Bamboo,
a useful and environmentally friendly product, has been used in China
in a large variety of products. For example, new shoots are canned for
food, mature plants are cut and used in furniture production, plywood,
paneling, cabinets, counter tops, scaffolding and flooring to name
just a few uses for this abundant versatile plant. In flooring we find
that it is harder than Northern Red Oak and more stable, (the ability
to resist movement caused by moisture), than any of the wood products
except mesquite. Designers and architects have found the flooring very
unique, elegant and serene and have specified it many times for use in
homes offices, hotels, hospitals and retail stores.
Bamboo
is a grass and is harvested for commercial usage after three to five
years. There are over 1,000 species of bamboo, all of which provide a
constantly renewable resource. Some grow taller, wider and harder than
others and these plants are found in East Central China. The plant we
prefer to use for our floors, Hairy Bamboo, grown up to 60 feet tall
and up to 10 inches in diameter, all within 5 years. The bamboo plant
varies in hardness from top to bottom. The bottom, 15% to 20% of the
plant, is the hardest portion used for flooring. In a fully grown
Hairy Bamboo this can amount to 10 feet. The closer to the ground the
harder the product, and this results in some unusually hard bamboo
planks in the product from the bottom 10 feet. Planks from this are
very dense, heavy and difficult to saw, but practical and ideal for
flooring
