Teragren Bamboo Flooring
Founded in 1994,Teragren was one of the first manufacturers to bring , panels, veneer and countertops to market. Our long-standing relationships with our factory partners assure you get the highest quality bamboo products made from sustainably sourced materials with VOC emissions that is TSCA Title VI Compliant for your peace of mind.
For our bamboo flooring products, we specify only Teragren Optimum 5.5 Moso bamboo grown in the Zhejiang province of China. There are more than 1,500 species of bamboo and Moso (Phyllostachys pubescens) is among the hardest, with dense fibers that make for strong timber and beautiful, durable bamboo flooring. Bamboo has greater compressive strength than concrete and about the same strength-to-weight ratio as steel in tension. But it doesn’t start out that way. To achieve the characteristics valued in construction material, it must be harvested at the right time, between 5-1/2 and 6 years.
Even fast-growing bamboo needs time to mature.
Like all bamboo, each culm grows rapidly from a rhizome. Moso has been known to grow 47 inches in 24 hours, but it generally reaches its maximum height of 80 feet within just two months. After that, growth occurs within the stalk. The walls of the hollow culm thicken inward as chlorophyll, sugar and organic material are changed into dense, fibrous cellulose. It is these reinforced but lightweight internodes that provide tremendous strength with flexibility along the entire length of the bamboo culm.Young shoots of moso are so tender that they can be harvested as a culinary delicacy (for humans, not pandas). One-year-old culms are still soft and can be used to make fine calligraphy paper. At four years of age, fiber development in the culm is more appropriate for pulp and paper manufacturing than bamboo flooring.When the bamboo reaches maturity at 5-1/2 to 6 years, its fibers are at peak density—and it’s time to harvest. By using only Optimum 5.5 Moso bamboo harvested in this way, Teragren ensures that our bamboo floors are harder and more stable for lasting beauty and performance.
