Is Bamboo Flooring Really as Green as the Manufacturers Claim it is?

Bamboo is a very eco-friendly plant.  It grows quickly, is pest and disease resistant, and helps control erosion.  A bamboo stand also produces 35 percent more oxygen than a forest of comparable size.  Although the plant has great benefits, is bamboo flooring really as eco-friendly as people say? 

 

It’s a hard question to answer.  Although there is no doubt that bamboo cultivation is a very green practice, there are many energy-intensive processes between the bamboo farm and your floor. 

 

The process to convert raw bamboo to flooring material is complex and takes many steps; it begins by boiling the cut bamboo to remove natural sugars and insects, so that the material does not decay prematurely.  Then the bamboo may be steamed under pressure in order to achieve a darker color (it is naturally very pale).  After these steps, it is kiln dried to achieve the right moisture level, trimmed to shape, glued, and a protective finish is applied. 

 

Each of these steps takes energy and water, and creates waste.  This elaborate manufacturing process is what raises doubts about whether bamboo is really the green flooring it’s reputed to be.  In addition, the glues and finishes used are not always very environmentally friendly, and may pose health risks to the workers used in the production lines.

The good news is that there are other, more green ways to prepare bamboo, ways that don’t create as much toxic chemical waste.  Manufacturers do not always label their products clearly, so you if you’re committed to using eco-friendly materials, you will need to do some research online before you buy, to make sure that you’re making the right, green choice.

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