Bamboo Floors and Flooring
The bamboo flooring is well recognized, reliable and stable flooring with an amazing look. It is produced out of split bamboo strips which are laminated on plywood planks. Though bamboo is light in color by nature, the process of carbonization can darken it by applying pressure and steam to it. The result being, the bamboo floors can be chosen from a wide variety of colors ranging from blond to medium dark brown.
A number of unique qualities make this type of flooring a good choice. It is quite resistant to bends and dents which can be caused by blunt impacts. In fact, this characteristic of the bamboo floor is better than most hardwood floorings. Bamboo has been recognized not only for its elasticity but also for its hardness. The wood hardness rating in bamboo is 1800, which far more exceeds those of hard maple, which has the rating of 1450 and white oak, rated at 1360.
Based on its natural origin in tropical areas, the bamboo has resistance to water. Even then, it does get affected by moisture and tends to contract and expand with the change in moisture. Also, it is stainable. Applying an extra coat of wax or polyurethane is recommended if you are planning to use it in the bathroom or kitchen. This extra coating makes sure that you get stain free flooring. You can refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for this process.
The main benefit of bamboo is that it can grow in some years and makes it an environment friendly material. People who understand this and are concerned how the rain forests are getting destroyed may consider using bamboo floorings in their homes.
Such floorings can be comfortably installed on the traditional sub-floors. The already finished tongue and groove strips can be nailed, glued or stapled as per the floating floor installation. Always remember to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer, which are enclosed in a package with flooring, if you are planning self installation. It is suggested to leave the flooring material in the room for a couple of days before installation, which would allow it to get used to the room temperature and humidity. The bamboo flooring will have to be applied with finishing material every few years as it cannot be sanded.
The bamboo flooring is rated high by us, based on factors like cost efficiency, simple installation and environment friendly source.
By: Martin Smith
About the Author:
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice on your a number of topics like Home Improvement if you have time drop by his site for some tips and information.
Categories: Flooring Tags: Bamboo Flooring, Planks, Plywood
Kitchen Cabinet Design – Plywood or Particleboard for your Kitchen Cabinet Design
When you are planning to remodel your kitchen, there are many factors to take into consideration, not lastly of which is what type of kitchen cabinet design you should use. It helps to do a little research and browsing before you begin a project and you can find a ton of information when you research online. You will find out how to begin, where to look and what type of kitchen cabinet design will go best with the other features you have chosen.
Set a budget for your kitchen-remodeling project and try to stick with it. You may begin with your own kitchen renovation ideas or go directly to a kitchen cabinet design and remodeling store and arrange for a consultation at your home. They will present you with ideas and materials to choose from in order to obtain the kitchen of your dreams.
You will probably end up spending most of your budget on a kitchen cabinet design. This will be the most expensive because of the total volume involved in the cabinetry. You may also spend a lot on replacing kitchen countertops or appliances as well.
One of the biggest misconceptions of a kitchen cabinet design is the choice of wood. When you are choosing between particleboard and plywood, most people think of plywood as being better than particleboard. Perhaps it is because the word wood is in the name and particleboard sounds more like a cheap imitation. In many instances, the particleboard is a better choice than plywood.
To help you make your decision it might help to know something about these two materials. Particleboard is made up of small wood particles held together with adhesive. Plywood is made up of thin sheets of wood that have been glued together. Both of these materials are sturdy and strong and make a good choice for a kitchen cabinet design.
Within the categories of these two material choices are different grades and types. Particleboard that is high-density is usually stronger than plywood, and usually lasts longer. All types of wood for a kitchen cabinet design will expand and contract from changes in the humidity. Particleboard is usually more resistant to the effects, so if you live in a high humidity area, particleboard would be your best option.
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Categories: Kitchen Improvements Tags: high density, High Humidity, particleboard, Plywood