How Do Hardwood Flooring Compared To Bamboo Flooring?

Hardwood flooring is manufactured from timber. Various types of hardwood include ash, rosewood, teak and oak. Bamboo flooring is often mistaken as wood flooring, but it is actually made from bamboo, a form of grass.

Both bamboo and timber flooring are natural and suitable for those who dislike synthetic materials. Being natural, using bamboo or hardwood flooring is healthier for you and your family as they do not accumulate dust mite or emit chemicals. As bamboo flooring looks very similar to wood flooring, they both provide the warmth and natural feel in rooms. Their beautiful natural grains and unique designs definitely enhance the beauty as well as add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your home!

However, the similarities end here. Hardwood, as the name implies is strong and very durable and hence can last for a very long time. Because of its durability, hardwood is more versatile as it can also be installed for outdoor purposes e.g. pool decking and be exposed to natural elements. Timber flooring is also quite easy to maintain.

In the case of bamboo floorings, they can be hard and durable if made from matured bamboo and are properly processed and treated. However, in the process of making it looks like certain type of wood, the strength of the bamboo weakens. Hence, bamboo flooring is less strong and durable as compared to hardwood. Further, bamboo flooring is not suitable for coming under direct sunlight thus it is not suitable for outdoor flooring purposes. Besides being easily scratched, you have to exercise extreme care when using bamboo flooring, for example, you have to sweep the floor daily as walking on dirty floors will damage the finish. In addition, you have to make sure spills are attended to immediately as bamboo flooring is extremely sensitive to water; so you should not mop the floor at all but clean soiled area as and when required only.

However, bamboo flooring is more eco-friendly. Bamboo matured in about 5 years, whilst trees take more than 20 years to mature, some even up to 100 years. In order to meet the demand of hardwood flooring, it is commonly heard that manufacturers are cutting younger and younger trees. As bamboo is easy to grow and grow much faster than trees, using bamboo is definitely more environmental friendly than insisting on using hard wood, for the same beauty and warmth desired for your home, though it is costlier than parquet flooring.

Unless needed for outdoor purposes, choosing bamboo or hardwood for internal flooring is definitely a personal choice. Determine your criteria carefully before making the plunge!