What is the deal with bamboo?

That is the big question recently. Does it wear? Is it green? Why are some cheap and some expensive? Indeed, there are many questions. So I will attempt to give you some info to help you understand bamboo flooring. First, bamboo is not wood. It's actually a grass. It has some similar characteristics to wood. If it is manufactured properly it will have the same hardness as oak and be fairly stable, making it a serviceable floor.
Is it green? Good question. There are two schools of thought on this. First is the argument that because it's a renewable resource it must be considered green? True enough. It grows rather quickly. The shoots are full grown in 15 to 18 months although it takes 3 to 5 years for the shoot to mature to the proper hardness. If it is harvested too soon it will be soft and not wear well. Once it's cut down, the cycle starts again.
The purists argue that because most bamboo is coming from China (and they have different manufacturing standards) and because of the adhesives used in manufacturing ie: high formaldehyde content, etc. along with the fuel expended in shipping and transportation and smog generated by the manufacturing process, that it can't really be green. Carbon neutral is the true mark of whether or not a product is green. Having said all that, there are some good bamboo manufacturers making the product in an environmentally friendly way.
For more info on green, check with The Forest Stewardship Council http://www.fscus.org/
Why is there such a huge price difference?
I have seen bamboo priced at $1.89 a square foot and $7.00 a square foot. It's all the same stuff right? NO! There are many things that can be done during the manufacturing process to insure quality. Conversely, there are corners that can be cut. Early harvest is one. If it is harvested too early it will be very soft, making it wear poorly.
Manufacturing process: Quality adhesives and machinery add significantly to the quality of the material. Poor quality adhesives will allow the material to delaminate over time. This is very important since the bamboo is assembled in small pieces to make up a plank. Good machinery means good milling. Bad milling could mean flooring that fits together poorly, a nightmare for any installer.
Air drying vs. kiln drying: Probably the biggest issue I have seen recently. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)requires that flooring be kiln dried. U.S. manufacturers typically shoot for the 6 to 9% moisture range. I have seen some bamboo come in at 20% or higher. Why is this important you ask? Wood flooring and I'll include bamboo, is not dimensionally stable. Meaning it expands and contracts radially (across the grain). This is directly related to the moisture content of the material. So, if the product is at 9% and you acclimate it for 2 weeks (let's say the moisture content in your home is 8%) the product will loose 1% of moisture, causing it to shrink. Almost a negligible amount. But, say it's at 20% and your home is at 8%, 2 weeks acclimation won't do much. But over the course of 16 to 20 months the material will air dry down to 8%. Since it will shrink approx. 1/64 of an inch for every 1% of moisture lost, and at 12% lost, that's about 3/16 of an inch shrinkage per board. Huge gaps everywhere. And no cure for it. Sadly, as an NWFA Certified Inspector, I have seen more and more of this recently.
How can I, the consumer, tell the difference?
That's really the problem. To the naked eye, poor quality bamboo and superior quality look identical. It really comes down to knowing your source. So for example, if you get it from a reputable dealer (like us) we will have done all the homework for you, including checking the material with a digital moisture meter when we take delivery.
If you are still reading, I'm sorry this was long and drawn out but I get many questions on this subject so I thought I would just blog it. Hope it helped...j