Bamboo Flooring Guide

Westhollow bamboo flooring is made from only the best and mature bamboo. They strive to ensure that a quality and strict process is followed when constructing the bamboo flooring. Over the past few years, Westhollow has expanded their product line of bamboo flooring, which now includes a new line of stains, size of planks, and length of planks. Now, consumers can find 3- and 6-foot long planks available for purchase in a variety of stains, designs, and patterns.

The patterns and designs include vertical and horizontal bamboo and natural and carbonized bamboo flooring. You can choose between carbonized and natural looks. With the carbonized look, you can get a stain of light, medium or dark while with the natural look, you can get a natural light or a natural medium stain. Westhollow has a product line of accessories as well from moldings to glue. Westhollow offers several different installation types of bamboo flooring including glue, staple, and nail, which provides the customer to have a choice in how they wish to install the bamboo flooring within their home.

Not only will you find durability with Westhollow bamboo flooring but you will find quality as well. Westhollow knows how important it is to keep the floor within your home clean so the bamboo flooring offered is easy to maintain and clean in regards to everyday ways of life.

Generally, Westhollow offers a 25-year finish warranty on any purchased bamboo flooring, which is more than you’ll find with other leading bamboo suppliers, but overall, you can get up to a 35-year warranty depending on the specifics of the reason for warranty. You will find an average cost of about $3 per square foot for the aluminum oxide finish Westhollow bamboo flooring.

Prior to harvesting any bamboo stalks, Westhollow ensures a life and growth period of no less than three years and normally no more than five years. Westhollow only deals with regulated and governed forests by the Chinese Government and ensures that no part of the forest is hurt while retrieving bamboo to make their flooring. Westhollow follows through successfully and thoroughly on strict quality control processes and checks in order to ensure that each bamboo plank has been constructed correctly and meets Westhollow’s standards of production prior to distribution.

Westhollow bamboo flooring can be found in a variety of locations and probably at your local hardware store or the nearest Lowe’s or Home Depot. More than likely, these hardware stores will have the bamboo flooring that you want in stock. If not, you can order it through them or find an online retailer that will allow online purchasing. When your new bamboo flooring comes in, it will be ready to be installed. There are no last minute final touches or processes – the flooring is simply ready to have a new habitat within your home.

With all the different kinds of bamboo flooring available today, it can be confusing to tell how one type differs from the other. For instance, you might ask the question what is engineered bamboo flooring and how is it different from the rest of the other types of bamboo flooring?

Generally, engineered flooring is built from glued together ply layers. The inner core is usually made out of either hardwood or soft plywood and is where the tongue and groove system is incorporated. The top layer is glued on the surface of the inner core and can be made from any hardwood specie. In the case of engineered bamboo floors, the top veneer is made out of bamboo.

Engineered bamboo flooring can be floated or glued according to the manufacturer’s instructions. One advantage of engineered floors is that it is more resistant to moisture than most solid floors. This makes them ideal for basements and homes in the tropical regions. Another advantage is that it can be installed on any flat surface except carpeted ones. Easy installation is another positive characteristic of engineered floors.

Engineered bamboo floors come in different colors and sizes. The choice of which one to use depends on your aesthetic requirements. If you want your flooring to look formal, you can go for narrow sized planks as wider ones give off a country feel. Deciding on the color of your bamboo flooring is entirely up to you. As a tip, light colors will brighten up a room in an instant and will match any decor you have.

Just like anything else, the quality differs from manufacturer to manufacturer. It pays to be in the know when selecting flooring because some types of flooring in the market are made from substandard materials. Always buy from a company you can trust because if anything goes wrong, they will be more than happy to help you with your concern.

Since bamboo has a natural color variation, you have to try out several planks at a time to get the final look you desire. This will serve as your rough layout and will give you an idea of how your floor will look like after you are done with your project. Aesthetics is also an important part of using engineered bamboo floors. Manufacturers often suggest installing the planks in an orientation similar to the longest wall.

