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How's my article on bamboo flooring?
I am close to getting a job as a freelance writer for a local home magazine. I sent the man a simple email and he was already very impressed with the way I wrote. He told me to write him an article out of about 7 choices. I don't know why, but the bamboo flooring was intriguing to me. It is incomplete, due to max character restriction.
The man told me it would be ok to take someone elses article and drastically rewrite it, but I went against his advice and concocted my own. Do you think he'll like it?
For centuries, bamboo has been an intriguing and resourceful material for many far eastern cultures. In recent times, the demand for bamboo has experienced a dramatic increase in the western market, particularly in the flooring industry. The plant most commonly used for such flooring is called "moso" and originates in the jungles of China and other areas in southeast Asia.
Well, you may ask, "What's wrong with pine? Has spruce simply lost its appeal? Has oak been thrown to the wayside?" Not exactly, but recent concerns over the environment and the cost of energy have some consumers drooling over the aspect of bamboo floors. Bamboo does not only have qualities that will save your wallet a lot of grief in the long-run, it also has a beautiful aesthetic quality that no other hardwood can match.
Bamboo grows extremely quickly and produces thirty percent more oxygen than trees. Another key advantage: A 3 acre plot of bamboo will yield twenty times more timber than ordinary trees. If it is planted where soil has been overgrazed or where nothing seems to grow, it will feed the topsoil and that land will flourish for many years. Also, no pesticide is required for bamboo to maintain a long, healthy lifespan. Though there has been recent concern that growers are boosting their fertilizer usage for higher yields when it comes time to harvest. There is also a growing threat of losing biodiversity so that one crop (bamboo) can flourish. It should be known, however, that thousands of people indigenous to China depend on the success of bamboo farming.
In China, labor practices are very questionable, and that is where an overwhelming majority of bamboo products are manufactured and if one is concerned about human rights, it may factor in to his or her decision to purchase bamboo flooring. In addition to the labor issue, only one bamboo company currently holds any credible environmental certification and that is the Smith and Fong Company, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Several other bamboo producers are currently becoming certified by the FSC, which will ensure that more bamboo products will be grown in a clean, responsible manner.
And what about the American homeowner, considering installing new flooring? You will not only benefit from having a stylish floor to make the Jones' turn red, but will be pleased when you receive the energy company's monthly bill, or even when you spill grape juice on your floor. If you are an average American citizen you spend close to ninety percent of your time indoors. Unbeknownst to most people is the fact that their homes are circulating volatile organic compounds and that flooring can have a dramatic effect on a home's ventilation. And returning to the grape juice issue, bamboo is less susceptible to liquid than any other wood used in flooring today. It is also the least susceptible to insect infestation. such as termites or carpenter ants.
But what about durability? Can bamboo really hold up to hardwood, traditional foes? Bamboo is scratched, marred or dented just as easily as it's counterparts. The darker bamboo is comparable to black walnut, while the lighter shade is more similar to maple. In terms of maintenance, bamboo shows no clear advantage, either. It is not easier to clean, stain or repair. However, there is a considerable difference between light and dark bamboos and it all has to do with heat. The darker the bamboo, the longer the manufacturer has heated it. This darker bamboo is not as durable as the lighter, unheated bamboo and is defaced much more easily.
Bamboo flooring is produced by laminating individual strips together to create the desired size of flooring. Some floors are termed "horizontal". This means that the bamboo strips are laminated together so that the top shows the natural growth rings. This makes the wood look like short, choppy rows. Some manufacturers offer three foot lengths while others make bamboo flooring in six foot lengths. Most people prefer the longer lengths because it seems to look better once installed. When bamboo is described as "vertical" the strips are laid on their sides and laminated to create a look of long, thin rows of wood. There is a type of hybrid bamboo on the market called "Engineered bamboo" that is much more durable than traditional bamboo, but is fused with synthetic materials, making it less desirable by consumers who are interested in one hundred percent organic materials. This option may be a w
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