If you have been looking for the best flooring option or the world’s best mop bucket, here is a guide for you. It is quite true that bamboo flooring is not the most-recent alternative available in the market today.
Artificial wood and modified vinyl are the latest flooring options now. However, bamboo still remains a viable alternative to conventional hardwoods. Now, if you have decided to go with bamboo for your flooring, Cali Bamboo is something you should consider closely.
Every bamboo flooring material available in the market is engineered. The bamboo is pulverized and crushed, then the strands are obtained are gummed to each other to make the bamboo floor planks.
What exactly is the implication of this for the potential purchaser? Most probably, it has no negative effect. Once you can get a top-quality manufacturer, then your bamboo flooring ought to be just like any other hardwood material.
Based on the foregoing, therefore, it is recommended that if you’re going for this flooring, a trusted brand should be sought.
Cali Bamboo flooring has a unique warranty which makes for its best selling point. It features a 50-year warranty such that even if the floor construction was badly done, such a warranty could make anyone give it a try.
What is Cali Bamboo
Established in the year 2004, Cali Bamboo is a company whose main job is to fabricate sustainable and environmentally friendly building materials on both the small and large scale.
It is essential to understand that this company, based in San Diego, keeps making consistent efforts in making concept-based eco-friendly building material design.
Their line of green building supplies straddles bamboo flooring, fencing, composite filling as well as plywood.
While it is true that their materials are made mainly from bamboo, they equally use other materials such as cork, eucalyptus and other member materials in making their flooring as well as other building items. This is why all of their products are renewable and sustainable.
Benefits of Cali Bamboo
Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly
This bamboo floor has exciting qualities in the sense that it is deemed to be among the most ‘green’ flooring material producers in the States.
This explains why they are seen as a great option for building contractors and landlords who care about the quality of their environment. Opting for renewable materials like bamboo has saved the Earth from cutting down close to a million trees in 2018.
While the fact that bamboo is sustainable is still subject to debate, it is crystal clear that it grows fast.
The implication is that the material for making bamboo flooring is quite easy to replenish. Ensuring the judicious use of trees and lumber was what prompted Cali Bamboo to make their own flooring.
As such, if you equally cherish green concepts and you’re inclined towards eco-friendliness, then Cali Bamboo is what you should think about.
Durable
Cali Bamboo fossil-laden flooring ranks among the best bamboo floorings available in the market these days and it has been confirmed to be a very sturdy building material. Since mop for hardwood floors increases its lifetime, bamboo fossilized flooring is still a good choice.
It has been quoted to have a density that is double of other hardwood floors in the globe. They come with a warranty of 50 years, confirming that they are really a tough flooring alternative.
Easy to Maintain
Just as it is with other bamboo floorings, Cali Bamboo is quite easy to maintain as you can use just a good mop and some soap solution. As such, it makes a perfect option for houses where there are pets and kids.
Low VOCs
The chemicals used in the production of bamboo flooring have always been one of the chief concerns with most users of the product because some of the floorings have particular toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde.
They are referred to as Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) which can constitute air pollution when released in the home.
Nevertheless, Cali Bamboo is known for the production of a “very-low VOC” flooring and it does not make use of extra urea or formaldehyde in making their material, as such, you need not bother about the harmful chemicals in your house.
Easy to Find
Unlike some other engineered hardwood flooring products, Cali’s flooring material can be easily bought at building stores. It is quite easy to find. Besides, you can remove stains from your carpets and rugs with a good hardwood mop even on your Cali flooring.
Versatile
Cali Bamboo comes with a large array of flooring alternatives in different styles, sizes and colors. The manufacturer, at the moment, comes with 25 diverse colors for purchase, together with 10 diverse options in a number of sizes and styles.
Waterproof
This flooring has been subject to a rigorous fossilized production process which makes it twice as dense as other hardwood floorings one can find in the market. This is what makes the flooring a very durable and waterproof product.
Cali Bamboo Pros and Cons
Pros
- Not made from volatile organic chemicals (VOCs).
- Easy to install and better than the conventional hardwood.
- Very durable and easy to find.
- Made using eco-friendly materials.
- Has a variety of product lines.
Cons
- Vulnerable to water and moisture damage. If water spills on it, it can swell up and get damaged.
Types of Cali Bamboo Flooring
Cali Bamboo Vinyl Plus
Cali Bamboo calls its Vinyl Plus flooring a premium vinyl line as greater heat protection and sound-proof, comfort-loaded cork profile.
The implication is that the vinyl material and cork added base keep your floor cool to the feel all times of the year. The good thing about the Vinyl Plus line is that just as you can disinfect your hardwood with a steam mop.
Vinyl Plus line is sold by Lowes in the USA. It has a cork pad which makes it look like NuCore plank flooring. This type has a 20 mil layer and the style thickness is fairly in tandem with most other products available.
Cali Bamboo Vinyl Pro
This Vinyl Pro variant has been available in the wood flooring market for some 2 years now, as such, it is a recently added product to the lineup.
This shouldn’t be a source of worry because the majority of the SPC luxury vinyl floorings are relatively new. Bedsides the limestone core, the fabrication is just like the Vinyl Plus flooring and it is well known for being durable.
On a side note, you can even use it in pools. Similar, when engineered hardwoods are used as materials in pools, it is possible to vacuum your pool using a hardwood vacuum cleaner.
Vinyl is retailed by Petco and some other sole retailers. This line is a commercial-grade flooring that is easy to install. It features improved dent protection as the limestone composite core which is more dent-resistant than the bamboo composite flooring.
