When it comes to buying bamboo flooring materials, you need to account for a lot of things. You will need to decide on the color, style and size of the planks and installation method you would like to use. Therefore you need to ask your retailer or dealer several questions so as to know exactly what type will suit you best. That is why this guide will take you through some common things you should know before buying:

1. Strength and durability

When it comes to the strength of bamboo, the best way to measure it is to place it relative to hardwood materials. Its strength also depends on a lot of factors. If a bamboo flooring panel is darker then it will be less durable mainly because the dark hues are caused by a process known as carbonization which puts the bamboo under a high level of heat and pressure. The eventual result is the weakening of the material.

Also the time period when it has been harvested can affect its durability and hardness as the ideal time to reap bamboo stalks is five years after being planted. Premature as well as late harvesting will cause the material to be weaker.

Also you should know that the most durable bamboo flooring is strand woven materials which are made by having the stalk shredded and then putting it together into a block using pressure and adhesive.

2. Quality

When it comes to rating bamboo materials, there is no standard grading system yet since it happens to be a fairly new product. Many dealers usually group their products into grade A and grade B which are just but arbitrary. Therefore you need to find a reputable dealer who will deliver the best quality materials from reliable sources.

3. Relative hardness

Bamboo can be compared to hardwood hardness to find out how good it is.

Natural bamboo flooring = Red oak Hardwood
Carbonized bamboo flooring = black walnut hardwood
Strand woven bamboo flooring = Brazilian cherry hardwood

Usually the hardness type of strand woven bamboo is more durable than the others.

4. Surface treatment

The price of bamboo materials is usually heavily influenced by the type of UV coating which is applied to the surface. Low quality materials usually have two or three coats applied whereas the ideal bamboo flooring should have at least six or seven coats on all sides of the planks.