March 2008 eKBDC.com Newsletter

Top Questions To Ask When Purchasing Bamboo Flooring

When was the bamboo harvested?
Moso bamboo, the best choice for flooring, takes 5-1/2 to 6 years to reach maturity and when properly harvested it can be 25 percent harder than red oak and 12 percent harder than North American maple. Some companies, however, harvest prematurely at three years or less, resulting in flooring as soft as fir which can scratch, dent or warp easily. Harvesting too early also causes damage to the plant.
How hard is it on the Janka ball test?
The Janka ball test is designed to measure the hardness level of wood floors and the higher number, the better. For example, Teragren's Synergy strand bamboo flooring averages 154% harder than red oak (3271): Teragren's traditional bamboo products show an average hardness of 1820 making it 25% harder than White Oak (1360) and 12% harder than Rock Maple (1450).
Is the bamboo flooring coming from a reputable manufacturer, from an importer, a trading house purchasing from any factory or multiple factories based primarily on the lowest price?
Much of the bamboo sold in North America is grown in China. However, quality control standards in China, where most bamboo flooring is produced, are inconsistent. There is little industry oversight, and neither China nor the U.S. has created an independent grading system. Consumers should ask retailers or other suppliers if the manufacturer uses a system of quality control and grading standards.
How truly environmentally-friendly is the flooring?
Environmental friendliness is a big draw for many consumers but not all bamboo is truly kind to the environment. Bamboo should not only be sustainably harvested (and manufactured in an ISO-9001 and 14001 certified factory) but also feature components such as a water-based, solvent-free, non-off gassing finishes and a manufacturing adhesive that meets or surpasses stringent U.S. OSHA and European standards for off-gassing formaldehyde.