What to Look for in Bamboo Flooring
There are a lot of misconceptions about bamboo flooring and a plethora of choices on the market. There are different ages of bamboo maturity and subsequent different hardness ratings, different factory finishes and different manufacturing processes, making for a very confusing selection process. Many customers end up disappointed when they purchase a bamboo floor that is not high quality and scratches very easily—sometimes before installation is even complete.
So what qualities should you look for? Most bamboo flooring is made from bamboo pieces glued together in alternating layers and then milled into flooring pieces. Ideally, the bamboo should be at least four to five years of age in maturity so that it achieves a hardness rating of at least 1,400 psi on a Janka scale (harder than most oak flooring); some flooring is being made out of only 2- to 3-year-old bamboo that is not fully mature and much softer on a hardness scale. Some customers have even blogged that they can easily sink their fingernails into the flooring!
The moisture content (MC) should be 8 percent or less and consistent throughout the flooring boards. Consistency and even kiln drying is the key. There should be minimal color variation so that the installers don’t have to worry about drastic color patterning. The glues and finishes should be of high quality, contain at least one layer of a high-quality aluminum oxide for increased scratch resistance and durability, and have low to no VOCs or formaldehyde. Some flooring has only one or two layers of polyurethane, while others have five to six coats. Look for flooring that passes the strict CARB standards that California has set for indoor air quality.
So what qualities should you look for? Most bamboo flooring is made from bamboo pieces glued together in alternating layers and then milled into flooring pieces. Ideally, the bamboo should be at least four to five years of age in maturity so that it achieves a hardness rating of at least 1,400 psi on a Janka scale (harder than most oak flooring); some flooring is being made out of only 2- to 3-year-old bamboo that is not fully mature and much softer on a hardness scale. Some customers have even blogged that they can easily sink their fingernails into the flooring!
The moisture content (MC) should be 8 percent or less and consistent throughout the flooring boards. Consistency and even kiln drying is the key. There should be minimal color variation so that the installers don’t have to worry about drastic color patterning. The glues and finishes should be of high quality, contain at least one layer of a high-quality aluminum oxide for increased scratch resistance and durability, and have low to no VOCs or formaldehyde. Some flooring has only one or two layers of polyurethane, while others have five to six coats. Look for flooring that passes the strict CARB standards that California has set for indoor air quality.
Polishing Hardwood floors
A finish on hardwood floors does not last forever. It may be that your floors need to be refinished. You can extend the life of a floor finish by making a no shoe policy, clipping pet nails, and using furniture protectors. Even with these precautions, eventually a hardwood floor will need to be refinished. Here are some steps of how to do it in a correct way:
Remove as much furniture as possible. If you are cleaning your floor alone, place furniture pads under the legs and slide the furniture out of the room. Vacuum your hardwood floors to get up all the dust and debris before you clean it. Vacuums with faulty wheels can scratch floors, so pick up dust with a broom if you don’t have a good mode. Find out about your hardwood floor if you don’t know what the wood is and the finish is. Hardwood floors have a hard finish and can be cleaned with a small amount of water, while shellac or lacquered floors can’t have any water on them and may need to be waxed regularly.
Experiment to find the right products for your floor type.
There are a lot of products that market themselves as hardwood floor cleaners, but don't measure up. A good place to start is finding out what your floor manufacturer recommends. This way we are highly recommending to buy your hardwood cleaning products at the Flooring store such ours. Our professional will recommend what cleaners you need for a specific floors type .
Clean hardwood floors with a mop. Mix a few drops of Bona Hardwood Cleaner with water. Wring out the mop extremely well and then run the mop along the grain. We carry a great selection of hardwood cleaning products, so please don’t hesitate to stop by in our store to get the products for your floors.
Spray the polish on the floor or apply it to a cloth, according to package directions. Use a feathering technique to wipe the polish in a semi-circle. Overlap your feathering strokes for a streak free finish. In our store on 3100 N Elston Ave, you will also find a great selection of Hardwood Cleaners from different brands.
Visit our webswite at www.abhardwood.com
We are located on 3100 N Elston Ave ., Chicago IL 60618