Because of the ease of installation, you can even do it yourself and end up saving money instead of paying someone else do it for you. As long as you can follow instructions, have common sense, and are familiar with the basic tools, you’ll do just fine. With all the advantages of engineered bamboo flooring, it is no wonder why more and more homeowners are showing their interest in this product.

If you love bamboo flooring and want an easy way to get them into your home, take a look at floating bamboo flooring. Installing floating bamboo floors are quick and easy and is perfect for the do-it-yourself homeowners. But the question still remains, what is floating bamboo flooring exactly and why is it called as such?

Floating bamboo floors are called as floating flooring because it appears to be floating over the current floor. It is the type of flooring which does not need any adhesive for its installation to the sub floor. This allows you to save both money and time for your flooring project.

Floating bamboo flooring is very user friendly yet you have to keep some considerations in mind when installing one. If this is the first time you will be installing flooring, you have to know that the sub floor preparation is an important factor in minimizing problems later on. That being said, you have to have a sub floor that is flat, dry, and clean. You may not be able to detect any problems immediately after your finish your flooring but a poorly prepared sub floor will show its effects later on. Some common problems that can be encountered with floating bamboo are buckling and squeaking.

Usually, they will need an underlay to be placed on the sub floor. Most people prefer cork for this because it is a great shock absorber, is corrosion-resistant, and is an effective sound dulling material for the minimal noise associated with floating floors. An alternative to cork is a rubber underlay made from old car tires. Plywood and foam can also be used as underlay for floating bamboo floors.

There are different kinds of options the market today. The pre-finished brands are usually installed by clicking together joints that are found in the bamboo floor planks. There are also other varieties that require planks to be glued together prior to installation. When purchasing a set, ask your supplier for the type that fits your need.

Room humidity can affect your flooring installation. Therefore, you have to leave a gap in the room’s edges to counteract the effects of humidity. Permanently securing any appliance to the sub floor is a bad idea if you use floating bamboo floors because it can cause it to buckle.

Indeed, choosing to use floating bamboo flooring can make the flooring installation easier. But you have to consider all factors first before settling on one so that you can get the flooring that you want exactly the way you want it and at a minimal cost.

You might have heard of a click lock, locking, or snap together flooring and are wondering if this type of flooring is available in Bamboo. Fortunately the answer is yes. So, what is bamboo click flooring? In layman’s terms, it is a kind of flooring system that has planks manufactured with interlocking joints. These interlocking joints are responsible for securing the planks in place.

The main reason of designing this type of bamboo flooring was to make the installation process simpler. This way, do-it-yourself homeowners will be able to install this particular kind of flooring on their own. It also eliminates the use of adhesives, thereby reducing the amount of mess involved in a flooring installation.

Those who want a traditional look for their floors are inclined to use bamboo flooring. There are different types of bamboo flooring, but the most common type preferred by homeowners is the bamboo click floors. Aside from the ease of installation, using click flooring is faster to do with everything locking in place during the installation. Add to this the fact that it needs no adhesives for it to be secured makes it a prime choice for homeowners.

Bamboo click flooring is ideal for those who want to change a room. ’s look without damaging the existing floor. As long as the surface is flat, you can use a bamboo click flooring over it. One advantage of bamboo click flooring is that it is not a permanent kind of flooring. It will be easy to replace in case you change your mind in the future.

Even if this type of flooring is considered temporary, it is not unreliable at all. The pieces fit together firmly and will not move once the installation is done. There is no possibility that your floor will fall apart just because you choose to use bamboo click flooring.

Using bamboo click floors for your home can be a good DIY project especially if you hate dealing with complex carpentry work. All you have to do is to follow some instructions and in no time, you’ll have new flooring to walk on. It isn’t even messy and most of the guesswork is done for you with bamboo click flooring. Some of the tools you’ll need when working with this type of flooring are a hammer, spacers, a pull bar, and a saw. You don’t even have to be an expert carpenter to install them.

