Some recent updates for this blog post…
An article I wrote for Networx.com on floor finish types.
And a Scientific study on the high embodied energy of bamboo flooring transport (its worse than concrete)
What everyone needs to know about bamboo flooring. Lots of Americans have been brainwashed with the “green-washing” of bamboo for its use as flooring. It is advertised as being “green” and durable, more durable that most other types of hardwood flooring. It’s neither green nor durable.
Here are some facts to set the record straight. Bamboo is not a hardwood, it’s a grass. To convert the grass into “boards” a multi-step energy consuming process is required. The bamboo is harvested and the hollow, round shoots are sliced into strips and boiled to remove the starch. (Major energy input #1) Then the strips are dried and then boiled again in a solution of water and boric acid to remove sugars (a termite attractant) and to inhibit fungus and mold growth. (Major Energy Input #2 and Chemical Input #1)
If a darker color is desired the bamboo will go through a carbonizing process of steaming the bamboo under controlled pressure and heat. (Major Energy Input #3) The bamboo will change to a brownish color. Carbonized bamboo is softer than the non-carbonized variety. The carbonizing process can reduce the floor’s final hardness significantly, Rendering it softer than some pines and softer than more common red oak.
Most bamboo is then Pressure laminated into solid boards (Major Energy input #4) using carcinogenic chemicals like urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive. (Toxic Chemical addition #2)
Note:
If working with a local hardwood all of this previous energy and chemical input is not required,
The bamboo “boards” are then milled into standard strip floorboards with tongue and groove profiles, sanded and readied for finishing. (Energy Input #5) The input for this step would be equal if working with an alternate hardwood. Most Bamboo is then pre-finished with another chemical, and then shipped half way around the planet to US markets. (Energy Input #6 and Chemical addition #3)
Durability Issues
Comparing the durability of bamboo. It ranges from 1180 (Wikpedia Janka Hardness) in its more common carbonized form, Softer than all of these woods:
Australian Cypress 1375
White Oak 1360
Tasmanian Oak 1350
Ash (White) 1320
American Beech 1300
Red Oak (Northern) 1290
Caribbean Heart Pine 1280
Yellow Birch, 1260
Heart Pine 1225
Larch 1200
Natural Bamboo’s higher 1380 (Janka Hardness) is still below all of these woods:
Lignum vitae 4500
Brazilian Ebony 3692
Ipê / “Brazilian Walnut” / Lapacho 3684
African Pearlwood / Moabi 3680
Bolivian Cherry 3650
Lapacho 3640
Cumaru / “Brazilian Teak” 3540
Ebony 3220
Brazilian Redwood / Paraju 3190
Bloodwood 2900
Red Mahogany, Turpentine 2697
“Southern Chestnut” 2670
Spotted Gum 2473
Brazilian Cherry / Jatoba 2350
Mesquite 2345
“Golden Teak” 2330
Santos Mahogany, Bocote, 2200
Brazilian Koa 2160
“Brazilian Chestnut+ Walnut” 2140
Bubinga 1980
Cameron 1940
Tallowwood 1933
Merbau 1925
Jarrah 1910
Purpleheart 1860
Goncalo Alves / Tigerwood 1850
Hickory / Pecan 1820
Afzelia / Doussie 1810
Rosewood 1780
African Padauk 1725
Blackwood 1720
Merbau 1712
Black Locust 1700
Highland Beech 1686
Wenge, Red Pine 1630
Zebrawood 1575
True Pine, Timborana 1570
Sapele / Sapelli 1510
Sweet Birch 1470
Hard Maple / Sugar Maple 1450
Caribbean Walnut 1390
Coffee Bean 1390
In doing some research for this article I found a string of comments about the durability of Bamboo in many flooring applications at this website
Here are some of the more lively comments:
“I just had bamboo floors installed into my new home. The product came with an aluminum oxide urethane finish. The flooring industry has been touting bamboo floors and this coating as the hardest wood available with a coating just about impervious to anything. Wow, were they wrong! It’s brittle and scratches more than oak. Has anyone out there had similar problems? And if so, what can I do? I’ve asked my installer to ask a manufacturer’s rep to pay a visit. Outside of that, I fear I’m stuck putting booties on my dog’s paws!
Sue J
Severna Park, Maryland
“I had bamboo installed throughout my home in March and the very next day after installation, we had multiple scratches – even gouges in the floor. Every thing has scratched this floor, dogs, my vacuum cleaner, even a plastic hamper my husband pushed to the side to clean under. We have been fighting with the manufacturer ever since. Today, we are sending a sample of the bamboo to a forensic lab for testing. I cannot believe the coatings they say it came with are actually on it. I’m not giving up.
Donna B
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
“We just had a natural bamboo floor installed and selected for the very reason that it was advertised as very hard. The very day installation was complete I found an extraordinary number of shiny scratches and also many deep gouges. Needless to say, I am very unhappy and in dispute with the installer about the installation and waiting to hear from the manufacturer’s rep about this finish and what can be done to 1) repair it, and 2) make the finish hold up to normal wear and tear. We had planned to get a small dog, and now I don’t think any dog could live on it without causing extreme damage. I never intended to have a floor I had to tiptoe on in booties.
