Bamboo flooring has really come into its own over the last number of years. This is partially due to the fact that bamboo has become the “poster floor” for green flooring building materials. But, that’s not the only reason they’ve come into their own as a floor covering of choice.
Because there are so many features to bamboo floors, it seemed high time that we talked about them here. So, this is a first in a mini-series about bamboo floors. And to kick things off a bit, I thought we’d start with one of the main features that makes bamboo flooring such a draw when it comes to modern design; color.
Color is an important element in the investment of any type of floor. And bamboo floors are no different, with distinctive color choices that provide an accent for surrounding decor, or be something of a feature to a space as well. But, what are the choices?
Bamboo flooring is known for its pale, creamy tones, sometimes ranging from a subtle off-white to a golden blonde color. This color range is known, very descriptively, as natural bamboo. Consumers choose natural color bamboo for a number of reasons, but one popular one is how it tends to bring natural brightness to a space. And because you can float or glue down a bamboo floor, it’s a great choice to bring a bit of sunshine into below-grade areas that don’t see a lot of natural light – like a basement suite, for instance.
Another choice in bamboo floor color is what is called ‘carbonized’ bamboo. This type of bamboo is known for a chocolaty-caramel tone, which is naturally derived when the bamboo is left to boil slightly longer than its natural equivalent. The sugars in the bamboo carbonize during this process, resulting in a naturally darker, and slightly softer, bamboo floor. A lot of consumers choose carbonized bamboo for its contrasting qualities in areas where furniture, walls, cabinets, and other interior elements are lighter.
One of the great innovations in recent years, apart from these natural varieties of bamboo floors, is stained bamboo and direct print bamboo. Direct print bamboo floors is an amazing choice if you want the benefits of bamboo and the look of hardwood. But, if you still wish to feature bamboo’s unique knuckle pattern, but wish to get a customized color (like a very dark ebony floor as shown below), then stained bamboo may be your best bet.
An overall benefit that bamboo extends to consumers is versatility, which comes out of how resilient and durable a material it actually is. As a result, you have a wide range of colors, cuts, and surface effects that make choosing bamboo floors an extension of your artistic vision, as well as your goals to invest in sustainable building materials.
We’ll talk about bamboo floor ‘cuts’ next time.
Cheers!
Rob.
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