The main disadvantage of bamboo click floors is its price. It is slightly more expensive than other types of bamboo flooring. However, this can easily be justified with the ease of installation as well as with the savings incurred for using lesser materials. The time it takes to install your flooring will also be shorter compared to installing other flooring types.

You can easily get bamboo click flooring in your local hardware. Be sure to ask the experts any questions you may have prior to buying one.

What are the benefits of natural bamboo flooring? Well for one it’s the hardest surface that you will find in flooring, even harder yet would be a choice of woven or strand bamboo flooring. If you’re looking to buy a new home or update your current one, you can see the difference that bamboo flooring can make.

That durability is second to none when it comes to bamboo flooring. In fact with the choice of strand or woven it is two times harder than that of red oak flooring. Making it a longer lasting and very resilient product. Flooring that will be able to withstand years of kids and pets.

Dropping items on other hardwood floors you will see denting, however since bamboo is harder, it will not dent. Natural bamboo flooring will absorb moisture unlike other choices of flooring. Meaning that if you live in an area that has a lot of humidity, it will still last a long time.

A great choice for the bathroom or kitchen due to the resistance it has for water! If you’ve ever had a hardwood floor in either or those areas you know the problems that can be faced. But no warping or gapping will be seen if you have chosen bamboo flooring.

Bamboo flooring is a product that is friendly to the environment. It’s a plant that once harvested it will grow back again. Unlike the trees that are always being cut down and used. Meaning no problems with cutting it and harvesting it for flooring can be seen from that stand point.

One of the amazing things about the hard bamboo is that it’s actually a lot easier for you to stand on too. Hours spent cooking in the kitchen won’t seem that long at all! Bamboo is simple to clean, much easier than other choices of flooring on the market.

It will create quite a unique look due to the different shades that the bamboo plant can create. But like anything else there may be a few disadvantages. One is that it can be a bit pricey, both strand bamboo flooring and woven bamboo flooring can be expensive, but when you find a place that has a guarantee for life, the price won’t matter.

Bamboo flooring may be a way that you can redo your home, though it can add up in cost. However, think of how much nicer your being to the environment when you use this type of flooring. Yes it can chip, but so can any other surface, even cement if you think about it. So try something different with natural bamboo flooring!

What is carbonized bamboo flooring? Well it’s a natural flooring that has been made of bamboo with an added finish applied to it, creating a different color. Say the color of teak wood would give you. Bamboo flooring comes in normally three shades, caramelized, carbonized, and natural.

The longer that the bamboo flooring is under the process of carbonization the darker the color of the wood that comes out will be. The process uses extreme heat to make the color of the flooring into a darker shade. See it’s all about the sugar that is in the bamboo being heated and creating some fabulous colors.

It’s thought though this process will weaken the floor from the hardest state it can be, by about 20 or 30 percent. However, that can be corrected by carbonizing freshly harvested bamboo and skipping the water treatment it will be harder by around 8 percent. But most used will be the boiling water treatment after the carbonization of the bamboo.

Since it’s not as strong as the other bamboo flooring choices on the market, it is not a good idea to use carbonized bamboo flooring in more high traffic areas. Not quite as harder and dense as the other bamboo floorings, and it will scratch or dent a bit more easily. However, if you have an area that isn’t used as much it can look fabulous.

Bamboo is more water resistant then any of the other choices you have for flooring. Which means it can be used in other areas where you would normally not place hardwood floors or carpets into. With a carbonized flooring though you will find it is better used as an ornamental look then as you would the other bamboo flooring choices.

With bamboo flooring of any type you are getting a product that is better for the environment. See with bamboo plants they can be harvested every five years. The plant will grow new shoots after they have been harvested, meaning you don’t run into the problem of over harvesting.

