# Bamboo vs hardwod vs cork vs laminate



## Floorwizard (Dec 5, 2003)

best for durability is going to be a lam hands down.
Bamboo would be just like wood and cork is softer.

BUT

Wood can be refinished and so can cork and bamboo and they all add value to the home.

But to answer your question.....Lam.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2008)

The top coat on laminate is tougher but once you do chip it, it looks like crap and there isn't much you can do but replace that piece of laminate. Any of the others can be refinished, though cork would be tougher. If you go with bamboo, I'd get a Strand bamboo. It's compressed under high heat after being injected with adhesive. It's twice as hard as regular bamboo. But the wear layer is the same on them. I like Bamtex brand. Nine layers of Aluminum Oxide acrylic urethane.


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## acarp1000 (Mar 19, 2008)

*I have some of the same questions*

Hi, I am on a limited budget and want to get the most bang for my buck. 
I accidentally ran my kitchen sink over in October and with what the Insurance paid for damages I can re-do my whole kitchen :thumbup: (which needs it bad) IF I can make deals/ find discounted items etc... I have a very bad back, bad knees and my hobby is baking, wedding cakes, ect.. These require a lot of time on your feet. I recently stood on a cork floor at the home/garden show and LOVED it. I couldn't believe how much cushion it had. Like standing on carpet. I have been told by others with laminate, if you get it wet it will start to buckle or bubble?? I have read up on Bamboo and several have said it dents easy?? 
Being in a kitchen I would want it to hold up with cooking and having to mop up a lot and also dropping items like knives or meat forks. I guess nothing is impervious but I know I can't stand on stone, tile or granite at all. Nor can I afford them. Now that my boys have left home I don't plan to stay here for more than 5 years tops. BUT I want something that will help the re-sale value. I also don't want to have to replace due to wear and tear before I put the house on the mkt. Thank you for any input.


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2008)

Cork will definitely offer cushion that the others don't. I've heard that Bamboo dents easily too but for the life of me I can't see why. A good bamboo is harder than oak. Strand bamboo is more than twice as hard as oak. I've got a Bamtex sample of it at my store and the stuff is rock hard.


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## acarp1000 (Mar 19, 2008)

Thanks for the info. I was also looking at Bamboo, Lumber Liquidators has both and I don't know if they offer a good quality brand or not. But the price was great! Thanks for the help!


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## acarp1000 (Mar 19, 2008)

Can you tell me what Strand Bamboo looks like? Here is the web site from LL and it shows pictures of bamboo and cork, does the bamboo look like what you are referring to? Also I noticed in their reviews on the cork that people talked about putting 2 or 3 coats of polyurethane on top of the cork after installing...what I saw at the home show appeared to be completely sealed from the get go. http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/flooring.jsp?categoryId=2
Sorry to be so much trouble but I have to start making final decisions or I will end up eating cold cereal for the next few weeks! :laughing:


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2008)

Those look similar to what I sell. The one at the very bottom is strand bamboo. It looks woven when the others are cut and glued as strips. Honestly I wouldn't buy anything from Lumber Liquidators. They have far too much junk product mixed in with the few decent things they sell. If you want to consider buying anything from them order sample from them first to make sure of what you are getting. You can also go to www.wflooring.com and order Bamtex samples which is the brand I carry. Decide for yourself which is the better product. 

As for cork, you have to be careful what type you are getting. They make it prefinished and "sanded" which means it uncoated so it can be stained and sealed. I personally would rather have prefinished since the aluminum oxide wear layers are tougher than any urethane you can apply in the field.


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## Floorwizard (Dec 5, 2003)

> A good bamboo is harder than oak.


True, but only about 25% harder.
That is if they use Moso Bamboo and harvest it at the right time and use the correct part of the stalk. But still 25% will dent and scratch.
Strand Bamboo should be 100% harder. But can also still dent and scratch.

Teregren sells the best quality Bamboo IMHO.


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## acarp1000 (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you for all your help, I have a Lumber Liquidator store just a mile from my house. I am going to go over and damage a few samples <G> and see what I think. I do like the fact that it can be re-finished. I wanted the really natural color but if that is the cheapest kind I will go with the darker strand style for durability. I researched the Morning Star brand and several places have said it is a good quality product because they use old bamboo. ?? 
This will get light traffic since it is just me at home now. I am also going to check into the cork flooring. Perhaps if I go with cork I may do the whole family room too. Then just buy a nice rug to go over it. The in-laws (all 20 of them) refuse to take off their shoes when they enter the house! Right now I have/had cream color carpet...not my choice it was here when we bought. Either way at least I could mop them out the door after they leave! LOL


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2008)

When going with bamboo, lighter color is better. The carbonize the product to get the darker color but this weakens the grass fiber. So the natural is harder than the carbonized color. 

And yes any wood or woodlike product will be susceptible to dent and scratching. As for the actual wear layer on laminate being harder, may not so much as you think. I was talking the Armstrong rep about this monday. He said that since they came out with the aluminum oxide wear layers on hardwood, laminate topcoat isn't really that much more durable. Now that is the finish itself. It doesn't take into account that the product under that finish varies in hardness. For example, urethane on cork with tear up faster than the same urethane on bamboo just because the cork is softer and doesn't offer as much support to the wear layer above it.


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