Cork Vs Bamboo Flooring

Although it is commonly grouped with hardwood flooring bamboo is not actually a wood but rather a woody grass.

Cork vs bamboo flooring.

Bamboo a native plant to tropical regions with heavy rainfalls grows much faster than hardwood and has a different cellular structure. The average price of cork flooring is between 3 to 5 per square foot. The hardness of bamboo is rated similar to hardwood according to the janka index that rates bamboo harder than oak ash and maple among others. 91 points cork flooring.

If comfort is your priority nothing beats cork. Even though both flooring types are affordable cork flooring has the edge and is the least expensive optionof the two. Neither bamboo nor cork are completely waterproof but both are water resistant and could work with pets as long as you are diligent about cleaning up quickly. Bamboo flooring cons bamboo s hardness is usually considered a strength but this feature also makes the flooring noisier than a softer pick like cork.

Cork flooringis even more affordable. The final score is. If you prefer a material similar to traditional wood flooring bamboo might be right for you. Ultimately your flooring decision comes down to personal taste or lifestyle.

The installation methods for cork and bamboo flooring are similar except that bamboo has one more option than cork. This is true but the reality is slightly more complicated. If you re looking to minimize sound in your home you might want a different option. Cork flooring can be installed as a floating floor or glued down.

Cork is produced from the bark of the cork tree and can be re harvested every ten years without ever damaging the tree itself. The main pro of cork and bamboo flooring sustainability. Bamboo is not wood. Bamboo and cork flooring are both thought of as sustainable options that provide a great alternative to traditional wood flooring.

On average bamboo flooring is more affordable at 5 to 7 per square foot. Since bamboo is more resilient than hardwood though not as cork it is considered more durable than hardwood. While bamboo loses out on comfort underfoot scoring just 2 to bamboo s 10 and its lower air quality score it claws back some points on ease of installation and water resistance. If bamboo flooring is exposed to direct sunlight it can begin to lose some of its color.

Cork is the more pet friendly of.