Sarah S
Cary, North Carolina
“Just had a black bamboo floor installed. It was totaled within a week. Deep scratches even with a finger nail. Manufacturer is replacing but I’m not confident the new floor will be better. The samples of the new floor certainly were not.
William H
Melbourne Beach, Florida
“My wife and I had the caramelized bamboo flooring installed throughout a 2400 square ft house. indentions and scratches result by the least amount of friction or weight upon the floor. We had the dealer visit our house and he offered a bucket of commercial grade finish which the installing company agreed to apply. Now we have shiny scratches and indentions. I may seek legal counsel.
Keith
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
“I installed bamboo throughout my home this past year. And as many others are saying, all of the advertising, research and phone conversations were misleading. I asked about dogs & scratches & was assured my two beagles wouldn’t do damage. I some parts of the floor there are more scratches than not. I am at the point I have to replace my whole house. The manufacturer recommends I refinish it in a commercial grade finish, even though when I ordered it they told me the finish was the hardest out there. I am wondering if anyone else out there is interested in participating in a Class Action Lawsuit. My old maple floors held up better than this!
Mona C
architectural designer – Royal Oak, Michigan
“I would like to join a class action law suit. I experienced the same problems. I can’t wear my shoes in my unit because the wood scratches and dents so easily. In addition, at least half of my boards are cracked. I feel I was mislead as well. I was also told that the product is extremely hard. Any pressure results in dents and scratches as well as cracks.
Jen D
– Winchester, Massachusetts
“Just installed 2200 sq/ft of carbonized Bamboo and the finish can be scratched off by my finger nail. Dents and scratches everywhere! Class action let’s go!
Jason J
North Berwick, Maine
“My husband and I just built a brand new 4200 sq ft house and installed natural bamboo throughout the entire downstairs. We were told it was the toughest wood flooring out – commercial grade – the first week we had several large scratches. If there is any dirt, sand, etc. on floor – watch out – major scratches. We moved a rug from our entry which has been down 2 weeks and already major bleaching of the non covered wood. What a disappointment! What a waste of money – beautiful yes – worthless yes – it’s only good if you don’t walk on it, live on it, breath on it. Water leaves marks – horrible floor!
Stacy H
Little Rock, Arkansas
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These type of comments continue with about 4 more web pages….about 95% are negative, and the term class action lawsuit makes a few more appearances.
In regards to the “green nature” Bamboo does mature more quickly than other species that are more often used for flooring. If these dissatisfied homeowners replace their bamboo with maple Hickory or Oak. Then the “green-ness” of the bamboo is more drastically compromised. The old flooring will likely end up in a land fill and additional flooring installed in its place. Two floors are never as green as one.
I quote here from the Wikpedia article on bamboo flooring. Some interesting points are covered.
“Environmental Criticisms
Some research has shown that bamboo may not be as environmentally-friendly as it could be. The following are statements made in a report by Dr. Jim Boyer in a research paper for Dovetail partners.
“Recently, bamboo expansion has come at the expense of natural forests, shrubs, and low-yield mixed plantations . . . It is common practice to cut down existing trees and replace them with bamboo.”
• “As forestlands tend to be in hilly and mountainous areas with steep slopes, clear-cutting has resulted in an increase in erosion until the bamboo becomes fully established . . .”
• “Natural forests in the vicinity of bamboo plantations have sometimes given way to bamboo as a result of deliberate efforts to replace them or because of the vigorous natural expansion of bamboo in logged over forests. This process has also had a negative impact on bio-diversity.”
• “The intensive management practices employed involve manual or chemical weeding and periodic tilling of the land to keep the soil clear of undergrowth. These practices increase erosion and result in single-species plantations over large areas.”
• “The intensive use of chemicals (pesticides, weed killers and fertilizers) [associated with growing bamboo] also affects the environment . . .”
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So to meet the growing demand for perceived “green” resources. Native diverse tropical forests are being cut and replaced with “farmed” bamboo. These plantations now require the application of pesticides and fertilizers. Once harvested the bamboo is processed using lots of energy and a collection of toxic chemicals, it is then shipped to the opposite side of the world to be installed and admired for a short time before the likelihood of getting replaced for its inferior durability.
The Better Option
Locally sourced FSC certified domestic hardwoods. Milled and air-dried to your local climate. Installed by local craftsmen, and finished with natural plant based oil finishes. I have seen many old homes that have hardwood floors that are living into their second century.
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Interesting take on bamboo flooring, and pretty shocking commentary from the disatisfied homeowners.
None of it comes as a surprise, however, because bamboo flooring is predominately a Chinese product that competes strictly on price. If you liked Chinese poisonous pet food, toothpaste, and drywall, you’ll love your Chinese good-for-one-week bamboo flooring.
The saddest part is that many flooring retailers are only too happy to promote these substandard products at cheap prices to uninitiated homeowners. In my wood flooring experience, most homeowners have little knowledge about wood flooring, and rely heavily on what the retailer tells them. In principle, this “consulting the experts” is fine, except that, in these cases, the “experts” often have product knowledge that comes from the sticker on the back of the bamboo sample. Not exactly in-depth experience-based information!
