cork vs bamboo floors (buy, installing, environment, repair)

[PAhippo]

anyone have either of these? or both?

Why did you pick one rather than the other?

Like it? How long have you had it and how much wear does the room it's in get?

[karen_in_nh_2012]

My old house (which I am renting out) has bamboo in the main living areas with carpet in the bedrooms and tile in the bathrooms and kitchen. The bamboo is beautiful and seems very durable. It replaced 9-year-old carpet -- even though I vacuumed regularly, with lots of cats I am sure it was pretty yucky.

The tenants have been there almost a year now and really like the bamboo. I would definitely get it again.

This was what I got: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...amboo+flooring

When I remodel the kitchen at my current house, I will definitely consider cork for the flooring, if it can look OK next to the hardwood floor of the dining room next to it. (I think bamboo might look odd next to the dining room's oak floor.)

[PAhippo]

forgot to ask: did you install it? How easy was it to do it yourself?


I like that! Sort of medium dark.

guess I gotta get my self up to Home Depot.

[karen_in_nh_2012]

One of my tenants has a lot of experience in residential construction/improvements and he installed it (for a rent break). Apparently it was pretty easy, even on a slab (no basement at that house -- very odd for New Hampshire). He put down a moisture barrier first -- can't remember all the details but he did what was recommended for installing on a slab.

It really is beautiful but I also bought it for durability after doing lots of research, since that house is likely to be a rental for several years.

It's not sold at all Home Depot stores (you can check inventory at local stores online) -- I had to buy it online although I got free shipping. I was able to return the extras to my local store (kept a box in case of repairs in the future).

[GregW]

Cork and bamboo can be considered renewable resources as cork is the bark of a tree that is harvested without killing the trees. Bamboo is a very fast growing grass that is effectively unkillable once it takes hold. Both are fabricated into flooring in a controlled factory environment. IIRC cork flooring is made from scrap cork from the wine cork industry. Bamboo is continously harvested.

We are considering replacing carpet in the living area with bamboo.

[PAhippo]

Why bamboo? Why not cork?


I'm debating between the 2. I know someone who has used cork and she thinks it's great but hasn't used bamboo at all. Seems like users of either are few and far between. sigh

[karen_in_nh_2012]

From what I've read, cork is easy on your feet -- which is why I may very well go with that instead of tile when I remodel my current kitchen in a few years.

If I were replacing carpet at my current house, I would buy the bamboo again in a second. The only reason I won't buy it for this house is that many of the floors are hardwood already (oak).

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by PAhippo

Why bamboo? Why not cork?

We have engineered cork planks in the kitchen and bamboo (solid, not engineered) in my husband's office upstairs. I love the cork in the kitchen, but it hasn't held up well - after almost 6 years, I am replacing it this year (haven't decided with what). The bamboo in the office has held up well, even with my husband's chair rolling across the floor. There are a couple dents where there is a softer area, but for an office it is fine.

[MissingAll4Seasons]

I've had both. Bamboo looks more like wood (has a grain and takes stain), so it blends in with other hardwoods better or if you prefer that look. Cork looks more like stone tile, and it is easier on your feet and legs if you have to stand a lot (excellent in kitchens!). Cork is also a bit more sound dampening than bamboo, so it's good for large/long "echo" spaces like foyers and hallways.

Both can be found in floating floor planks or tiles, similar to the composite laminate systems. In that case, it's easy to install. It's slightly more difficult for an adhered floor, but no more difficult than hardwood or tile.

Bamboo is also more appropriate if you want to lay a pattern in the floor, like these:





But you can get checkerboard and brick patterns easily with cork.

[Fern435]

Our home has cork flooring from WE Cork in Exeter, NH and we like the appearance and comfort. It may not be durable enough for high-traffic areas. One thing I remember reading about bamboo is that it tends to fade/discolor in sunlight.