Different Types of Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring has become a standout option in the flooring space over the years.

That’s because bamboo offers many of the perks that come with hardwood floors (though technically speaking, bamboo is actually a grass) along with a bundle of other unique benefits.

If you’re trying to compare bamboo to just about any other kind of flooring, you’re in for a bit of a pickle because there’s a ton of conflicting information out there about bamboo.

Worry not, cause today we’re going to set the record straight with a deep dive into everything you need to know about different types of bamboo floors. 

SImilarities Between Bamboo and Hardwood Floors

Bamboo flooring is made from bamboo grass, though it’s commonly thought of as a type of hardwood flooring, for a couple of different reasons. 

For starters, it looks like hardwood, mostly because the grain patterns and color variations of bamboo can mimic those found in common hardwoods such as oak and hickory. 

It also comes in similarly sized planks, which makes it easy to install and integrate into designs that traditionally feature hardwood floors. 

Bamboo flooring can be constructed as either a solid or engineered product, which makes it quite versatile and good for different environmental conditions and installation requirements. 

Finally, just like hardwood, bamboo can be stained to achieve a variety of aesthetics, ranging from light, natural hues to rich, dark tones. 

That, however, is where the similarities end. Whereas solid hardwood flooring is simply cut from a single log, each bamboo flooring plank is a composite of several individual bamboo stalks. 

The way in which the planks are constructed depends on the type of bamboo flooring you purchase. 

Types of Bamboo Flooring

There are three different types of bamboo flooring: horizontal, vertical, and strand-woven. All three of these varieties can be purchased as solid planks or engineered planks.

It’s worth noting that engineered plank options are way more durable and resistant to warping and bending than its solid wood counterparts. 

Horizontal bamboo flooring 

Horizontal bamboo flooring is composed of bamboo strips that are cut, processed, laid on top of each other horizontally, and joined with ultra-strong adhesives into planks (for solid products) or veneers (for engineered products). 

It shows a prominent grain pattern with a knotty visual, similar to what bamboo looks like in its natural form.

This type of bamboo flooring tends to be more visually striking and is ideal for those looking to highlight the organic texture and pattern of bamboo. 

Additionally, horizontal bamboo flooring is known for its warm, rustic appearance, making it a popular choice for traditional or rustic-style homes

Vertical bamboo flooring 

Vertical bamboo flooring is composed in much the same way—but rather than being stacked horizontally after processing, the bamboo strips are perched on top of each other vertically. 

This gives vertical bamboo flooring a more uniform, streamlined look that’s a bit more reminiscent of wood.

The vertical arrangement of the strips results in a subtle grain pattern that is less pronounced than horizontal bamboo, offering a sleek, modern aesthetic that is often favored in contemporary home designs

Strand woven bamboo flooring

Instead of being cut into strips, strand woven bamboo is processed, shredded into individual fibers, mixed with adhesive, and then pressed into blocks using a mixture of pressure and heat. 

This makes it the hardest type of bamboo flooring, since its bamboo fibers interlock. In fact, strand woven bamboo is one of the most durable options in the entire flooring space, with its hardness being two and a half times that of white oak.

This means that if you’re looking for a highly durable flooring solution, strand woven bamboo might be the way to go. That being said, it’s also more expensive than horizontal or vertical options, and its look is a bit less unique.