Article Number : 4921 |
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| Date | 10/2/2009 9:48:49 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=4921 |
| Abstract | By Emily Hooper Although it has been used extensively throughout Asia, bamboo is a relatively new flooring material in the West. Renewed focus on environmentally responsible products has brought bamboo to the forefront as one of the most... |
| Article | By Emily Hooper Although it has been used extensively throughout Asia, bamboo is a relatively new flooring material in the West. Renewed focus on environmentally responsible products has brought bamboo to the forefront as one of the most accommodating woods available. Whether end users prefer traditional or updated looks, manufacturers are doing all they can to create products that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are green. As a member of the grass family, the bamboo plant is one of the most environmentally friendly types of wood. It releases four times more oxygen than any other type of wood forest of the same size and absorbs 5% more carbon dioxide. It also regenerates rapidly because harvesting doesn’t disturb the root system. In fact, bamboo has actually been outlawed for growth in San Antonio as officials are worried about it pushing out other types of flora. Suffice to say, it is a very, if not the most, renewable option for flooring. There are two main constructions of bamboo flooring: traditional and strand woven. Traditional bamboo is often referred to as horizontal or vertical. In this process, stalks, or culms of bamboo cut in cross-sections are attached either vertically, top to bottom, or horizontally, side by side. It is with this more traditional method that the nodes, or the joints of the stalk, are most visible. Strand woven bamboo claws the top fibers from the board and chops them into smaller strands. The strands are mixed with an adhesive and rebound to the board through a compression process. Flexibility to manipulate the fibers allows greater variations in appearance. In keeping with environmentally conscious practices, bamboo floors can retain a natural appearance in both fiber and color. The most common method of coloring bamboo is through carbonization, a heating process that changes the chemical structure of the natural sugars within the wood. Bamboo supplier Teragren refers to the process as carmelization, according to David Knight, president and CEO. “The color changes the same way sugar in a frying pan would darken over heat.” This method uses no chemicals or dyes to achieve coloring, thereby retaining its green integrity. Dan Natkin, director of wood business at Mannington, noted that no stains are used on its bamboo products either. “If you stain it, that takes away from much of the environmental appeal.” Torlys also uses the carbonizing process exclusively for its bamboo line, according to Tino Couto, senior product manager. “We add no stains to the product and by steaming it, the yellowish look of bamboo changes color to a more pleasing honey color.” Carbonization can be used on both traditional and strand woven bamboo planks. When strand woven planks are carbonized, blending different amounts of carbonized fibers can create a variegated appearance, much like a conventional domestic or exotic wood. “Strands are bundled and compressed in a random pattern, which allows for a more traditional hardwood appearance,” said Frank Hearst, U.S. vice president of sales at Dansk Hardwood. Bamboo has also followed the trend of textured hardwood. “We have seen a shift from the original hand scraping to more of a true distressed look combining soft scraping, indentations and gauges,” said Phillippe Erramuzpe, COO of USFloors. Hand scraping is available on the company’s Traditions and Exotiques bamboo lines. As it stands, there are no set rules for bamboo visuals. Suppliers are developing new methods and applications, and blending materials during the strand mixing process. “This is what we have done with our Corboo, where bamboo slats and cork granules are layered and then crushed,” Erramuzpe said. “It has a distinctive exotic visual that can’t be found in any other type of strand woven bamboo flooring.” He also mentioned the mixing of carbonized and natural bamboo slats to create a tigerwood look. With a relatively blank slate to work with, the looks of bamboo will continue to expand and change. Dansk has developed a proprietary process that further removes the appearance of nodes from the flooring for a more traditional/exotic look, as well as a new line of products that will be launched next year, Hearst said. Teragren also has some new products on the way, although Knight was reluctant to discuss them with FCNews. “It’s going to have a big impact on the industry, and we are very excited about it.” Also expanding its collection, USFloors will extend its Natural E oil finish to a selection of strand bamboo and Corboo floors, Erramuzpe said. As for the future, “All we can say at this stage is that bamboo could become the new wood.” |