Q: Is bamboo floor installation similar to the installation of
hardwood/laminate floor?
A: In essence, the process of installation is very similar to that
of a
hardwood/laminate floor.
The tongue and groove system is common in both bamboo and hardwood/laminate flooring
products. This ensures that installation is fairly easy; the panels simply slot
into place much like a jigsaw puzzle. The click-lock system-a intervention makes
matters even easier. This system is similar to the tongue and groove method, the
difference being that the individual panels actually lock securely into each other.
The click-lock system really makes DIY installation a reality. We recommend that
an underlay is put down prior to installation of your new floor.
Q: What is an underlay?
A: An underlay is simply a rubber foam layer. It is simple to put
down and it provides a few advantages. It acts as a shock absorbent layer to ensure
that your floor is less prone to damage and that it is safer to any person who may
accidentally fall on the surface. It also dampens sound and levels out the surface
on which you lay the flooring. The underlay is also available as a separate product
with self-adhesive qualities on each side of the layer. The self-adhesive underlay
ensures that the floor expands and contracts without splitting at the joints or
on the actual panel. It is not necessary to use glue if you pre-lay the self adhesive
underlay as it holds the entire floor together as one unit. We highly recommend
using an underlay-you may purchase these products from Bamboolands at a relatively
cheap price! (Note that a damp barrier must be layed prior to the underlay to
prevent moisture damage to your floor)
Q: Why is the floor coated with the “UV coating system”?
A: The strand woven bamboo and bamboo floor is coated with the
abovementioned product because it presents a couple of advantages for the quality
and maintenance of this product:
- It makes cleaning of the surface a whole lot easier.
- The floor is not influenced by changeable climates.
- It aids the prevention of slipping and/or any accident on the surface
- It brings out the true beauty and brilliance of bamboo.
The UV coating system has been developed especially for usage on bamboo flooring
products and was developed by Bayern coating company in Germany. UV coating colour
variations range from clear to brown, according to preference. It is a top class
coating system and that is why it is used as a finish on our products. images of
uv application process
Q: Does the floor turn brown when it gets old?
A: The process of natural carbonization only occurs when the raw
material has not had its sugar content removed from it. There are a few manufacturers
who do not do this efficiently, therefore their floor products are prone to colour
variation over time. The products sold by Bamboolands have undergone sugar extraction
during the primary stages and we can assure you that colour variation will be minimal/non-existent
in our range of products.
Q: Is bamboo really a renewable resource?
A: cutting bamboo stalks actually promotes faster growth in the
plant. Unlike hardwood cultivation, the bamboo stumps are left behind and can then
be harvested again in a future season. The plant is not totally destroyed as in
hardwood harvesting. Bamboo matures after 4 to 6 years, unlike hardwoods that may
take decades. Furthermore, Mao bamboo is not the species eaten by pandas (but it
is the species used to manufacture our flooring), so you can be sure that you are
not contributing to the ruin of their natural habitat.
