Q. What are the benefits of bamboo flooring?
A. Bamboo is rapidly becoming one of the most popular types of residential as well as commercial flooring. Here is why:

• Bamboo is a renewable resource.  (see benefits of bamboo flooring)
• Ambient's bamboo flooring resins meet stringent European environmental standards.
• Bamboo flooring is termite resistant.
• Bamboo flooring is moisture and stain resistant.
• Bamboo flooring is easier to clean.
• Bamboo flooring is harder than most hardwoods.
• Bamboo flooring has an expansion rate that is only about 50% that of hardwoods.
• Bamboo flooring costs 10% to 50% less than hardwood flooring.
• Bamboo flooring can be installed over numerous types of sub-flooring, including concrete and even a Click-Lock floor.

Q. What are the Janka hardness levels of your floors?
A. Janka hardness is a test to measure the strength and durability of hardwood flooring species. To learn more about Janka hardness, and see how our floors measure up, please refer to the Janka Hardness Chart.

Q. How do I care for and maintain my bamboo floors?
A. All it takes is following a few simple instructions to properly care for and maintain your new bamboo floors. Reading the guidelines in the Care & Maintenance section of our site will ensure beautiful floors for years to come.

Q. What are the differences between hand scraped, strand woven, engineered, and solid flooring?
A. The differences are in the manufacturing process, and in appearance. See our bamboo flooring forum for pictures.  A summary:

Hand Scraped - Also known as distressed flooring, textured flooring, and antique flooring, we consider this product art as much as flooring!  It is basically a solid bamboo floor that has a hand textured top layer.  Because of this process, a plank of hand scraped bamboo flooring takes much longer to produce than a plank of solid or engineered bamboo flooring.  This type of flooring has experienced a surge in popularity in Italy and in the Middle East where renovations tend to be in older, classical buildings.

Strand Woven - Strand woven bamboo is made using a unique manufacturing process which is different than all other bamboo flooring types.  It is made by heating long strips of bamboo, weaving them together, then compressing them under extreme pressure.  This manufacturing process produces flooring that is harder and denser than traditional bamboo flooring, which is already one of the harder wood flooring products on the market.  In addition, strand bamboo flooring comes with a grain more similar to hardwood flooring.  This means you get the strength and eco-friendly aspects of bamboo, with a hardwood look.  This floor is great for homes with very active pets or children - it can take a lot more punishment than your average wood flooring!
 
Engineered - This flooring is typically a bamboo wear surface laminated to a plywood base.  Engineered floors are more resistant to moisture than solid wood, so they're ideal for basements or concrete surfaces.  Even though all bamboo has a lower expansion rate than hardwoods, engineered bamboo flooring generally expands and contracts a lot less than solid bamboo flooring, making it an excellent choice for basements.  While some companies sell this product for radiant systems, it's long term performance is unproven.  We have specifically designed our Click-Lock bamboo flooring for this purpose.  Engineered flooring is built to be dimensionally stable and is used in glue down and floating floor construction.  It is used often when the sub flooring is concrete. Our Click Lock strand woven system, with an HDF core, can also be installed over concrete subfloors and in basements. The density of this product gives it more dimensional stability, giving it the ability to float over radiant systems.
 
Solid - Made of whole strips of bamboo, this flooring is heavier and harder than engineered flooring, and generally more cost effective.  This is the workhorse of the bamboo flooring world, coming in traditional vertical and horizontal configurations, and natural and carbonized bamboo flooring colors.  Hand scraped flooring starts out as regular solid flooring as you could have probably guessed.  This floor is a great value when the quality is good, considering it is less expensive than most oak, friendly to the environment, and is more versatile coming in more styles of color and grain.  If properly installed, it can be used anywhere except below grade (basements).

Q. What are the differences between vertical and horizontal flooring?
A. The only difference between vertical and horizontal grain types is their appearance.  They are equivalent in hardness and durability.  Horizontal grain types refer to wider slats in the plank because the bamboo strips are laid flat before melding.  Vertical grain types refer to slats of bamboo that are turned on their side when melded, and thus are more narrow.  Both styles have been used in a wide array of design themes - it comes down to personal taste as to which is aesthetically superior.

Q. Can bamboo be installed as a floating floor?
A. Almost all bamboo floors can be floated if installed correctly, however we only recommend engineered bamboo for floating installations because of it's dimensional stability.  Our engineered bamboo floors and our snap together bamboo flooring can both be floated.

Q. How does humidity affect bamboo flooring?
A. Ambient's floors are treated on both sides. Humidity should not be an issue as long as you let the flooring acclimate on-site for a minimum of 72 hours before installation, and follow the installation and maintenance guidelines. As with all wood floors, a normal range of 40%-60% relative humidity should be maintained in the home.

