Horizontal bamboo flooring is durable, eco-friendly and a great alternative to hardwood flooring. It has a similar hardness rating to Oak flooring and is becoming a popular choice with homeowners.
Horizontal bamboo flooring looks like bamboo because the plank is constructed of horizontal strips of bamboo offering a wider and more evident grain. It is available in a natural bamboo colour (pale, golden brown tones) or carbonised (richer, darker brown tones). Some horizontal bamboo flooring is offered with colour stains to provide different shades and tones, or with a handscraped finish to give a more traditional and distressed appearance.
It is a stable flooring material that means it does not need fixing in place and can be installed over most types of subfloor. It can be loose laid over an underlay or glued, nailed or screwed down if necessary. Because of the stable nature of horizontal bamboo flooring it is very versatile and can be used with underfloor heating and in areas where the temperature or humidity fluctuates significantly.
Horizontal bamboo flooring is similar to other types of bamboo flooring, in that it is easy to maintain and quick and easy to install.
How is horizontal bamboo flooring made?
Bamboo can be harvested every five years because it reaches maturity very quickly. The bamboo is cropped, dried and cut into strips. If a carbonised effect is required, the raw strips of bamboo are smoked to give a darker, rich brown tone. If the end result is going to be natural horizontal bamboo flooring then the strips are left in their natural colour. The strips are then glued together horizontally and machined to form the plank of flooring. If a colour stain is required it is added now, then the planks are lacquered to add a protective layer to the surface. A tongue and groove or click system profile are machined onto the planks, and then a final layer of lacquer is added to finish the floor The horizontal bamboo flooring is then ready to be packaged.