Or what has been seen with forests in the past, where trees are continually cut down, and the planting of a new tree. Trees take a lot longer than five years to grow too. So look into a flooring that will help you save a tree in the process.

Carbonized bamboo flooring may not be as hard as the other choices like strand bamboo flooring, but for a room where you don’t use as often it can create a unique look.

You may have heard of strand bamboo flooring but aren’t quite sure what it is. Well for one thing it’s a flooring that is one of the hardest out there that you can buy. Harder than normal bamboo flooring, and two times more so then red oak flooring. That’s one hard surface that you can have in your home!

Being harder than other floors means that it will be a longer lasting surface in your home. Possibly if you’ve found the right place to buy it from, a lifetime. There are some companies out there that will offer you this lifetime guarantee on those strand bamboo floorings they sell.

Strand bamboo flooring is also a more friendly way of flooring your home. This is because the bamboo plant will grow again after it is harvested, not like a tree that will be completely cut down to produce floors from. With the strand bamboo you won’t need to worry about water spills either.

See bamboo will absorb the water, unlike wood or carpet. Making it a great choice for many harder to buy for rooms in the home. You can even refinish this floor just like any other wood floors that you may buy. If you want a different look created!

For the weaving process of these strand bamboo floors they will take long strands of bamboo and heat them up. Weaving them together after they are heated, and then compressing them with extreme pressure and heat. Creating a floor that will be very hard and dense.

One of the worst things about having wood floors can be they will dent if you drop something. For that reason many people will avoid them if they have pets and kids. However, this strand bamboo flooring can resist those problems because it is so darn hard.

Imagine a floor that is hard enough to withstand those problems, but will still have you feeling okay after standing on it for hours. This bamboo flooring will do that for those people who are in their kitchen for hours standing and cooking.

Though it is a bit more expensive to buy, it will create a fantastic look like none other. Standing up through the test of time, and many other things. Strand bamboo floors are a choice that will make you happy for years. Compare many places if you want to buy this type of flooring for your home.

Use strand bamboo flooring to create a unique look in your home; help the environment, and so much more with bamboo flooring!

Another popular style of bamboo flooring is woven bamboo flooring. Woven bamboo floors are a great way to floor your home, lasting longer then several other types of flooring choices that you have. It has a totally different look from any hardwood flooring on the market, and it will be a lot longer lasting.

Woven flooring is created to be environmentally friendly, so you can make your home into a green location! With fewer chances of having formaldehyde or other chemicals that have been placed into the material your flooring is also safer for your family, having fewer problems with allergens and other problems you can face with carpet.

Woven bamboo is often called strand woven too, and it is a great product that will offer you a resilient floor and the hardest surface out there to choose from. In fact it’s more than two times hard as those red oak floors that you may consider installing in your home. But it’s really the overall look that is created when you place down natural bamboo flooring in your home.

Woven bamboo flooring gives you a look that is unique and will last longer than hardwood floors. Taking more punishment if you have kids or pets in the home without the scratching and wear that you will see on all those other hardwood floors that you may have thought about getting before.

The process of weaving the floors together is done by heating up long strips of the bamboo. Once they are warm enough they will be woven together. After that step they will be compressed with pressure and heat. With this process the floor is one that will be very dense and hard.

Even more so then the traditional bamboo floor choices that are on the market, you can even sand down the floor and refinish it with a different color if you would so choose, basically as you would with any other type of hardwood floor.

Many manufacturers of this type of woven bamboo flooring are so sure that it will last a lifetime, they will guarantee it. That is something that you will normally never find when it comes to flooring of any kind.

So if you’re looking for a fabulous new look in your home, one that will last your lifetime, and stand up to a beating. Consider buying woven bamboo floors. Kids, pets, it will withstand all those problems that will have made another floor look beat up and old. There are different choices out there for colors of woven bamboo flooring, but it will create a fabulous warm and unique look in your home.