It was the perfect anniversary gift.
As you and your husband talked about ways to celebrate your 30th anniversary you considered an international trip together, but you knew that the timing was not right. With one daughter graduating from high school and the other daughter graduating from college, finding a time to schedule a 14 day vacation was difficult. You had never been one for jewelry, and your husband already had enough watches to last a lifetime.
When your husband suggested a whole kitchen remodel as a way to celebrate 30 years of marriage, he prefaced it by saying that he had even found an simple one bedroom apartment that the two of you could use on the days you did not want to put up with the mess, the noise, and the chaos. You did not know if you would even need to take advantage of this offer because you had a half kitchen in the basement that you could use if you tired of eating out.
You know that it will be a lengthy process, but without either girl home come fall you know that you will have plenty of time and energy to devote to decisions about flooring, cabinetry, appliances and the extra details that go into a major remodel decision. Interestingly enough, you are probably most excited about the flooring you have selected. On one of the first days of planning you found out about a flooring product that you never even knew existed, but since you started researching the natural bamboo flooring options you realize that it will be the perfect choice for your updated kitchen. You are intrigued by the small environmental impact that the natural bamboo flooring installation has and you are excited about the hardness of this new flooring choice.
Bamboo Flooring Materials Provide Natural Beauty and a Sturdy Surface That Is Easy to Keep Clean
Although it may seem like a more exotic product, bamboo flooring is priced roughly the same as most other hardwood floors. For example, bamboo flooring products typically range from about $2 to $8 a square foot. Although it is a similarly priced product as most other hardwood options, it is actually a much harder surface. For instance, hardwood floors like North American Hard Maple have a hardness level of about 1450 on the Janka scale, a rating system that is commonly used by the floor installation industry. A tropical hardwood like Brazilian Cherry, also called Jatoba, has a Janka hardness level of 2800. A strand bamboo floor, however, has an average Janka hardness level of over 3500. This matters because by nature harder, denser woods are less susceptible to denting and are often considered highly desirable for flooring uses.
All of this talk about natural bamboo flooring has an additional benefit as well. It has encourag d you to begin exploring the options of a future vacation in the tropics where most of the bamboo supply is located. That trip, of course, will have to wait awhile. At least until the kitchen remodel is finished.
