Replies

1. 
   DonCanDo | Oct 12, 2008 04:45am | #1

   My brother and I installed a bamboo floor in his kitchen.  Overall, it's holding up fine, but it's definitely NOT harder than oak and has been developing "character" since the day we installed it.

   I suspect that there are many kinds of red/white oak and bamboo and I wouldn't necessarily trust the seller's hardness claims.

   Oh, and how is "hardness" being measured?  Resistance to compression in a lab is totally different than dropping a knife.

2. 
   larryscabnuts | Oct 12, 2008 09:15am | #2

   It will splinter more easily than oak and laminate flooring.

3. 
   Kivi | Oct 12, 2008 03:01pm | #3

   I think it is generally accepted that bamboo is a pretty hard "wood", but whether it is harder or softer than oak will likely depend on the quality of either that you are choosing to compare.  I doubt you would see any appreciable difference in either of those materials in terms of their ability to withstand wear.  Particularly when you are comparing pretty similar materials, I'm not sure why the hardness of the wood would be a significant factor in your choice of woods.  The reality is that how you treat and maintain the floor will have the biggest impact on how well it holds up.

   You could easily trash some brilliantly hard exotic wood floor in no time if you are not going to clean it, and you are going to walk with your shoes with sand etc.. 

   Buy the wood you like.. and take care of it.

   I had a friend put down bamboo throught his condo about 4 years ago (kitchen included) . Looks like new.

4. 
   mizshredder2 | Oct 13, 2008 12:14am | #4

   Hardness is usually rated on a scale called the JANKA scale.  I've attached a pdf of that scale from which you can see that various species of oak still show up at lesser hardness than the generically listed "bamboo".

   But typically, bamboo floors being installed these days are engineered products - i.e. they're sandwiched onto backer boards and only top fraction is actually the bamboo.  So it may not be saying much to talk about the hardness of that 1/8th inch top layer of bamboo when the entire plank's thickness as a unit, should be measured instead.

   Regardless, you will find that numerous commercial buildings (in my area, our new headquarters building for the AR Dept of Env Quality; and the entire Clinton presidential library) have installed bamboo flooring.  THROUGHOUT.  Their kitchen/breakroom/restaurant/restroom areas...  As I have reason to spend repeated visits and time in both structures, and so I get to talk to the bldg's tenants and workers in each; they all seem very happy with the bamboo flooring and from my own visual observation - its holding up well in both bldgs so far.

   If you go with it, you just need to find a good quality product line, and then take care of the flooring. 

   Is good to have a mudroom at exterior doors and have people take their shoes OFF before traipsing dirt/mold/dogsh*t/etc into the house regardless of the flooring type, anyway! 

    

    

    "Be yourself...everyone else is 
   already taken." — Unknown author

   
   

   ---

   Edited 10/12/2008 5:16 pm by mizshredder2

1. 
   HARDWOODGUY | Oct 13, 2008 01:54am | #5

   111236.1 

   "I have seen ads that claim it is harder than oak?"

   Leave it to marketing guys. Bamboo is such a wild card. Best to go with the proven brands. I agree hardness should not be foremost in making a decision and the mention of the engineered stuff is right on target. I put together an article on the subject not long ago that can clear things up.

   http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwoodinstaller/hardness.htm

1. 
   mizshredder2 | Oct 14, 2008 04:05am | #6

   Given that I'm about to embark on my own floating engineered flooring product installation adventure, I believe I'm gonna be spending a LOT of time on your website! :-)

   Anyway - hope we helped the OP in this thread.

    

    

    "Be yourself...everyone else is already taken." — Unknown author

5. 
   Mongo | Oct 14, 2008 07:25pm | #7

   I've installed a lot of bamboo over the years. And I've seen a lot of product. The best I've seen is still that from Terragren/TimberGrass.

   The others hit it on the head on a couple of points...bamboo is hard, but a bamboo veneer with softwood underplies can be just as easily punctured/dinged/dented as a softer wood.

   The thing I like about the Terragren is that it it solid bamboo.

   The other plus about it being solid, is that the soft underplies that other manufacturers use can cause their product to cup. The solid bamboos lay flat. I've never pulled a stick out of the box that was cupped or warped.

   With the amount of resin in the product, it is hard and brittle. I set it with staples instead of nails. If I do have to face nail an end row, I pre-drill.

   The carbonized product is softer than the natural product.

   I've got about 850 sqft of it in my attic, it's been down for the past...8, maybe 10 years? It's the kids' game room and my wife's workout/exercise area, so the flooring has seen a bit of abuse over the years.

   It still looks great. No complaints at all about the durability of their AlOx finish.

1. 
   JLazaro317 | Apr 11, 2009 12:45am | #9

   Mongo,

   I got a job coming up where we need to install 5/8" bamboo. Will my Bostitch MIIIFS with the 1/2" shoe work? I was told that it would not with the 3/4" shoe.

   Thanks,

    John

   J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.

   Indianapolis, In.

   “You can either wait for the storm to pass, or you can learn to dance in the rain.”

   "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008

    

1. 
   Mongo | Apr 11, 2009 05:22am | #10

   Can't really say with all the differing bamboo manufacturers out there. Best bet is to eyeball the bostich against the tongue, then use a shim. Piece of formica, anything thin like that.

1. 
   JLazaro317 | Apr 11, 2009 05:27am | #11

   Thanks.

   I was worried that I would have to rent a Powernails cleat nailer. I prefer staples.John

   J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.

   Indianapolis, In.

   “You can either wait for the storm to pass, or you can learn to dance in the rain.”

   "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office."—Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008

    

6. 
   Kilroy | Oct 17, 2008 07:31am | #8

   They installed it in the breakrooms in the building I used to work in. Had to be completely refinished in less than a year.