How Bamboo Floors Are Made

Although offering many of the same durability and aesthetic benefits of hardwood, bamboo is very different. The biggest of these differences is in the simple fact that bamboo is not a tree. Technically, bamboo is a fast-growing grass, but not the type of grass that you mow in your front yard. Bamboo grows in long, sturdy, dense stalks, that when cut and bound together, offer superior density and durability when compared to most hardwood.

Growing and Harvesting Bamboo
Bamboo can be harvested every three to six years. With most species of bamboo, the prime harvest age is between five and six years, providing the highest levels of fiber density.

During the harvest, bamboo shoots are cut near the ground, leaving the roots in tact. Almost immediately, new sprouts begin to grow in place of the recently harvested shoots.

Because of the density of the crop, and the speed at which it grows, bamboo is a very earth-efficient product, providing far more flooring per acre than any type of tree.

Color
The light shade of bamboo is the natural shade of this "green" flooring product. Most of the darker shades are created by smoking the bamboo in much the same way it has been done for generations. In addition, like with hardwood, bamboo can be stained to almost color.

Cut
The other factor that most influences how a bamboo floor looks, is determined by how the stalk is cut.

Vertical-Cut
Vertical-cut bamboo accentuates the linear appearance of the grain, making the flooring look more like most hardwoods at first glance.

Horizontal-Cut
Horizontal-cut bamboo emphasizes the unique nature of bamboo by making the characteristic nodes extremely visible.