Carbonised bamboo flooring has a dark brown coffee colour which has been achieved by smoking the bamboo under extreme heat in an industrial kiln.

Horizontal and vertical are the different ways in which the planks of bamboo flooring have been constructed. Horizontal bamboo flooring has an appearance like bamboo because the plank is assembled with horizontal strips of bamboo showing a wider and more obvious grain pattern.

According to Judith MacKenzie in her book The Intentional Spinner (Interweave, 2009), carbonized bamboo fiber is created by impregnating bamboo fibers with very fine carbonized bamboo powder. The fibers seem similar to rayon bamboo. They are very soft and have a low sheen.

Many hundreds of strands of raw dried bamboo are then sliced, shredded, woven, and pressed to create the flooring material. These grass strands are pressed with resin binders, glues, and heat to form the flooring boards. The result is solid engineered bamboo planks or engineered planks with a top layer of bamboo.

However, understanding some basics of the construction process can help to make the right flooring choice from the start. Bamboo flooring typically is constructed in one of three different forms: horizontal, vertical or strand-woven (ii).

Darker tones are available through a process called carbonizing which subjects planks to high temperatures. Carbonized bamboo is softer than uncarbonized forms and more susceptible to scratching.

Bamboo flooring is extremely versatile. It can be installed over almost any subfloor and used in most rooms in your home. Bamboo is dimensionally stable, meaning that it can be used in rooms with fluctuating temperatures. Some types can also be used with underfloor heating.

Carbonization is a process that typically heats biomass feedstock in a kiln or retort (pyrolysis) at temperatures around 400°C (generally between 300 and 900°C) in the absence of air [10,11]. The produced biochar is also known as charcoal, which is a porous, carbon-enriched, grayish black solid [10].

The plants are cut into lengthwise strips for processing, and machines are used to remove the outer layer of the bamboo. After that, several strips are bundled up together and put into a high-pressured steamer, which changes the color of the plant.

Strand Woven Bamboo If you are looking for a strong, durable and hard-wearing bamboo floor for your home then we would recommend Strand Woven Bamboo. It is over twice as hard as Oak flooring and has been designed for use in busy areas. It makes the perfect companion for hallways, living spaces, bedrooms and kitchens.

Cali Bamboo Fossilized Based in San Diego, California, Cali Bamboo offers up one monster of a product. Their proprietary Fossilized process produces bamboo flooring with a Janka hardness rating of 5,000, making it the toughest bamboo flooring on the market.

Bamboo charcoal is used in sects of alternative medicine such as traditional Chinese medicine. Proponents claim that bamboo charcoal can be used for teeth whitening, skin cleansing, anti-aging, lowering cholesterol, improving digestion, and curing hangovers.