Is Bamboo Hardwood Flooring Any Good

A closer look at bamboo flooring.

Is bamboo hardwood flooring any good.

Bamboo floors have become more popular in recent years due to their many similarities to hardwood flooring. Look for flooring with a substantial warranty. But understanding the benefits and drawbacks of any type of flooring before installation is. This lack of scale can make choosing a quality bamboo flooring brand more difficult.

The company states that their fossilized manufacturing process results in bamboo flooring that is twice the density of any other hardwood floor in the world. The least expensive bamboo option is engineered bamboo flooring. Hardwood flooring costs roughly 4 to 8 per square foot for standard materials such as hard maple or red oak while more unusual hardwoods can cost upwards of 10 per square foot. The tongue and groove edges of the planks mean that anyone can install them including diy homeowners.

Bamboo is a grass that grows very quickly which means that bamboo flooring is more sustainable than hardwood flooring which requires felling trees that are decades old. Bamboo flooring has a chic exotic look but is still relatively inexpensive which makes it a highly appealing flooring option for many. You won t find too many choices in this category is bamboo flooring good. In addition bamboo doesn t have a grading scale like most hardwood floors.

It has a thin layer of bamboo laminated onto plywood the same type of construction used for other engineered flooring. There are different types of bamboo flooring just like there are different types of hardwood both are available in glue down and interlocking planks while hardwood is also available in a nail down installation type interlocking planks of both types are fairly easy to install. As a flooring material bamboo has many of the same benefits and drawbacks of hardwood flooring like wood flooring bamboo is an attractive natural material that generally adds real estate value to a home. Top quality bamboo flooring is as durable as traditional hardwood flooring.

Bamboo flooring has an average price of about 3 80 per square foot within a range of 2 to 5 per square foot. Properly finished bamboo flooring cleans easily with a mop and mild soap. Bamboo is harvested after three to seven years making it an excellent renewable resource for flooring. Our experience in hot or dry areas such as arizona colorado or california is that floatingengineered floors seem to work best for both bamboo and hardwood.

For example bamboo flooring that isn t properly boiled steamed and dried can shrink after installation causing unsightly gaps. For those who prefer modern décor bamboo flooring has a clean contemporary look. As long as they re installed and acclimated correctly over a suitable subfloor. Because it s grass not wood it s.

However bamboo does have a few detracting points. However not all bamboo flooring is created equal. Cali bamboo s fossilized bamboo flooring is the strongest bamboo flooring on the market today and has a score of 5 000 on the janka hardness test. But like wood bamboo can be scratched and it is prone to cracking in conditions where humidity levels swing dramatically.