Bamboo Flooring - The Basics - Cost, Hardness, and Installation

Bamboo Flooring is Reasonably Priced

Bamboo flooring runs $2-$4 per square foot--not as cheap as red oak, but roughly in the same range.

Though a Grass, Bamboo Stands Up to Daily Use

At 1642 on the Janka Hardness Scale, bamboo flooring is mid-range in terms of hardness. Compare it to Douglas Fir (660) and the extremely hard and expensive Brazilian Walnut (3800).

Bamboo Flooring Requires No Special Installation Methods

Bamboo offers a variety of installation methods:

• Nail-Down

Just like normal hardwood floor installation, the strips of wood are nailed into place atop a sub-floor (more accurately, special flooring staples are used nowadays).

• Floating

Strips of wood snap into each other on top of a foam underlayment: no nails, no glue.

• Glue-Down

Strips of wood snap into each other and are glued down for maximum stability.

The installation method depends on the type of flooring purchased. Verify with the flooring company which type of installation method is appropriate for your flooring.