Four years ago, when Cheryl Kwok and her husband, Jimmy, built their home in north Clovis, Calif., she wanted a floor that would be durable and contemporary in style but also have a touch of Asian. Having seen bamboo flooring in home magazines, she decided to give it a try.

"We wanted more of an Asian influence, and it fit perfectly, more than, like, oak," says Kwok. Despite having four huskies indoors, the flooring has held up well, she says.

Interest in bamboo flooring has increased as homeowners have become attracted to bamboo's distinctive look and its environmentally friendly aspects.

Unlike oak, hickory or maple flooring, bamboo isn't a wood; it's a grass. But like wood flooring, it's a natural product.

Bamboo flooring can come in solid and engineered planks. They can be glued or nailed down or floated on top, depending on subflooring. The planks have two basic styles: horizontal, where the growth rings, or "knuckles," of the bamboo are quite visible; and vertical, where the bamboo looks like thin strips and the rings are much smaller. There also is a third option called strand-woven, which is made from cut-up bamboo pieces. Bamboo flooring often comes in shades from yellow to caramel.

"It's a linear look," says Lee Horwitz, owner of A&M; Flooring America, which has stores in California. "Having said that, they've been able to dye it and make patterns that are unbelievable and unique. "

Another part of bamboo that appeals to some is the use of a material that, unlike trees, will grow back quickly once it's cut. As a resource, bamboo can be harvested sooner - about every three years, compared to 125 years for oak, experts say.