We have been talking up the benefits of bamboo flooring for a while now. We were into the fact that the easily grown wood (grass, actually) not only helped stop the depletion of forests, et al, it also looked great.
Now we hear some detractors. Over at Tree Hugger we are hearing complaints about how easily it scratches, and there is even doubt as to whether or not the quick growing grass is in fact as super-eco as everyone once said. Anyone had bad experiences? Alec H.
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Comments (4)
I know this is about bamboo - but in terms of eco flooring, mesquite is supposed to be amazing. It's a very hard wood and is renewable. Perhaps people who don't like bamboo floors should look at American mesquite floors.
Oh how I loved the look of my natural vertical bamboo the first day it was installed. Then on Day 2, I notice the first scratch— where I'd dropped a pen. Two weeks later, it was completely scratched, AND warping. I did my homework: chose a product with a 25 year "warranty", acclimated it in my apartment for two weeks ( as opposed to the 72 hours recommended.) I made sure that it could be glued on a sub floor and made sure my contractor used a vapor barrier. I repeatedly asked the company whether it would hold up well in my first floor apartment.
It's been a year since I installed it and it's a complete mess. I'm going to have to rip it out and start over. PAINFULLY un-green and wasteful!!
It seems there is waaaay too much disparity in products and industry standards that no matter what the cost, bamboo is an unreliable choice at best. I say, Bam-BOOO!!
Here's some important things in terms of description/language to consider:
Laminated flooring is a plastic flooring layer on top of a substrate. Essentially a formica coutnertop that looks like wood, but on your floors. Very slippery.
It sounds like what Cass has is a 'click' or 'floating' floor - 3 layers of material: the bamboo top, the hardboard center and the backing material (quality material uses cork). These floors are almost always PRE-FINISHED. I think when Cass says it has a "plastic coating" on top - she is seeing the finish layer. This should never actually be plastic in a wood floor, regardless of species. If it is indeed plastic, then it is a laminate floor.
Pre-finished floors almost always show more wear. This is due to the finish coatings being factory applied and therefore very, very uniform. Any disturbance to that finish will show, including slight scratches. Whereas field applied finishes contain slight imperfections that add to the overall patina of the floor.
Another thing to remember about floating floors: most can not be re-finished. Depending on the quality and thickness of the top material, you may be able to have one re-finishing, but that's it. The material thickness (typically 1/4" ot 3/8") just does not allow for sanding down and re-applying the finish.
Just some professional tips/advice... hope it helps.
The previous commenter must only be referring to bamboo laminate. You CAN refinish floating bamboo flooring if it is strand woven. Strand woven bamboo flooring such as BamLoc is solid bamboo throughout. It's compressed so it's very dense and hard to scratch or dent. The finish will last for years, but since it's solid bamboo throughout, it can be sanded and refinished down the line.