Every building needs proper flooring in it, and flooring contractors will be brought on board any construction project to help complete the building for human use. Similarly, flooring contractors can remove and replace damaged or very old flooring in a house or public building, and this is important work. Many people take flooring in their homes for granted, but bad flooring may soon draw some unwanted attention. So, if a floor is very worn out, flooring contractors can put down new planks, and these workers have more materials than ever at their disposal. While hardwoods such as cherry and oak are time-honored materials, newer materials have emerged to compete with them: strand woven eucaplytus planks, and bamboo flooring. Bamboo floor trim and other types of bamboo flooring, or even strand woven eucaplytus flooring, may not only work well as a construction material but also help protect the environment. What is there to know about the flooring industry and these innovative new materials such as strand woven eucaplytus planks?
Flooring as We Know It
The American construction industry is enormous, and this includes flooring work as well, not to mention when floor contractors are involved with home renovation projects. Renovating a home involves replacing old hardware, and the floor is no exception. Hardwood planks, tiles, linoleum, and more may be worked with during remodeling to make a fresh new look, and flooring contractors can get it done. And not only is the flooring industry a robust one, but it’s growing. A recent survey was conducted with flooring contractors, sales experts, suppliers, and more, and most of them agreed that the industry may see a 3% growth or so in the coming years. One in three surveyed experts gave even more generous numbers, predicting a growth rate closer to 8%.
Many of these flooring crews are working with hardwoods native to North America, such as cherry or oak. These hardwoods have long since proven themselves ideal for construction needs, dating back to the colonial period. For over 300 years, hardwood trees have done well for construction, but today’s logging efforts are robust and some have argued that native forests are in danger of depletion. No one can afford to entirely halt logging and the production of wood, however, so alternative flooring materials such as bamboo wood flooring and strand woven eucaplytus planks have been developed to ease the strain on hardwood forests. These eco-friendly materials can satisfy most flooring needs and go a long way toward protecting the natural environment at the same time. How might this work?
What Bamboo Can Do
Why might bamboo or eucalyptus wood be used? Not many American consumers may think of home flooring when they consider these foreign plants, but modern processing allows such plants to be made into a fine competitor for hardwood flooring. What is more, once these plants reach maturity, they can grow very fast, and even when harvested, they grow back at a speed that hardwood trees cannot match. This allows them to provide a lot of raw materials without depleting the environment, and this can ease the strain on hardwood forests.
Bamboo stalks are not used as hardwood the way they are. Instead, they are sliced and shredded into fibers at a factory, then pressed into planks with heat, adhesives, and pressure. Something similar may be done with eucalyptus as well, to form solid planks that may rival hardwood planks in quality and hardness. Once complete, these planks may be shipped to customers such as the United States and Canada to use in their flooring industries.
Bamboo and strand woven eucaplytus planks may rival hardwood in price, and this makes them competitive on the market. They may also afford a room a pleasant aesthetic, and what’s more, they are easy to take care of. They often only need gentle mopping, and they can be easily refinished with sanding to remove scratches. Bamboo can also be carbonized for a wider range of colors if so desired. Homeowners should note that bamboo is sensitive to humidity extremes, however. In very dry areas, it may shrink and crack, and in very humid areas, this material will warp and twist out of shape. More temperate climates are best for this material, allowing it to remain in shape much longer.