Hand Sculpted

Being similar to the hand scraped texture, this type of surface provides a less distressed look, and it is also usually done manually and made to look older or more antique, so it will also be a little more pricey than normal.