Bamboo vs. Hardwood Flooring: What Tampa Residents Need to Know

Author: kathycarbone | Posted: 05.04.2012

When you’re building a house, you have to make one big decision after another, the consequences of which you would have to live with for a long time. One of the biggest decisions you would have to make is what type of floor to install. For most people, wood flooring is the best type, but then that would branch out to even more decisions.

Two of the most popular wood flooring options these days are hardwood and bamboo. Hardwood flooring has been popular among Americans for a long time because of its clean, durable look that complements just about every type of décor. Bamboo, on the other hand, is a relatively new entrant to the wood flooring business but is steadily gaining ground as a durable and green flooring alterative. Before you choose, though, you have to consider several factors.

One of the biggest selling factors of bamboo is its eco-friendliness. Bamboo is a renewable resource that doesn’t die when cut and grows very fast, making it an ideal source of building material. Hardwood trees do regenerate, though they take longer to grow; yet they yield more wood, which means less cost for more product.

Hardwood flooring, especially the ever-popular red oak, is known for its durability. However, natural bamboo is considered 50% more stable than red oak, assuming that the bamboo flooring you get is natural, which most people don’t like because of its light color. Darker bamboo floors are carbonized, which softens the material considerably, making it less durable than its lighter counterpart.

This brings us to another major issue when it comes to deciding whether you should choose hardwood or bamboo. Bamboo only has two colors: light or dark. Hardwood flooring Tampa stores sell, on the other hand, offers endless choices depending on what type of tree you’re using. Colors range from light-yellow to shades of deep red, and you can choose those with consistent grains or natural swirls and designs.

Another thing to consider is the maintenance the material needs. Bamboo flooring may be difficult to refinish, while some say you don’t need to refinish it at all; meanwhile, Hardwood flooring Tampa households have only need to be refinished every four or five years. While bamboo’s lack of need to refinish is financially appealing, being able to refinish your floor may be something to look forward to, especially if you’re going to redecorate.

Tampa hardwood flooring and bamboo are both very good choices, but you have to consider your wants and needs so you can find the best type of floor for your home. For more information, visit DirectBuyArticles.com/19/Six-6-Great-Benefits-of-Hardwood-Floors or OnlineTips.org/Flooring/Bamboo-Advantages-Disadvantages.

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