Q. Do you do installations?
A. We do not handle the installation ourselves, however we may be able to recommend a high quality installer in your area.  Most flooring companies give free installation estimates so it is easy to find quality local installers.

Q. What is the proper way to clean bamboo flooring?
A. Professional cleaning products such as Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaning Kits may be used for maintenance and daily cleaning.   Many people use Swiffer mops now, which come with special wood soap - these work fine as long as it is only slightly damp; a wet mop will damage the floor over time.  Vacuum and mop the floor regularly.  Wood floor cleansing agents should be diluted in water before use.  To ensure that your bamboo floor retains its natural shine and texture for life, an additional coating of urethane can be applied every 2 years for commercial use flooring, and every 8 years for residential use.

Q. Can bamboo flooring be installed in bathrooms?
A. This is not recommended.  Ambient flooring is not covered by warranty if installed in a bathroom.  Wood and bamboo flooring are not typicallly installed in bathrooms because standing water will cause swelling.

Q. Are bamboo floors scratch and dent proof?
A. Ambient Strand Woven bamboo flooring is one of the most resilient wood flooring products on the market.  That being said, ANY floor will scratch if the punishment is severe enough.  All of our bamboo flooring contains a 8-Layer Finish, including a scratch resistance layer. (To learn more about Ambient's unique 8-layer finish, click here.) This is a special finishing layer that is added to increase its resistance to scratches - this does not mean it is scratch-proof.    Carbonized flooring is usually softer and will ding more easily.  Natural colored bamboo floors are more apt to show grime and shoe marks due to their bright color. Attention should be given to cleaning and care just as you would any other floor. Use rugs in high traffic areas, including kitchen, and bathrooms. 

Q. How do I install my bamboo flooring?
A. Please see our bamboo flooring installation instructions.

Q. What is your minimum order?
A. One carton.  Coverage depends on the flooring type (average is around 25 square feet per box).  We also offer samples (approx. 6 inches long).  Order bamboo flooring samples.

Q. How much flooring should I order?
A. Professional installers assume that 8% to 10% of flooring will be spent for cutting and waste, so plan to order extra flooring.  If you are doing a diagonal installation, plan to order 15% extra.

Q. I have a cat and/or dog - are these floors safe from their paws?
A. Hardwood and bamboo flooring are both susceptible to constant scratching. If you have any pets that are going to cause a lot of friction on your flooring, it is recommended that you use vinyl pet nail caps found at your local pet store.  If you are looking for flooring that is 'pet-proof', the closest you will come to that in wood flooring is our Ambient Strand Woven bamboo floor.

 

Ambient is happy to provide the answers to your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about our bamboo wood floors. If you have any questions that are not listed on this page, wish to speak with a representative at our company, or you're just feeling lonely today, you can call us toll free at 1.866.710.7070, direct at 1.301.498.0234, or send us a comment or question! 

Q. I have adhesive residue on the floors post-installation - how do I clean it off?
A.  They key is to remove the adhesive well before it cures, otherwise it will be very tough to fully clean. With bamboo flooring it is recommended that you use a 100% urethane adhesive; therefore you will need a remover specific to removing urethane glue.  Bostik Inc. makes a good urethane adhesive remover.  If you want information on products besides the Bostik flooring adhesives and moisture barriers we carry, please call Bostik at 770-922-4545.

Q. Do you sell bamboo stair tread and stair nose?
A.  Yes.  We sell all types of bamboo flooring accessories, including bamboo stair treads, bamboo stair risers, bamboo stair nosing (aka bull nose), bamboo reducers, bamboo t-molding, bamboo quarter rounds, bamboo threshholds (aka baby threshold or end molding), bamboo baseboard (aka wall base), and bamboo floor vents (bamboo registers).  Here is a link to our bamboo moldings page: bamboo floor moldings.

Vertical

Horizontal

Q. What are the differences between natural, carbonized, and stained flooring?
A. The differences are due to differences in the process in which they are made.  Below is a summary of each type of flooring:
 
Natural - This is the natural color of bamboo.  There is nothing during the manufacturing process that changes the color of natural bamboo flooring.  The bright hues of natural color bamboo flooring are often used by designers to open up small spaces and in low lit corridors.

Carbonized - In the manufacturing process, the strips of bamboo are kiln-dried.  The strips change color due to this heating process, becoming a darker shade of brown. This process also makes the bamboo slightly softer.  The color of carbonized bamboo flooring will vary from plank to plank from light to medium to darker hues so that no two flooring installations are alike.
 
Stained - Bamboo flooring can be stained to meet designer specifications.  Ambient can produce 'a-la-carte' flooring that meets the color demands of most design professionals.

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