What is the difference between bamboo and hardwood floors?
All too often contemporary customers find themselves spoilt for choice when they have to choose a flooring material for their house of commercial building. Many people can hardly tell the difference between the standard hardwood floors and the bamboo flooring, which is gaining more and more popularity. In general, they look the same and they are manufactured in the same sizes, shapes and patterns. Another feature they have in common is that they are prone to staining and require a special cleaning approach. So, how can you make an informed decision and choose hardwood or bamboo flooring? Read on and get familiar with the differences between these two types of flooring.
- The biggest difference between hardwood and bamboo is that the latter is not made of trees. Bamboo is pretty much grass sliced down to sheets. Then, these sheets are either laminated or shredded.
- Both flooring materials, bamboo and hardwood, are resistant to water damages but you are not advised to treat them with harsh chemicals containing acids.
- If you opt for bamboo flooring, you should be prepare to experience serious setbacks when it comes to floor sanding. As mentioned above, bamboo is not actual wood and therefore, you should be really careful when you perform such procedures. In addition, the formaldehyde, used for bamboo flooring turns into dust when you sand the floor.
- On the other hand, damages on standard hardwood floors can be easily fixed. Wood floor sanding and polishing procedures should be able to remove scratches and restore the great condition of your floor. However, you should keep in mind that water is the biggest enemy of your hardwood floor. You should deal with spillages right away and use only mild cleaning substances that do not contain acids.
No matter if you choose to install bamboo or hardwood, you can be sure that the final result will be impressive. After all, there is a good reason why natural materials are so widespread. They not only look beautiful, but they are also praised for their heat and noise-isolating properties.
