August 2020 – Decor UK

In recent times, bamboo has become a design favourite for flooring. Wooden flooring has been a popular option for residential and commercial spaces, but the cost factor can be a concern. This is where bamboo flooring can make a real impact in terms of cost, as well as aesthetics and functionality.

It is said that bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. Once you cut a bamboo plant, it can grow back to the same height in the short span of 5 – 7 years, making deforestation less of a factor.

So the next question is… what exactly is bamboo flooring?

Types of Bamboo Planks

These floors are manufactured using strips or strands of the bamboo which are cut, dried and processed into flooring planks.

Vertical bamboo flooring is where strips of bamboo are glued vertically to form planks.
Horizontal planks have the strips glued horizontally, making the bamboo grains more prominent in appearance on the surface than the vertical ones.
Strand woven is where the strands are woven together using machine locking under extreme heat and pressure to form the planks. These floors are available in click-lock or floating planks with an underlayment. Although the horizontal planks have a beautiful grainy appearance, stranded woven planks are more durable, resilient and hardwearing in terms of functionality. It’s said that a plank of stranded woven bamboo is two to three times as hard as an oak flooring plank. This makes it highly recommended in commercial spaces such as hotels, offices, restaurants, gyms etc, where there is a greater footfall.

Most of the bamboo floorings are naturally toned in light or yellow hues. However, the darker tones can be achieved through staining or carbonisation, where the planks are subjected to high temperatures. You can also use the ‘hand scraping’ method to bring a distressed look to the bamboo flooring.

Pros and Cons of Bamboo Flooring

Pros

Bamboo flooring is known to be one of the most affordable flooring options.
Bamboo is known as organic and sustainable, making it an eco-friendly alternative to carpets, laminated flooring and tiles.
It’s an ideal choice for commercial and residential spaces in terms of style. It’s natural tones, variety of colours and finishes make it aesthetically versatile for any space.
In terms of maintenance and upkeep, it is water-resistant, easy to mop, sweep and clean, and in case it loses its shine, a quick retouch and repolish will have it looking as good as new.
Bamboo floorings are easy to install compared to many other flooring options.

Cons

Although bamboo is water-resistant, it is not 100% waterproof. So don’t install in extreme water prone areas as this can lead to distortion and swelling.
Bamboo can be installed in fluctuating and humid temperatures but extreme humidity can result in planks shrinking. Therefore, it’s best not to install this flooring outside.
Although it is a hard-wearing floor covering, you may still find scratches and dents to the surface if you do not look after it properly.
The manufacturing and glueing process involves the use of chemicals. Check to see whether the planks are free of VOC paints and formaldehyde.
Although the carbonisation process gives a variety of stains, it makes the plank soft and unstable.

As the world is progressing towards globalisation, sustainability and environmental issues have become a significant concern. This is especially true in the interior design industry. We often hear the term ‘sustainable interior design’.

So what is it?

What is Sustainable Interior Design?

Sustainable interior design takes into account, environmental concerns and issues when designing a space. It uses eco-friendly design techniques and materials that are proven to have a healthy impact on the surroundings and the users. Thus helping to reduce energy consumption, pollution and waste.

Things to Consider When Designing Sustainably

Take a look at how you can incorporate sustainable interior design techniques into commercial spaces.

Energy

Keep energy consumption factors in mind when creating interior spaces, especially in commercial buildings and more importantly the hospitality industry. The energy usage per square foot is pretty high in hotels than any other buildings and heating and lighting play a crucial role. Windows should provide enough ventilation and natural light.
Consider using carpets, they are known to be excellent thermal insulations capturing 10% of the room’s heat.
Using energy star equipment, low flow faucets or sensor-controlled ones can reduce the water consumption.
Fluorescent, LED lights are considered the right option. At the same time, sensors and other energy controlling equipment can be used for controlling light and heat in spaces where it is not frequently used.

Materials

As a designer, opt for locally sourced products when creating a space. Buying local has a positive impact on the environment as it lessens the cost of transportation and reduces pollution.
Scope out manufactures that keep the eco-friendly concept in mind. You can find manufactures and furniture designers who make luxury furniture products out of reclaimed wood and recycled materials which all goes to minimising the cost and reducing waste.
Construction engineers, architects, designers and consumers alike have started incorporating natural, environment-friendly materials into their designs. Materials such as concrete, wood, bamboo, cork, organic cotton, natural stone, recycled plastic. Make it a priority to pick materials which have a low environmental impact.

Floresy Bamboo

Regular paints with harmful chemicals can be replaced with low “volatile organic compound” (VOC) paints that reduce the negative impact on the environment. Light coloured walls reflect more light, therefore choosing the right wall colours tend to reduce the usage of artificial lighting in interior spaces.
Last but not least, beautifying the surroundings with plants and trees. Not only do they have a positive impact on our health, but they also affect climate control and noise reduction in an interior space.

Research shows that with the beginning of the new decade, sustainability has become the most popular global trend in 2020. Especially in the commercial design industry. We expect to see rapid growth in the next five years compared to the past decade. With this in mind, interior designers should look to the more sustainable approach for the protection of our environment.