Bamboo or not?

[worriedjill]

I had set my mind on bamboo floors for my new build, (hardwearing, sustainable source and reasonably priced), however on googling I found a website that detailed all the problems experienced by users in the US. They were all so mad that they wanted to get together to bring a class action against somebody - the suppliers, the importers the manufacturers - anybody!

I realise our climate is different from California and Florida and maybe I would take more care - not drag furniture across the floors, use rugs and not wear shoes, but I am worried by their stories of gouges and scratches appearing in the first week of use. Dogs seemed to be a big problem causing damage to the surface and others said cupping was a problem. Does anyone have first hand experience of using bamboo in living areas please?

 

[D1nhs]

hi,

I was going to buy a bamboo veneer from Ikea, yes the layer was thin, but after taking out one plank in the store and having my girlfriend walk over it with heels, it left indentations.

That was only walking over it once, couldnt imagine what it would look like after a week, let alone a year!

I guess veneer would be much softer than solid bamboo, but thought id let you know.

 

[worriedjill]

Thanks of for your comment. I wonder if walking on any wood floor in stilletoes would cause dents. That is my problem - are all wood floors likely to scratch easily? I have had pine floors before, but they were old boards with lots of patina (scratches and dents really, so I didn't have to worry about adding a few more).

 

[WoodYouLike]

Things you SHOULD NOT expect from a wooden floor!

1. A floor without (tiny) gaps between the floorboards, or within the parquet pieces. Although your new floor may start tight together, as a natural product is will continue to absorb and release moist. This natural process will cause the floor to expand and shrink from season to season, resulting in gaps between some of the boards in your floor. Some colours, such as white, will show this more than others.

2. A floor that will not indent. In spite of the term hardwood, most floors will indent under high heel traffic (specially when heels are damaged), dropping hard or sharp materials on it. The finish that is applied will not prevent the dents.

3. A monochromatic floor. Wood, as a natural product, varies from piece to piece, from board to board. Remember it's not fabricated (like Melamine Laminate flooring), it's milled from a tree and will have grain and colour variations consistent with the grade and species of the wood selected.

4. A dust-free finish. When we/you apply the finish to the floor in your home, it's not possible to achieve a 'clear room' environment. Some dust will fall into the freshly applied material.

Remember that furniture, cabinets, doors etc are fabricated in a factory under ideal conditions and that they contain 1 - 10 different pieces of wood. Your floor is 'fabricated' in your own home and is made up of 10 to a thousand individual pieces.
Remember also that your floor is never to be duplicated, a truly custom wooden floor of your own!

 

[worriedjill]

Thanks for the info. Do you have an opinion on Bamboo ?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Personal opinion: way too busy appearance
Professional opinion: it's a product of nature, so will 'work' when too much or too little moist in the air, available in 4 types (2 colours, 2 ways of composing the boards). There are good products around, you'll notice that on the price. Most cheap offers will give you rubbish products that dent and/or damage the finish easier, plus the glueing of the composed boards isn't as good as the quality products.

Remember: "The bitter taste of poor quality remains long after the sweet taste of a low price is forgotten."