Besides, there is no telegraphing, as such, it is possible for you to install it on tiles or a poorly-done subfloor, grout fissures and spaces in plywood.
Cali Bamboo Finishes
Flooring helps in making a room more spacious and gives it a nice style. The floors are very smooth so much that they make any space look contemporary. Floors that are rather imperfect or those with a spec of character can give a cool, lived-in appearance.
Cali bamboo features both character and appearance, such that, regardless of your style, there is certainly an option that will perfectly suit your style.
Cali Bamboo Colors and Width
Cali bamboo features a wide array of colors, ranging from very dark to light ones. It has nomenclatures like bourbon, coffee and eclipse so that you can imagine how what the floor will look like even before seeing it.
It has different colors and width for the Vinyl Pro and Vinyl Plus line. However, if what you use is a carpet, you should make sure to clean shag carpets with a vacuum.
For the Vinyl Plus, the color is basically light to medium with some dark or reddish browns while the width is usually 7 1/8” planks. For the Vinyl Pro type, the colors available include a perfect mix of light, medium, deep and shades.
Additionally, colors available range from warm blondes and reds to pure charcoal, cool charcoal and gray specs. The width for the Vinyl Pro type is also 7 1/8” only.
Cali Bamboo Features
Waterproof
The two broad lines have been tested and proven to be waterproof.
The implication of this is that they can be fixed in lobbies, bathrooms, washing room and other places where it is possible for water to spill over and damp air to damage the hardwood.
The Vinyl Pro line is available as a pet-compliant option for some pet-based products like the one made by Petco.
Solid Warranty
This flooring comes with a 50-year warranty for a residential apartment and a 15-year warranty for a commercial location and this ranks as one of the best offers you can ever get in the market today.
In fact, the “everlasting” warranty on residential apartments are usually premised on the 50-years while some can span for a longer period.
When used in residential apartments, a premium vacuum for pet hair can be used to clean the floor. The warranties are not as much prorated and as such, you can get complete protection for 50 years, provided you are still a resident there.
Just as most vinyl plank flooring warranties are, the Cali Bamboo warranties can not be transferred.
HiFi Imaging
The HiFi imaging is a patented trademark of the company used in qualifying the genuine, deep wood-graining found on the planks. Even as Cali Bamboo does not use such term, it appears and seems that it is EIR solid build – carved in a register.
This type of embossing makes use of molds obtained from real wood planks. The grain depth, as well as pattern, are sent to the vinyl plank immediately after it is manufactured.
FloorScore Certified
FloorScore has been sampled and checked for volatile organic compounds. Bamboo has been approved by FloorScore as a low-VOC containing flooring material.
How to Install Cali Bamboo
Step 1 – Prepare the subfloor
This is a very simple step but it can take some time. However, it’s worth it. Preparing the subfloor will ensure that you have a very smooth installation process. You can mop with microfiber pads, but make sure your subfloor is dry enough.
Step 2 – Place the underlayment
Lay the underlayment down and set the first row.
Step 3 – Install and cut all the other rows
Install the subsequent rows and then cut and lay the final row.
Step 6 – Install the moldings and clean the room
Sweep the room and finish it up.
How to Clean and Maintain Cali Bamboo
Step 1 – Use homemade cleaners
A mild solution of baking soda and water will clean up the dirt and dust particles.
Step 2 – Use a mop and clean water
Use clean water to tidy it up with a mop stick. You can, as well, use a mop with clean water to wash off the soda solution.
Step 3
In this Dyson vacuums reviewed and tested, we hold that the third step in cleaning and maintaining your bamboo flooring is to finish it up by drying with good cotton fabric or a dry mop.
Cali Bamboo Flooring Prices
Cali flooring has a price that is similar to other flooring alternatives, so it can cost anything from $2.5 per square foot to some $4 per square foot.
Does More Spending Mean More Quality
When it comes to hardwood flooring generally, spending more does not always equate to obtaining more quality. There is a need for seeking quality products and Cali bamboo is one such. It is FloorScore certified as safe for use in homes and institutions.
Do’s and Don’ts to Do With Cali Bamboo Vinyl Plank Flooring
Do’s
- Always clean the hardwood on a daily basis.
- Ensure that you do not place sharp objects.
- Repair all faults as soon as you notice them.
Don’ts
- Never use harsh chemicals to clean the surface.
- Don’t install the Cali bamboo in moist or always-wet locations.
- While it is true that cleaning a car with a vacuum is possible, never clean Cali bamboo with a vacuum and use a mop instead.
FAQ About Cali Bamboo Flooring
Do bamboo floors scratch easily?
No, bamboo floors do not scratch so easily.
Is Cali bamboo safe?
Yes, it is very safe. It contains a low level of Volatile Organic Compounds and it’s eco-friendly.
Can Cali bamboo be refinished?
Certainly, you can add some touches to the surface to refinish it.
Is Cali bamboo made in the USA?
Yes, it is manufactured in the USA and retailed by Lowes.
Is Cali bamboo really resistant to gouging by claws or big dogs?
Yes, it is pet-friendly and durable enough. Dog food padding can be placed on it conveniently without worrying about scratches on the floor.
Conclusion
The flaws of the traditional hardwood flooring are obviously covered by Cali bamboo. It features a 10-coat scratch-proof property which makes it very resistant. Again, disinfecting your hardwood with a steam mop is also possible with this floor.
However, the challenge of wet areas and humid conditions remain a lag which Cali bamboo is yet to correct.
Photos from: franckito / depositphotos.com, CorDesign / depositphotos.com, shawn_hempel / depositphotos.com, khatsko.yandex.ru / depositphotos.com and vittore / depositphotos.com.