By Ann Knight Executive Vice President, Teragren
Not all bamboo flooring is created the same. In order to ensure beautiful, durable, renewable bamboo, the following questions should be asked by consumers of their retailers, and retailers, architects and designers of their suppliers.

1. WHEN WAS THE BAMBOO HARVESTED?

Moso bamboo, the best choice for flooring, takes about six years to reach maturity — and when properly harvested, traditional bamboo flooring can be 25% harder than red oak. Some companies, however, harvest prematurely at three years or less, resulting in traditional bamboo flooring as soft as fir, which can dent or warp easily. Harvesting too early also causes damage to the plant.

2. WHAT SPECIES WAS USED?

Moso bamboo is the best choice for flooring. Bamboo flooring may be soft and appear gray or dull if the wrong species was used or the bamboo was harvested too early.

3. 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 the number, the better. For example, due to a proprietary manufacturing process, Teragren’s Synergy strand bamboo shows an average hardness of 3271 — making it 154% harder than red oak.

4. IS THE BAMBOO FLOORING COMING FROM A REPUTABLE MANUFACTURER?

Much of the bamboo sold in North America is grown in China. However, quality control standards in China, where most bamboo flooring is also produced, are inconsistent. There is little industry oversight, and neither China nor the U.S. has created an independent grading system. Retailers should ask their suppliers if the manufacturer uses a system of quality control and grading standards.

5. WHAT WILL I GET IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE?

It is important for customers to know that the company supplying their bamboo flooring can offer a high level of technical support and customer service. Discounters, importers and web-direct vendors may have difficulty providing this.

6. HOW TRULY ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY IS BAMBOO?

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 water-based, solvent-free, low VOC finishes and a manufacturing adhesive that meets or surpasses stringent European (E0) standards for off-gassing formaldehyde.

7. HOW DOES THE FLOORING AFFECT INDOOR AIR QUALITY?

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) include a variety of chemicals used in building products that may have adverse health effects and, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, VOCs are also consistently higher indoors than outdoors. Teragren is the world’s first and only company to offer FloorScore-certified bamboo flooring, recognized for preventing indoor air toxins by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).

8. WILL THE PRODUCT OFFER LASTING VALUE?

Bamboo products that are properly harvested and manufactured can add a beautiful new dimension to green home furnishings. However, it’s important for consumers to consider a product’s long-term value before making a purchase. While some bamboo flooring may be less expensive, it’s also more likely to have been harvested prematurely, making it susceptible to denting or warping. A shorter product life span negates the eco-friendly aspects — and results in higher costs in the long run.