Bamboo
Frequently asked questions
» Why choose BambooTouch®? - BambooTouch® guarantees rigorous quality control from the factory to the delivery of its products, in order to ensure that these are of top quality.
BambooTouch® is sensitive to health and environmental issues and only uses intermediates and finishes which meet the most stringent European standards.
In order to meet the most demanding requirements, all BambooTouch® floorings undergo testing by qualified institutions as a guarantee of their excellent characteristics » Is bamboo genuinely ecologically sound? Bamboo is the best natural and naturally ecological alternative to wood.
It is very fast-growing and can be harvested after 5 years, in contrast to the 50 to 70 years oak requires.
Bamboo does not need to be replanted, unlike other types of wood.
Over 3,000,000 hectares of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys Pubescens) are permanently available.
BambooTouch® only uses tried and tested, water-based, solvent-free finishes.
» Is bamboo really hard? - BambooTouch® has developed an even harder flooring material: BamWood® Density, which is harder than all other known types of wood, with the exception of tabebuia.
The hardness of bamboo is not a myth. Bamboo reaches its maximum hardness at between 5 and 7 years of growth. Before that, bamboo is 'relatively' soft: it is therefore important to use bamboo which has reached maturity.
BambooTouch® has developed an even harder flooring material: BamWood® Density, which is harder than all other known types of wood (with the exception of tabebuia).
BBT BamWood
BBT Horizontal
BBT Vertical
Oak
Beech
Brinell hardness
8,3
4,0
4,0
3,8
3,8
Densité kg/m³
1.050
650
700
710
730
Static flexion kg/cm²
1.300
856
985
1.070
1.100
» Is bamboo flooring stable? - Bamboo is naturally stable. BambooTouch® further enhances this stability through the use of three layers of 100% bamboo in a crosswise structure.
BBT BamWood
BBT Horizontal
BBT Vertical
Oak
Beech
Dimensional stability (linear contraction)
0,55 %
0,41 %
0,46 %
0,40 %
0,51%
» Are there different grades of bamboo? - As product requirements are different in different societies, bamboo is classified in three categories: grade A, grade B and grade C.
Each grade corresponds to the quality of the product, which is directly linked to the age of the cane when it is cut.
Grades B and C are recognisable by their appearance: very large variations in colour, very obvious growth nodes, etc., but also by less reliable technical characteristics: bamboos cut too young have too high a moisture content, which makes them less stable, and they are not as hard as bamboo cut when it has reached maturity (5 to 7 years).
BambooTouch® has chosen only to sell grade A bamboo. » Is bamboo at the same price as oak? - Only moso bamboo (Phyllostachys Pubescens) can be used for the production of high quality flooring, which means that it has to be imported. There are more steps in the manufacturing process for bamboo flooring than in the case of conventional wood flooring.
And yet, for an equivalent quality, bamboo is still cheaper than oak because it is simple to grow and the factories produce their own energy from the waste generated during the manufacturing process.
Moreover, bamboo is a raw material which is plentiful. » Are there colour differences within the same product range? - All BambooTouch® products are of the same quality, and the manufacturing processes includes very strict controls on colour uniformity. Nevertheless, like wood, bamboo is a 100% natural material which can be subject to colour variations!
Each panel, each strip, each accessory is unique and, as a result, there can be slight differences in colour between pieces. To reduce the impact of such differences, it is recommended to mix strips from several different boxes when laying the floor.
In addition, BambooTouch® has developed a colour code system which ensures almost complete uniformity in the flooring. » What is BamWood® Density® ? - In contrast to BambooTouch® Vertical or Horizontal flooring, BamWood® Density® is made by compacting thin strips of bamboo in random fashion.
This exclusive manufacturing method gives the flooring stability and exceptional hardness. Of the BambooTouch® range, BamWood® Density® flooring is the product which looks most like conventional flooring. » What type of base is required for BambooTouch® flooring? - Bamboo flooring can be laid on any type of base. The screed or floor must be dry, hard and smooth to ensure it sits properly. It should not slope by more than 2 mm per linear metre. The moisture content of the screed or floor should be less than:
- 2.6 % for cement floors
– 0.5 % anhydrite floors » Can BambooTouch® flooring be used with underfloor heating? - Bamboo is potentially low in terms of thermal resistance: R=0.072 m² k/w.
Since there are specific technical requirements for installation with underfloor heating, we recommend, however, that you also consult a specialist in flooring installation with underfloor heating.
For further information, you can contact us through this website. » Can BambooTouch® flooring be installed as a floating floor? - Yes, BambooTouch® flooring can be installed as floating floor, as well as a bonded floor. In some cases, it can also be nailed to the joists.
» In which rooms in the house can BambooTouch® be used? - Bamboo flooring can be used without restriction in any room in the house: living rooms, bathroom, kitchen, bedrooms, etc.
It can also be used in public areas or areas subject to heavy wear: offices, shops, restaurants. In the case of wet rooms, it is recommended that all 6 surfaces of the flooring strips are varnished. » What is the wearing layer of a floor? - The wearing layer is the top layer of the flooring strip, which comes into contact with shoes, furniture and doors.
It is the most exposed part of the strip subject to external impact. It is also the part of the strip which is abraded during the rubbing down necessary before a finish is applied or when the flooring is being renovated.
The thicker and harder the wearing layer, the longer the flooring will last. » Are there different grades of varnish? - Each varnish has its own specific properties and contains harmful or less harmful constituents.
A top quality varnish is one with a high level of wear and scratch resistance, which provides full protection for the flooring and is not harmful to health, and is free from solvents and aggressive agents.
BambooTouch® works with BONA®, a European manufacturer of top quality varnishes with a fine, matt texture which keeps the bamboo looking natural and warm. The choice of a well-known brand offers the long-term security of a full range of care and retouching products. » What species of bamboo is used by BambooTouch®? - BambooTouch® flooring and panels are made from giant bamboo, also known as moso (Latin name: Phyllostachys Pubescens).
This is the species of bamboo most commonly used in the construction industry and also for edible bamboo shoots. 1 hectare of giant bamboo produces between 6 and 10 tonnes of canes a year.
This species of bamboo grows at a rate of 0.25m a day and reaches its adult height of around 24 m in 2 to 3 months. Moso bamboo is remarkable for its rate of growth, its yield per hectare and the hardness and density of its fibres (from class 7 to class 10). » Where does the bamboo used by BambooTouch® come from? - The moso bamboo (Phyllostachys Pubescens) used by BambooTouch® comes from China which has 3 million hectares available: the largest reserve of this species of bamboo in the world. The forests of giant bamboo stretching as far as the eye can see are known there as 'the bamboo sea'.
The Chinese were the first to use moso bamboo for flooring and furnishing panels. They remain today world leaders in such products, in terms of both quality and production capacity. Vietnam produces flooring from a different species of bamboo, with more pronounced nodes, and in very much smaller quantities than China.
Countries such as India and Madagascar are known to have pilot projects for the production of flooring also made from giant moso bamboo. Something to watch....
