Bamboo has been available to consumers for many years and it has received very positive reviews for its durability, sustainability and its unique design traits. Bamboo is not a tree but is the stem of a grass that grows primarily in China and is available as a solid plank or engineered form. The debate between what is better has been ongoing since engineered products were first introduced. In our opinion one product is not superior enough to be a clear winner. The decision to go with one or the other is going to be determined by the type of renovation you are doing, cost and timeline.
Before you do purchase one of these products you should consider the following.
Features of Solid
Bamboo Solid bamboo flooring comes in three basic varieties: vertical, horizontal and the strand woven. Of these, horizontal and vertical are the most popular and are manufactured by gluing dozens of bamboo strips with a resin or adhesive. The horizontal design is created by laying sheets of bamboo side by side and the vertical pattern is created by showing the vertical edge of the bamboo. Strand woven is made from bamboo pressed together to form blocks that are sliced like hardwood flooring.
Features of Engineered Bamboo
Engineered bamboo is available in the same styles as solid planks but this design layer or veneer does not run the full thickness of the plank. This veneer sits on top of the substrate and means you can only refinish your floor 2-3 times. However, the benefit of an engineered product is that the substrate provides additional lateral support which prevents the flooring from expanding and contracting as much as solid planks. Another positive of this product is that installation is much quicker and the flooring comes prefinished which means you will save on installation cost and having to hire someone to apply a urethane finish as you would on a solid plank floor.
Installation
Solid bamboo is installed using adhesives or nails. Engineered bamboo is a floating floor application using a tongue and groove system to lock each plank together. The tongue and groove system means you will not have to use messy adhesives or nails during installing and you can walk on your floor immediately after installation since most engineered flooring comes prefinished.
Benefits
Engineered bamboo flooring is much more stable then solid planks and is able to handle changes in moisture without showing the expansions and contraction gaps that appear with solid flooring. The biggest benefit of engineered flooring is the amount of time and money you will save since installation is far easier and cheaper.
Top quality engineered bamboo flooring that’s easy to install and comes prefinished from the factory. To see our full line of engineered bamboo flooring visit http://www.FlooringStoreOnline.com.
By John Countryman