Real Estate

Timber Flooring vs Bamboo Flooring

Story Published on July 12, 2008 ⋅  Email this Story ⋅  Print this Story ⋅ Post a comment ⋅

Timber flooring, in the form of solid timber or newer veneers (also called floating timber), has long been the primary choice of people who want the warm look of wood on their floors, or who want to avoid carpet. For many years, there just weren’t any other options.

Now, however, bamboo flooring offers a comparable, environmentally friendly, durable alternative to traditional timber. Here are some facts about how bamboo flooring performs against popular floating timber floors.

Floating timber floors, unlike the more expensive solid timber type, are made of a layer of wood veneer a few millimeters thick, laminated on top of a less expensive timber, or even a composite material made from waste wood. Bamboo floors are made of solid bamboo, offering greater durability over time for less than you’d pay for a solid timber floor. Plus, bamboo is a stronger, harder to damage material than almost any wood.

Unlike floating timber floors, bamboo is attached to the surface it sits on. This means that your bamboo floor will be a lot more stable than a floating timber floor. There’s no room for the joints between pieces to open up or move around.

You also won’t have to deal with the hollow sound that many timber floors make when you walk on them, or the easy scratching. Bamboo flooring is solid sounding, easy to clean, and resistant to scratches and dings.

The fact that the individual pieces of flooring don’t move or shift also makes refinishing bamboo easier. There’s a much better surface to work with than solid timber, and veneered wood floors can’t be refinished at all!

A veneered wood floor that’s damaged must be replaced, while a comparable bamboo one could be resurfaced. That means you could get up to another decade out of your floor.

Those who are worried about the environment will probably choose bamboo over timber. Both are natural, renewable resources, but timber takes a long time to replace itself. Veneered timber flooring uses less hardwood, but other woods are still used, and composite fillers often involve toxic glues.

Bamboo, on the other hand, recovers rapidly from being harvested. A single bamboo grove can be harvested once every five years. Look for products with non toxic glues and water based surface coatings, and you’ll be able to be certain that there’s less damage from flooring manufacture, too.

Compared to hardwood, bamboo will last a lot longer, and stand up better to daily wear. For those who are still concerned about the life of their bamboo floor, warranties are available. Remember that you get what you pay for – buy a product that’s made to last, rather than a bargain.

You can find bamboo flooring in just about any finish or color – it’ll go with any decorating scheme. Finding flooring that works well in your home is simple in most cases.

If you’re interested in finding out how hardwood flooring and bamboo compare, an online search will quickly tell you. You’ll be able to view a wide range of products and see what all your options are. Bamboo could be the right floor for your home.

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