Article Number : 3952 |
|
Article Detail |
|
 | |
| Date | 12/4/2008 11:08:52 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=3952 |
| Abstract | By Frank Hearst, Vice president of sales/ Dansk Hardwood Comparing traditional horizontal or vertical bamboo flooring to strand woven bamboo manufactured using patented cold press technology is like comparing apples to oranges... |
| Article | By Frank Hearst, Vice president of sales/ Dansk Hardwood Comparing traditional horizontal or vertical bamboo flooring to strand woven bamboo manufactured using patented cold press technology is like comparing apples to oranges. Apples and oranges are both fruit. The two types of flooring products are both bamboo. But there the similarities end. Visuals: Strand woven bamboo does not look like traditional bamboo flooring. The stranding process can virtually eliminate the nodes or knots associated with bamboo floors. Strand woven bamboo captures the beauty of exotic hardwood flooring. The green quotient: The increasing popularity of bamboo flooring is due primarily to its environmentally friendly quality. This stems in large part from the growth and life cycle attributes of bamboo as a plant. However, patented cold press strand woven bamboo earns green points for more than just that. Indoor air quality has become a hugely important factor in the assessment of building materials of all kinds. The bonding agents used in the cold press process create a material that produces virtually no off-gassing and meets the most stringent air quality standards. Traditional bamboo flooring may be made with glues that emit toxic substances into the air. Furthermore, engineered bamboo flooring often uses substrates composed of materials that may raise environmental issues, including emissions. Since strand woven bamboo is a solid flooring product, no other materials are involved. Strand woven bamboo patented technology surpasses the standards set by LEED and the World Health Organization for indoor air quality. Stability and durability: As measured by the Janka ASTM D 1037 test, strand woven bamboo is 30% harder than traditional bamboo flooring. The patented technology compresses shredded bamboo fibers under enormous pressure, collapsing the cell structure and creating a tremendously dense, hard and stable product. Traditional horizontal or vertical bamboo floors are manufactured by cutting the bamboo poles into sections and gluing them together. This process leaves the cell structure of the plant intact. Strand woven bamboo is therefore harder, more durable and resistant to indentation than traditional bamboo flooring. It is also less susceptible to expansion and contraction produced by humidity and temperature changes. Because strand woven bamboo is a fused solid floor, it is virtually free of delamination and splitting problems that have plagued traditional bamboo. Installation: Strand woven bamboo is a solid floor that may be successfully installed below, on or above grade. Traditional horizontal or vertical bamboo is not recommended for below grade installation. Overall, strand woven bamboo offers a uniquely green, healthy, beautiful, versatile and durable floor. |