A History of Bamboo Flooring
The use of bamboo as a hard surface, commercially available flooring material is a relatively recent development. It started in the early 90's in Southeast Asia (primarily China) About 10 years later, it spread to Europe and North America where it's popularity has steadily grown as the technology has advanced.
But bamboo's history as a multipurpose and versatile material goes back centuries. No other plant has as many uses and impacted so many cultures. In fact, the uses for bamboo are only limited by one's imagination.
The use of bamboo as a building material is particularly prevalent in southern tropical climates where its abundance and utility make it an ideal construction material. As a building material, bamboo has been used over centuries to build simple shelters and huts as well as to construct fencing, retaining walls, piers, barns, towers and bridges, as well as scaffolding and ladders used to build them.
With its hollow, watertight compartments, bamboo is a natural choice for constructing rafts (one of its earliest uses) that fishermen still use today. In boat building, it has been used for everything from masts, booms, oars and rails to ropes and sails. The Japanese used split bamboo to make a basket-like boat for fishing, while the Vietnamese make a similar type of boat from plaited bamboo.
Most bamboo shoots can be eaten. In times of massive flowering, the seeds are used as grain. Besides being a food source, it continues to be used to fashion a multitude of kitchen utensils.
Bamboo is stlll used today to make furniture (rattan), wine and clothes racks, screens, lamps, etc.
Since humans first made music, bamboo was used to make instruments - flutes, didgeridoos, xylophones, gongs, drums, and even pipe organs.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless - it has even been used as concrete reinforcement.
But back to bamboo and its growing presence as a stylish flooring option. Initially, the flooring was manufactured in a cottage industry setting without much quality control or marketing. However, with the increased demand, manufacturers have turned to more automated equipment, finishing processes and stronger and lower formaldehyde glue from Europe. In many ways, bamboo flooring is still in its infancy. There are many high-capacity mills in China with varying degrees of reliability and many more bamboo-flooring mills that still operate as cottage style ventures.
Bamboo flooring is still evolving. There are some areas in North America where bamboo can be grown - and that locally grown potential has yet to be tapped. But judging by its extensive history and staying power, it's a story that will continue.
But bamboo's history as a multipurpose and versatile material goes back centuries. No other plant has as many uses and impacted so many cultures. In fact, the uses for bamboo are only limited by one's imagination.
The use of bamboo as a building material is particularly prevalent in southern tropical climates where its abundance and utility make it an ideal construction material. As a building material, bamboo has been used over centuries to build simple shelters and huts as well as to construct fencing, retaining walls, piers, barns, towers and bridges, as well as scaffolding and ladders used to build them.
With its hollow, watertight compartments, bamboo is a natural choice for constructing rafts (one of its earliest uses) that fishermen still use today. In boat building, it has been used for everything from masts, booms, oars and rails to ropes and sails. The Japanese used split bamboo to make a basket-like boat for fishing, while the Vietnamese make a similar type of boat from plaited bamboo.
Most bamboo shoots can be eaten. In times of massive flowering, the seeds are used as grain. Besides being a food source, it continues to be used to fashion a multitude of kitchen utensils.
Bamboo is stlll used today to make furniture (rattan), wine and clothes racks, screens, lamps, etc.
Since humans first made music, bamboo was used to make instruments - flutes, didgeridoos, xylophones, gongs, drums, and even pipe organs.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless - it has even been used as concrete reinforcement.
But back to bamboo and its growing presence as a stylish flooring option. Initially, the flooring was manufactured in a cottage industry setting without much quality control or marketing. However, with the increased demand, manufacturers have turned to more automated equipment, finishing processes and stronger and lower formaldehyde glue from Europe. In many ways, bamboo flooring is still in its infancy. There are many high-capacity mills in China with varying degrees of reliability and many more bamboo-flooring mills that still operate as cottage style ventures.
Bamboo flooring is still evolving. There are some areas in North America where bamboo can be grown - and that locally grown potential has yet to be tapped. But judging by its extensive history and staying power, it's a story that will continue.