• Bamboo flooring is touted as being eco-friendly.bamboo image by cyndi Claessens from Fotolia.com
  
  Bamboo flooring is becoming a popular choice in environmentally conscious Colorado. It is touted as affordable, durable and eco-friendly. Users of bamboo flooring nationwide share concerns, however, due to the glues used in the lamination and difficulties stemming from lower quality bamboo. A high moisture content creates many problems for use in Colorado in particular.
  
  

Environmental Concerns

• Bamboo flooring is a laminated product. Bamboo is a hollow stem grass that is cut into strips and glued together. According to the "Boston Globe," "The glues can contain high amounts of toxic gases, such as formaldehyde." It adds that this can create toxic fumes, along with the floor finishes. Clear cutting of bamboo is a regular practice, which is considered just as injurious for bamboo stands as for forests.
  
  

Product Source

• Some critics say that when weighing environmental soundness, it is necessary to consider how far bamboo flooring must travel to reach markets such as Colorado. Since it is produced in Asia, much energy is consumed in shipping.
  
  Sustainable Flooring reports that since bamboo flooring is made in humid, subtropical regions of China and Vietnam, it can be "nearly impossible to lower the product’s moisture content to a suitable level through the standard 'air drying' method" used with lumber.
  
  

Improper Curing

• Kiln drying is an expensive but necessary method to create quality flooring. Consumers who expect a cheap product run into wear problems by purchasing flooring that isn't properly cured. According to Home Style Choices, buyers who want to avoid accidentally purchasing bamboo flooring that is too moist should ask suppliers about the "Janka hardness test" results for the product they are selling. Compare that number to hardness tests for various wood flooring products.
  
  

Softness

• Improper curing leads to problems in dry climates. Colorado Carpet and Flooring claims that "when bamboo flooring is done right, it is more durable than many hardwoods and can last 30 to 50 years." The company warns that Colorado residents' bamboo floors may experience "warping, denting, scratching, dimensional stability and delamination."
  
  

Product Stability

• When bamboo is harvested before it is fully mature, it will wear out sooner. The durability is also affected by improper drying techniques. Sustainable Flooring points out that when bamboo is properly dried, it "excels in stability."