Three styles of Green Building Supply Strand Bamboo:

The main differences are: 1) how they are installed, 2) where they can be installed, 3) who can install them, 4) initial cost and 5) installation costs.

1.Solid Tongue and Groove that is installed professionally with glue or nails. It requires a perfectly flat subfloor of concrete, plywood or OSB. 3 ¾ wide or 5 ⅝ wide x 9/16 thick x 6’ long.

2.Engineered Click Lock is a DIY floating floor applied over an underlayment with no glue or nails. 5 ⅝ or 7 ½” wide x 9/16” thick and 6’ long.

3.Engineered Tongue and Groove that is professionally glued or nailed down, or DIY floated. It can be glued over concrete, plywood or OSB or floated with an underlayment that includes a vapor barrier. 5 ⅝ wide x 9/16 thick x 6’ long.

Bamboo Solid Tongue and Groove (See all of our solid bamboo floors here)

Pros

1. It’s solid all the way through and can be resanded 2-4 times.
2. Glued to concrete and nailed or glued to plywood or OSB subfloors
3. Installed on or above grade in kitchens, living, dining, bathrooms or playrooms
4. Available in smooth, hand scraped, light wire brushed or antiqued
5. Lowest initial cost

Cons

1. It cannot be installed in a basement
2. Gluing or nailing takes longer than floating and requires a professional
3. The subfloor must be perfectly flat which often requires additional prep work to level out the floor
4. Although the flooring itself may cost less than the engineered products, the cost for the glue or nails plus additional labor is usually more
5. Not suited for radiant heated subfloors
6. Replacement of flooring is difficult and costly

Bamboo Engineered Click Lock (See all of our engineered floating floors here)

Pros

1. The wear layer can be re-sanded up to two times
2. Higher dimensional stability than solid floors
3. Installed in basements, kitchens, bathrooms all the way up to the attic
4. Available in the widest planks of 5 ⅝ or 7 ½”
5. Variety of finishes from antiqued, flat/smooth to light wire brushed
6. DIY installation must be floated over a 3 in 1 underlayment and vapor barrier. This adds cush, quietness and warmth to the floor
7. Easiest, fastest and therefore the least expensive of all types to install as no glue or nails are required. Just click and go in ⅓ the time of nail or glue down
8. Easier to replace a plank if needed compared to glue down
9. Warranted for installation above a radiant heated subfloor

Cons

1. Slightly higher initial cost than solid and Engineered tongue and groove
2. Underlayment and vapor barrier add a little extra to the cost as well which is usually made up for by the reduced labor costs
3. Installations where humidity fluctuates more than 20% a year, i.e. very damp in summer and very dry in winter, require maximum run of 25 linear feet across and 45 linear feet lengthwise. Any more requires a T molding

Bamboo Engineered Tongue and Groove. (See all of our engineered tongue and groove floors)

Pros

1. The wear layer can be re-sanded up to two times
2. Higher dimensional stability than solid floors which allows for installation in basements, kitchens, bathrooms all the way up to the attic
3. Variety of finishes from antiqued, flat/smooth to light wire brushed
4. DIY installation must be floated over a 3 in 1 underlayment and vapor barrier. This adds cush, quietness and warmth to the floor
5. It is easier than a nail or glue down but when floated it is not as easy or fast as the Engineered click lock. It requires a bead of adhesive along the inside of the groove of each plank
6. Easier to replace a plank if needed compared to glue down
7. Warranted for installation above a radiant heated subfloor

Cons

1. The initial cost is slightly more expensive than the solid but a little less than the Engineered Click Lock.
2. It is only available in one width, i.e. 5 ⅝.
3. The underlayment and vapor barrier add a little extra to the cost as well which is usually made up for by the reduced labor costs
4. If humidity fluctuates more than 20% a year, i.e. very damp in summer and very dry in winter, the maximum recommended run is 25 linear feet across and 45 linear feet lengthwise. Any more requires a T molding

Similarity of all three types

In terms of durability, safety and sustainability all types of strand bamboo are virtually the same. From a durability perspective there is no real difference between solid and engineered as they will be equal in performance. Both engineered bamboo click lock flooring and solid strand woven bamboo floors are prized for their toughness and far outperform traditional hardwoods in kitchens and high traffic areas due to extreme resistance to denting, and typically will not be permanently damaged by pet claws. Strand bamboo is also highly water-resistant for up to 30 hours. Maintenance of each type of floor is identical.

From a health standpoint, there is no difference in indoor air quality between engineered and solid as they both utilize the same non-toxic adhesives which contain no added urea formaldehyde, meet the CARB Phase 2 indoor air standard and are Floorscore certified.

From an environmental perspective, bamboo is a natural product and when responsibly harvested will renew itself every 5-6 years. Both engineered and solid bamboo products are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified which ensures the bamboo is managed in a socially, economically and environmentally responsible manner. Bamboo flooring is far more sustainable than cutting down old growth trees or using petroleum-based vinyl or plastics to make flooring.