Five Disadvantages of Bamboo Flooring

D Swain
You have probably heard all about the benefits of bamboo floors. They are environmentally-friendly, durable, and beautiful. You are probably not aware of the various disadvantages of bamboo flooring. Some of the drawbacks of this type of flooring include the likelihood of fading and the fact that it is very brittle. This article will discuss some of the disadvantages of bamboo flooring.

Brittle

One of the biggest disadvantages of bamboo flooring is that it is more brittle than hardwood. These floors are extremely easy to dent and scratch. Walking on them with high heel shoes will likely leave a dent in them. If you own a dog or cat, you should be aware that the claws can easily leave little scratches all over the floor just from ordinary moving around. Besides the fact that bamboo is brittle, something else that causes problems is floating.

Floating

One of the next disadvantages of bamboo flooring is floating issues. If you have flooring that you want to cover with bamboo, you may have a problem. Not all bamboo flooring can be floated over sub floors. Before you make a final buying decision, you should make sure to ask about installation restrictions. In addition to the floating problem, another with bamboo is color.

Color

When compared to hardwood, one of the disadvantages of bamboo flooring is the coloring options. Hardwood can come in a wide array of colors, but bamboo only comes in two colors. This is because bamboo resists attempts to stain it. If these two colors won't look well in your home, you have no other option but to choose another type of flooring. This leads to one of the next problems.

Fading

Fading is another one of the disadvantages of bamboo flooring. It is very common for these floors to fade over time. This is caused by exposure to UV light, such as sunlight that comes in through your windows. While sunlight can pose a problem, moisture can also cause problems.

Moisture

One of the final disadvantages of bamboo flooring is moisture resistance. Bamboo is normally resistant to moisture. Although it is a grass and not wood, bamboo can still be damaged by high levels of moisture just like any hardwood floor. If you bought a bamboo floor because of the resistance to moisture, you will still have to protect it from moisture.

There are many disadvantages of bamboo flooring. Most consumers aren't aware that it is brittle and is prone to scratches and dents. Also, it is only available in two colors and some types can't be installed on sub floors. One of the other disadvantages of bamboo flooring is that it can be damaged by moisture just any type of hardwood floor.

Published by D Swain

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  • Bamboo flooring is extremely brittle.
  • It is known to fade over time when exposed to sunlight.
  • It is only available in two colors.

2 Comments

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  • Jack 10/5/2010

    This is the most biased piece of crap I have ever read!!!

  • Michael Villani 7/9/2010

    I do not know where oyu got your knowledge og Bamboo flooring, but what you have posted here is patently false and misleading. Bamboo can be installed over any type of sub flooring material, unlike conventioanl hardwoods or tiles, or you can just use plywood as a sub floor substrate. Bamboo has ric colors that will go with any color paint, wall coloring or furniture that a homeowner may choose or already own, and like hardwoods, over time it will eventually gain a nice patina, and if cared for properly will meld into a variety of tones and hues. Bamboo is not brittle if cured properly, and is as strong as concrete as it is used for scaffolding in Asia, it is extermely suited for use in high traffic areas and is impervious ot the elements. I have bamboo floorin gin my home (with two dogs) and have not experience none of the issues you state is common to bamboo. Try installing it in your home, and purchase it form a reputable source and you will have far fewer problems with bamboo floori

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