Our flooring company makes hardwood flooring in our California factory. Our big sellers are oak, hickory, walnut, and Brazilian cherry. We do not include bamboo in our product mix, and we discourage the use of bamboo to those who will listen to us. Our message is: good hardwood flooring will outlast your mortgage, and probably even you, if you invest in the proper materials. If your only criteria is price, you will, as usual, get what you pay for.
I know many homeowners who only look at sticker price…and are then pushed over the top with the mention of “green” as false as that is.
After-wards they are left with the bad taste in their mouth from a nice Lead painted Chinese chew toy.
I installed 600 sq ft of Jatoba in our bedroom, and finished it with linseed oil only…still looks great after 8 years…with a 90 # doberman for a few years and some other big dogs since…its not always the finish but whats underneath.
would be interested in a class action against bamboo floors. Installed in our whole house (5bedrooms,den,living room,dining room) The have severly cupped and turned dark in every room $10,000. down the drain
severe cupping, hollow sound…company denied claim, says moisture of concrete slab…Looking into litigation and to share info, maybe class action. contact is. Cathyj1998@yahoo.com
[…] The Great Green-Washing of Bamboo Flooring […]
interesting information, I also found a similar article http://greenbambooflooring.com/ and they spoke about leed & fsc information. Is bamboo a “green product”?
Sam….In a word NO…..Unfortunately that site is being promoted by a bamboo flooring company. A recent study was done on on the embodied energy of bamboo compared to concrete…which is regarded as a “high energy” product. To quote from the study ( http://www.oriental-bamboo.co.za/reference/embodied_energy_considerations_in_existing_leed_credits.pdf )
“In fact, the transportation energy for the bamboo flooring is more than 3 times the total embodied energy of concrete and generates 70% more greenhouse gas emissions than concrete on a per unit mass basis.”
Add in the energy used to grow, and process bamboo with those “boiling steps” and you can see that it is clearly not as green as domestic hardwoods.
has anyone had any health related issues regarding their flooring?
We had our floor installed at the end of last year and have had ongoing sinus allergy related issues with the carbonized flooring we got. The smell off the flooring is extreme and has cause numerous health problems and has racked up expensive medical bills and cause severe delays in moving on fixing the rest of the house up.
the company we used claimed to have the lowest VOC’s and an E1 formaldhyde rating.. but of course their flooring comes from China … so you can’t trust that.
it’s a shame it was such a pretty floor.
While we have had some scratches too.. the health issues have been the worse result!.
I am trying to see if there is a class action lawsuit anywhere?
Your best option here would have been to use a nice hardwood like jatoba and use a simple penetrating oil. Those can be found as 0 VOC products. I did my master suite with Jatoba and linseed oil. its 12 years old now and still looks beautiful….the wood provides the wear and tear.
http://www.networx.com/article/exotic-wood-floor-finishes-you-havent-s
As I was reading this article and the comments, I was wondering if you were talking about traditional, non-stranded bamboo? I have been selling stranded (or woven) bamboo for three years and haven’t had a single person come back with complaints or ask for replacements.
Stranded bamboo has been taken apart and put back together again with a non-toxic resin and the result is a flooring material that is twice as hard as oak…..more of the same hardness as concrete.
Reading this article concerned and scared me so much that I went out into our parking lot and grabbed a pebble like one that would get stuck in a shoe and brought it in and tried to scratch the crud out of our sample floor. Nothing happened at all……then I grabbed the scissors….nothing much happened then either except with the very sharpest point of the scissors did finally scratch the surface, but was then lost visually. A few days later, I went to show the store owner the scratch and had a really hard time finding it.
I guess I just wanted to say that I am now pretty confidant that the new woven/stranded bamboo floors are very durable and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy this type of flooring for my own home.
My biggest problem with bamboo is not its durability, but its embodied energy and chemical comp. domestic Real wood floors are not full of toxic glue nor are they shipped from halfway around the planet. Not to mention that vast native forests are being cut to grow monotypic plantations.
Click to access embodied_energy_considerations_in_existing_leed_credits.pdf
read this entire article and let me know your thoughts
Hi Moontree – I do agree with your point of view on the high amount of embodied energy in bamboo and I didn’t know about native forests being cut down to make way for this product. That is distressing and I will be looking into it further.
That being said, part of my job is to help people who want to be “green” in their building/remodeling projects, but have a limited budget, find a product that will fit into both categories. Bamboo seems to always fit in today’s budget (most clients have less than $5 sq. ft to spend), so it is our starting point as far as price then me move to cork, FSC new wood, and lastly to reclaimed wood (by far my favorite, but the most $$).
Thanks for all the research that you do and for getting it out to the public.
As a Flooring contractor ( I sanded my first hardwood floor back in 1986) Long term costs balanced with installation cost should always be addressed.
With dozens of tile and stone products available some as low as 99 cents a sq foot. I would put these entry cost well ahead of bamboo.