Timber flooring has been around for a long time, in the form of solid wood or veneered (floating timber) floors. It’s the first choice for people who want their homes to include the warm look of wood, or who just don’t like carpet. There haven’t been a lot of other options.

However, that has changed in recent years. Bamboo flooring is an environmentally friendly, strong, lasting alternative to using timber flooring. Here’s some information about bamboo and how it performs against floating and solid timber.

Floating timber floors, unlike the more expensive solid timber type, are made of a layer of wood veneer a few millimeters thick, laminated on top of a less expensive timber, or even a composite material made from waste wood. Bamboo floors are made of solid bamboo, offering greater durability over time for less than you’d pay for a solid timber floor. Plus, bamboo is a stronger, harder to damage material than almost any wood.

A bamboo floor, unlike floating timber, is fixed permanently to the surface on which it sits. That makes it a lot more stable than timber. There’s less movement or opening of the joints between the individual pieces.

Unlike both floating and solid timber floors, bamboo flooring doesn’t sound hollow when walked upon. It’s also a lot harder to scratch and easier to clean than either type of timber floor.

The fact that the individual pieces of flooring don’t move or shift also makes refinishing bamboo easier. There’s a much better surface to work with than solid timber, and veneered wood floors can’t be refinished at all!

Veneered timber flooring must be replaced if it’s damaged. Bamboo, on the other hand, can last another five to ten years if you have it resurfaced. It can even be resurfaced more times than just about any other floor type.

If you’re concerned about sustainability and the environment, bamboo is the better choice. While both timber and bamboo are renewable natural resources, it takes a long time for timber to renew. Veneered timber requires less hardwood to produce, but it still uses softwoods, composite woods, and even toxic and environmentally damaging glues.

These types of practices occur mostly in countries that don’t regulate or enforce their regulations. All you have to do to find out if your bamboo is being grown sustainably is do a little research. There are plenty of products out there that are made with environmentally sustainable bamboo - just find out what you can to be sure you’re getting the product you’re paying for.

If durability is a serious concern, bamboo is the better choice over hardwood. Bamboo stands up well to daily wear, and there are a number of floors that come with a warranty. You should, however, be willing to spend the money for a quality product that will last out the years.

Where contraction and expansion are issues, you’ll find that bamboo offers a favorable performance. Unlike hardwood veneer floorings, bamboo will hold up to a number of resurfacings, and there’s no treatment or waxing required. To make sure you get a product that’s non toxic and fully sustainable, look for flooring that uses glues that won’t off gas and don’t contain toxic chemicals.

If you’ve been considering bamboo flooring, or just want to find out more, take a look online. There are lots of stores offering bamboo flooring that’ll last for years, feel a lot like hardwood, and be kind to the world around you.