There's been a lot of fuss in recent years about bamboo flooring. You might be wondering why a floor made from bamboo is suddenly getting so much attention.

However, you might not know exactly what is meant by bamboo as a flooring material. While you're pretty sure it's not a series of round poles, it can be hard to envision flooring made from bamboo if you've never seen it.

Unlike hardwoods used for flooring like oak and walnut, bamboo is classified as a grass, even though it doesn't look much like one.

That's because bamboo is one of the biggest grasses in the world, and can be mistaken for a tree. Some species can grow up to a foot across and a hundred feet high.

Despite its classification as a grass, flooring made from bamboo still has a lot in common with wooden floors. Maintenance is very much the same, and the look is similar, too.

Like hardwood flooring and tile, bamboo is a hypo-allergenic material that provides no places for dust, mildew, dander and pollen to accumulate. However, it has its own unique look and provides more warmth than tile and linoleum.

Bamboo's durability is also something special, since this material is about ten percent harder than floors made from red oak. Installation of bamboo flooring can only increase your home's value.

This kind of flooring is made from split bamboo stalks flattened by enormous pressure. These flattened stalks are then laminated together, and more pressure applied to create a unit of flooring - plank, tile or strip.

What results from the process looks a bit like a hardwood laminate floor - prefinished, multi-layered and with an easy installation method. Some people can even install these even, regular planks on their own.

Why is everyone so interested in bamboo and the environment? Most of us have probably heard that bamboo makes an extremely environmentally flooring material, but may not know why or whether that's true.

This is because bamboo grows very quickly, and needs little in the way of fertilizers and pesticides. To create a bamboo floor, plants need to grow for only five or six years, and regenerate quickly after they've been harvested.

Because of this bamboo flooring is considered one of the more sustainable options. Just make sure you choose your floor carefully.

Bamboo is so popular that some have decided they'll try to boost their profits by adding unnecessary chemicals to the growing process, and that they'll make lower quality flooring for a quick sale. If you're concerned about the environmental impact or the lifespan of your floor, you'll want to avoid these cheap products.

The good news is that this is easy. Most bamboo flooring manufacturers and distributors want you to know all about their floors and why you'll benefit from installing them - just avoid the cheapest floors or anyone who doesn't want to talk about where their bamboo comes from.

Bamboo makes a great investment on multiple fronts, both for the value and beauty of your home, and for the world around us. Since most of our yearly waste comes from the housing industry, choosing environmentally friendly flooring options can help cut down on that waste.

When the time comes to pick your home's new floor covering, think about bamboo. This beautiful natural material will last a long time and it's good for the environment.