Bamboo Flooring Good for a Basement

Bamboo Flooring Properties

• Relatively inexpensive, scratch resistant and safe for the environment, bamboo flooring performs well in both dry and moist basements as well as other rooms in your house. Look for bamboo flooring at most hardware stores, home improvement centers and flooring companies. Use bamboo flooring as an ideal alternative to hardwood flooring, which can warp if installed in a basement. Place furniture, shelving and other items on top of the flooring without any worry of damaging the material. Install bamboo flooring with glue or as free-floating flooring (without the use of glue or a adhesive).

Other Benefits of Bamboo Flooring

• Besides its durability, bamboo offers resistance to termites and stains. If you spill something on the material, just wipe it up with a clean cloth or towel without using any harsh chemicals or scrubbing pads. Simply use a mixture of dish-washing soap, lukewarm water and a soft mop or cloth to remove dust and dirt from the flooring. Vacuum your floor weekly with a stick-type broom vacuum.

Subflooring and Bamboo Flooring

• Install bamboo flooring over a number of different types of subflooring, including radiant-heat subflooring and concrete subflooring. As with hardwood flooring, install an underlayment on top of the concrete subfloor before installing the bamboo flooring. The underlayment will help with keeping the bamboo flooring warm while providing a type of cushion.

Bamboo Flooring Options

• Purchase hand-scraped bamboo flooring for a distressed, textured look. Slightly more expensive than other varieties, this flooring enjoys popularity in the Middle East and Italy.

  Use solid or strand-woven bamboo flooring for a heavier option ideal for a basement you plan to use as a children's playroom, game room or a place for your pets. This type of bamboo flooring has a tough laminated finish. Solid bamboo flooring will not expand and contract; it also offers resistance to heat, so you can lay it over radiant heat systems if your basement has one.

  For a material offering resistance to moisture a slower expansion/contraction rate, consider engineered bamboo flooring, which consists of bamboo attached to a plywood base.

Bamboo Flooring Finishes

• Bamboo floor finishes include natural, carbonized and stained. For a basement with little to no natural light, consider a natural finish, which has a bright hue. A carbonized finish has a darker appearance, and each plank may appear slightly lighter or darker than the other. To match the furnishings present in your basement, try a stained bamboo flooring---a "special order," and thus more costly, flooring.