Which is Better – Bamboo Flooring or Engineered Hardwood Flooring?

Commonly used natural flooring hard surfaces are bamboo and engineered hardwoods. A lot of homeowners get confused when it comes to choosing between bamboo flooring and engineered hardwood flooring. When you consult the professional experts of a hardwood flooring company in Santa Rosa, you’ll find that when it comes to cost and appearance there isn’t a huge difference. The differences are in the installation and durability of the two.

Read below to learn more about the similarities and some differences between these two variants: engineered hardwood flooring or bamboo flooring.

Cost

Both bamboo and engineered hardwoods are offered at reasonable prices ranges. They range in prices from about $4 – $10+ per square foot. They range in overall quality, thickness, durability, and style depending on the cost but both products offer solutions for a range of budgets that you may have.

Appearance

Bamboo flooring is completely different from hardwood flooring because of its distinctive appearance with its traditional vertical and horizontal striped patterns. Adversely, engineered hardwood has options in extra long and/or extra wide planks with rustic, reclaimed style looks. When it comes to the color, style, and texture of the two, both have many options to choose from that are very similar in the overall look.

Durability

Different types of flooring or bamboo have its own level of durability. Engineered hardwood flooring has a range of durability depending on the species of the wood, the way it’s made, and the finish on the wood. Certain types of bamboos, like strand bamboo or Moso, are commonly used in high-traffic settings because their durability is better than standard bamboo.

When it comes to comparing the durability of bamboo and engineered hardwood, as professionals, we have seen that the engineered hardwoods are the more durable of the two. Bamboo has a tendency to be more sensitive to moisture and we’ve seen more instances of it expanding once installed causing more cupping and squeaking in the floor. Engineered hardwood is more stable even than solid hardwood. Bamboo also scratches easier despite being so dense and scratches white and also can turn black at the joints as it is lived on. This is compared to engineered hardwood that doesn’t blacken at the edges and doesn’t scratch as easily. An engineered hardwood with a thick top layer can be sanded and finished at least once if needed but a bamboo is very difficult to sand a refinish because of how dense it is which adds to the cost of the process.

Installation

Bamboo and engineered hardwood are both marketed to be installed in several ways including nail down, floating, or glue down. In our professional experience we have seen that the best installation for bamboo is only glue down because of its tendency to expand so much. This adds to the cost of installation. It also makes repairs or replacement very difficult and expensive.

Eco-Friendly

Bamboo will always be a more sustainable choice than hardwood because of the time it takes for bamboo to mature and be harvested. While, engineered hardwood results in less waste than solid hardwood, it will never be as sustainable as bamboo. However, bamboo when made by an irresponsible manufacturer does cause environmental issues that negate some of the sustainability of the material itself.

Regardless of whether you choose engineered hardwood or bamboo for your installation, both floorings can enhance your home. For more professional flooring solutions, you can contact Rugworks at 707-935-0648.