Is Bamboo Flooring Right Choice for Exterior Use?

The exterior of your house has an ally in the wood to enhance its beauty and comfort. Today we want to show you the current advantages of installing this material on porches, terraces and gardens, and some examples of creativity and design. Oh, the wood! The most noble and the most beautiful materials that you can choose for your home, is also one of the most worrying ones very often.

But its historical -and understandable- reputation for delicacy and fragility, a component in need of pampering and permanent care, has lost its validity little by little thanks to the countless improvements that wood has received in the form of revolutionary methods of manufacturing and protective treatments.

Today it is possible to enjoy the warmth and personality of an outdoor wooden floor such as terraces, balconies or porches with little care.

In addition, the variety of existing formats allows you to choose between slats, tiles, tiles with plastic base and a very wide range of textures, tones and veins, to adapt them better to the prevailing style in your favorite spaces.

Advantages of installing wooden floors outdoors

Nowadays they receive treatments (autoclave) that make them resistant to sun and rain, to insects of all kinds and to fungi, to changes in temperature etc.

They are cool in summer and warm in winter.

They are great insulators, both temperature and noise, and cushion very well your steps on any surface, helping you to level a pavement.

You can choose between many types of texture and hardness, and also add anti-slip treatments for greater safety in rainy months or with irrigation water on the ground.

Cleaning wood is now easier than ever. You only need water and neutral soaps, without the need for high pressure cleaners.

Elegant and versatile, bamboo flooring is gaining more and more place in homes. Often installed in living rooms and bedrooms, this natural material comes from the bamboo plant, which grows in abundance in parts of Asia and South America.

It is very relevant to ask whether the bamboo flooring is appropriate for bathrooms. Is it able to withstand potentially harmful elements such as heat and humidity, which are constantly exposed to the materials used in bathrooms?

So, is bamboo a good alternative to traditional ceramic floors? Let's take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of this material.

The benefits of bamboo for bathrooms:

The first question to ask when choosing a floor covering for the bathroom is whether the material withstands moisture well. Indeed, bamboo does indeed fulfill this condition (except exception, see "flats"). It also offers a good level of resistance against fire and insects, two plagues that we hope never to face.

Under the feet, bamboo floors are known for providing a good level of comfort, which can be pleasant in the early morning, unlike ceramic tiles that are sometimes very cold.

In terms of cost and maintenance, there is only positive. Bamboo floors are easy to maintain and provide good value for money.

For the aesthetic issue, manufacturers offer models in several colors and patterns, making it possible to find a coating that will harmonize well with all environments and all types of decorations. The finish of bamboo floors is reminiscent of wood, which can add a very warm natural element to the bathroom.

Once transformed into a building material, bamboo is stable, rigid and durable.

The flats of bamboo

As noted earlier, there are some nuances to the statement that bamboo is resistant to moisture. First, on the market, there are different grades of quality bamboo. Low-end products are not as strong when exposed to water. It sometimes happens that the coating can deform after exposure to this element too long, especially in a bathroom that is poorly ventilated.

In addition, some types of bamboo flooring are better for bathrooms than others. Ideally, one should opt for a solid bamboo coating. Note also that bamboo floating floors are not recommended for this room.

In the end, is bamboo a good option for the bathroom? The balance leans towards the yes option, although the choice is everyone's choice and the characteristics that represent advantages for one will be perceived as disadvantages for the other.