Bamboo Flooring

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Material analysis

MasterFormat Number: 09 64 00

Applications

Flooring

Design Trends

Using bamboo as a “green” alternative to wood, namely hardwood flooring.

Finish and aesthetic qualities

Bamboo can be pre-finished and/or sealed to resist moisture and stains.
Bamboo is inherently anti-allergenic and defends itself well against high volumes of foot traffic.
It comes predominantly in a natural color or in an amber tone achieved through a heat treatment that darkens it.
It can also be dyed or stained.
It can be sanded and refinished when necessary.

Surface forms / shapes

Sold in standard plank sizes with both vertical (exposed knots) and horizontal (resembles traditional wood floor) construction. Bamboo should be applied to a stable sub-floor.
Bamboo comes in both vertical and flat-grain patterns.
In flat grain, the strips are cut in the same direction that the bamboo grows and stacked on top of one another, producing a “brushlike” appearance.
In vertical-grain patterns, the strips are cut through the width of the bamboo stalk and laid side-by-side, giving more of a striped appearance. The wear pattern on the vertical-grain option allows for more cycles of refinishing.
Paneling can be curved around concave and convex surfaces.

Standard Dimensions

Standard thicknesses of 5/8”, 1/2”, 3/4”
Widths range from 3-4” to 2-6’
Standard Plywood Sheets: 4’ x 8’

Price per Square Foot

$1.99 - $4.49

Material properties

Primary Structural Use

Non-structural finish material

Material performance

Highly durable flooring material, it is like any wood floor- it is damaged by dents, scratches and the killer of all wood floors, high heels. ^[1]
The popular carbonized darker bamboos are comparable to Black Walnut, and the lighter natural colors test comparable to maple. ^[2]

Opening Restrictions

Can be custom cut

Manufacturing Process/Composition

Bamboo is a grass that can grow to 100 feet tall at rates of 1 meter per day. When bamboo stalks mature to 5 years old, they are harvested from certified forests. Manufacturing bamboo flooring involves turning the stalks into either horizontal or vertical grain planks. The hollow bamboo is cut down the center and sliced into strips. The waste is used to make other products such as chopsticks and baskets. The bamboo is then soaked in Borax to remove pests and decay, and can then be carbonized to produce a caramel color. The bamboo is then kiln dried and the strips are assembled with glue to make planks for flooring.

Special Installation Issues

Flooring installation very similar to hardwood.
Profile options include strip, panel, and tongue-and-groove.

Maintenance

The floor shall be dust mopped, vacuumed or swept with a soft bristle broom daily, or as often as necessary, to remove grit and dust from the surface. Walking on a dusty or dirty floor is the quickest way to damage a finish.

Use a cleaner that will not leave a residue that will inhibit bonding and re-coating. Wax should only be used for commercial applications since it requires periodic buffing beyond what most homeowners are willing to do. Once wax, in any form, has been applied to a bamboo floor, only wax may be used as a coating over the floor. Urethane and other surface finishes can not be applied over an existing wax finish. ^[3]

Environment and Life Safety

Environmental impact

Sustainability, Off-gasing issues Maintenance/Resilience/Durability

Bamboo is pre-finished or sealed at the factory, limiting the spread of volatile organic compounds found in the solvents of the finish.
Because bamboo is a grass, it does not need replanting and is therefore rapidly renewable. It matures in 3-5 years, as compared to 50-100 years for hardwoods.
Bamboo flooring has a relatively high embodied energy since most of it is predominantly produced in managed forests in the Hunan province of China.
Finishes have low VOC emissions, except for urea formaldehyde resin used in the lamination process that can off-gas a small amount of formaldehyde when exposed to heat and humidity.
Bamboo is equivalent to 6 LEED credits.
Greatest environmental cost is in transportation, as it often required far from where it naturally occurs.

Flammability Rating

Using ASTM E648 Critical Radiant Panel Test, treated bamboo flooring passes with a Class 1 rating according to the NFPA “Life Safety Code;” usable in all building types.

Coefficient of Friction

Using ASTM D2394; the average Static Coefficient of Friction: 0.391; average Lineal (Dynamic) Coefficient of Friction: 0.374.

References

Notes

Student contributions

Laura Druan, Fall 2005
Nicole Dagle, Spring 2007
Hazel Echevarria, Spring 2008

External links

Additional resources

Material specific resources

Adams, Heather E. and Earl G. Adams, Jr. Designing A Home With Wood. New York, NY: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2004.

American Bamboo Society. American Bamboo Society

Bell, Victoria Ballard with Patrick Rand. Materials For Design. New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 2006.

USA manufacturers

Hawa Bamboo - Sayreville, NJ

Hawa Bamboo

Teragren, LLC - Bainbridge Island, WA

Teragren

Organizations

American Bamboo Society

American Bamboo Society

[_note-0] ttp://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/09/bamboo_flooring.php

[_note-1] ttp://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/09/bamboo_flooring.php

[_note-2] ttp://www.greenfloors.com/HP_Bamboo_Maintenance.htm

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