The Bamboo Floor Company

Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition 2008

McKay Hardwood Flooring are delighted to be exhibiting at this year’s Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition 2008 at Glasgow’s SECC. Please find some info below from the Homes and Interiors Website. We will be posting more details as to our stand number and may be in the position to issue some free tickets to subscribers of this blog over the next two months. Watch this space!

http://www.homesandinteriorsscotland.com/exhibition/index.htm

Homes & Interiors Scotland exhibition is organised by Scotland’s biggest selling home interest magazine, Homes & Interiors Scotland. Each issue features stunning lavishly photographed homes, interior design, architecture, property, art, news, views and exciting new concepts. It has been awarded ‘Magazine of the Year’ and picked up the much coveted ‘UK Magazine of The Year’ award at the PPA’s Independent Publishers Awards.

Back for the forth year running, the Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition is the only show in Scotland dedicated to quality interiors. Now well established and a key date in the diary of design conscious individuals from Scotland and afar it already boasts an impressive selection of leading interiors companies onboard for 2008.

The Bamboo Floor Company recommend Junkers Floor Cleaner to maintain your bamboo floors. We have a bottle of Junckers Floor cleaner up for grabs. To enter please answer the following question :-

How much bamboo did we approximately lay at the Quartermile Development in Edinburgh?

and email your answer, your name and address to enquiries@mckayflooring.co.uk.

All correct entries will be entered into a prize draw on Sunday 31st August 2008. The winner will be notified with 7 days of draw. Closing date for entries is Saturday 30th August 2008.

Regularly vacuum the floor as necessary to remove all traces of dust, sand or abrasive residues to prevent from accumulating the dirt, and scratching or dulling the finish.

Place quality doormats outside and rugs inside in front of all entrances to your home to help protect your floor, and prevent from outside abrasive dust, grit, water, sand and dirt. Keep the doormats and rugs clean. It is advisable to clean the soles of shoes when entering the home to help save unnecessary clean-up tasks and keep long lasting beauty of your Bamboo floor.

Apply sufficient protective fabric-faced easy-glide buttons under the feet of all furniture and chairs legs in order to ease their movements, and to provide maximum floor protection against scratches and dents commonly caused by furniture. Before moving heavy object across the floor always put a clean piece of carpet (turned upside- down), and then move furniture into the place by sliding slowly over the floor with the smooth side down.

Immediately wipe up spills or spots from the floor with dry cloth or paper towels. To remove all cloudy residue or dulling dirt-film layers from the floor, clean it with regular Glass and Surface Cleaner. It will remove the dulling residue that builds upon the floor surface, and will dry clear enhancing the shine of the Bamboo floor.

Never use wax and oil-base detergent cleaner.

Keep “high heel” shoes in good condition. Avoid wearing high heel shoes that have lost their protective caps or shoes with any sharp exposed nail or stone, that enough to damage any type of floor covering.

Take common-sense precautions to protect the floor when working with sharp, heavy objects, avoid dropping or throwing sharp or pointed objects on the floor.

Place a rug in front of the kitchen sink, kitchen working stations, and the dishwasher to protect the floor from dropped kitchen accessories and from water or oily detergent spills.

Maintain normal interior humidity levels throughout the year.

Types of Bamboo Floors
Different forms of bamboo flooring exist. Each varies in its manufacturing process and differs largely based on economic viability and local preferences.

The most common form, particularly in southeast Asia, uses thin bamboo stems that are cut as flat as possible. They are cut to similar lengths and can be stained, varnished, or simply used as is. They are then nailed down to wooden beams or bigger pieces of bamboo stems. This form results in more space between each bamboo stem; flatness and tightness is not emphasized. This technique is usually used on stilted houses, resulting in better air circulation especially during the warmer summer months.

The manufactured bamboo flooring commonly found in North American markets is highly processed. The bamboo is split and flattened, dried, and then laminated in layers with glue under high pressure. Manufactured bamboo floors are typically made available in planks with either vertical- or horizontal-grain orientation.

The two major colors are natural (similar to beech) and carbonized (similar to oak). The process of steaming bamboo material under a controlled pressure and temperature is called carbonization, in which bio-organisms and sugar breaks down, and the color of the material changes into brownish. The natural and carbonized bamboo floors are typically referred to as solid bamboo, although in fact the structures are layered, similar to a plywood.

Characteristics and Applications
Bamboo floor manufacturers and sellers promote its durability as well as resistance to insects and moisture. Bamboo has also gained a reputation as an eco-friendly, highly renewable source of material, as the bamboo plant (technically a grass) reaches maturity in considerably less time than the trees used to make wood floors.