Understanding Bamboo Flooring: Key Terms and Innovations

We frequently discuss bamboo on this blog due to its emerging status and common misconceptions. As we continually learn about this versatile material in our daily operations, it’s essential to share our findings.

Bamboo flooring, originating from Eastern traditions and technically classified as a grass rather than a hardwood, introduces unique terminology. For instance, the “knuckles”, as I refer to them, that we see in bamboo instead of knots in hardwoods, are actually known as nodes.  A bamboo stalk itself is known as a culm.

One term that often causes confusion is “carbonized.” This refers to bamboo that appears darker than its “natural” counterpart. Despite the environmentally friendly reputation of bamboo, the term ‘carbonized’ misleadingly suggests a connection to carbon emissions. In reality, carbonizing bamboo involves boiling its strips to bring natural sugars to the surface, darkening the wood—an effect more aptly described as ‘caramelizing.’ At our company, we use these terms interchangeably to better reflect the process’s nature without implying environmental harm.

Another new term for many is “strandwoven.” This describes the method of weaving bamboo strands together before compressing them. The resulting flooring is not only visually diverse but also exceptionally hard due to the intense compression during the glue application. In fact, strandwoven bamboo is nearly twice as hard as traditional bamboo types, surpassing even oak and maple in durability.

We’re always eager to expand our bamboo vocabulary and understanding. If you’ve encountered any other unusual bamboo-related terms, please share them with us!