Bamboo Flooring
The use of bamboo flooring in U.S. residential markets grew significantly over the past decade, and if consumer demand continues to increase for this eco-friendly flooring option, more homeowners may soon discover its benefits. Bamboo is a fast-growing grass, with some varieties reaching full maturity in just 3 years. The stalks, which can reach 40 feet in height, are harvested when the bamboo is between 3 and 6 years old. After harvested bamboo dries, workers slice the stalks into long thin pieces, which are then laminated together to make boards. Much like hardwood flooring, bamboo flooring comes in several styles, including solid tongue-and-groove boards, hand-scraped planks, and engineered laminates.
The availability of bamboo flooring was once limited to boutique distributors who specialize in green building products, but now bamboo flooring is widely available. As more manufacturers supply the increased demand for bamboo flooring, estimating the environmental impacts of the product becomes more challenging. Although bamboo can be sustainably grown and harvested, most U.S. imports come from plantations in China, where there is little environmental oversight and the industry is loosely regulated.
If you want to be sure that the bamboo flooring you purchase is truly a green building product, purchase it from a manufacturer who has been independently audited by a group like the Forest Stewardship Council(FSC), which certifies that companies treat their workers and the environment ethically.
