Both cork and bamboo are sustainable flooring products that are better for the environment and can offer a durable and stylish options for our homes. But exactly how do they compare in terms of cost and maintenance? Are they really the most durable and green materials? If you’re in the market for some new flooring, here’s the pros and cons of cork vs. bamboo flooring to help you decide which might be the better option for your home.
Pros of Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is soft to walk on and has a high level of sound abatement which means it insulates against sound. This makes cork an ideal flooring for condos or multi-level homes when keeping noise down is important.
Cork also has a high temperature insulation factor as well. This is great for smaller homes built on foundations without basements because floors may feel warmer than with those with other types of hardwood or tile floors.
Cork can also be stained any color imaginable and it can be cut into many different shapes in order to achieve whatever pattern you like. Best of all, cork is biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
Cons of Cork Flooring
Cork is soft and does not hold up well against heavy furniture like buffets or consoles being placed on it. Furniture with tapered legs, hairpin style legs or heavy furniture will cause dents to appear. Heavy objects falling on the flooring will also cause significant denting.
Cost of Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is quite budget friendly, coating about $5 to $10 a square foot and it is easy to install, which keeps cost for installation low as well, typically around $3 a square foot for most contractors.
Installation of Cork Flooring
A lot of cork flooring has tongue and groove edging which means they can be installed a lot like laminate flooring. You butt the opposite ends together and you can lightly tap them tight with a tapping block and rubber mallet. Because it is a floating floor, it can be installed directly over a concrete or subfloor without adhesives.
Cleaning Cork Floors
Cork floors should be swept often and washed with warm water and a mild detergent. I prefer to use a steamer with a just water and a cap of white vinegar. It’s important to not saturate the cork with water or let water pool on it because it could seep into it and cause discoloration or deterioration. Ring out a mop so that it is damp and don’t leave a powered steamer sitting on the floor after use.
Bamboo is another popular flooring option. Here’s some things to consider:
Pros of Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring is a great option if you want a very durable floor. It’s a very strong wearing option for wood flooring. It’s quite water resistant, which adds to its easy maintenance and durability. That being said, it is not waterproof and spills should be cleaned up just like on any wood flooring.
Depending on the grade of the product, it can stand up to a lot of traffic. So, a busy house with kids and pets should be no problem for bamboo floors.
It’s very sustainable and regenerates quickly in nature. There are a lot of different kinds of bamboo flooring with different wood grain patterns, colorways, and finishes, so finding a stylish option for your project will be relatively easy. Always speak to a reputable flooring dealer so that you can ask specific questions about the specifics pertaining to the product you’re interested in.
Cons of Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo tends to have a more “modern” look and patterning which sometimes doesn’t really go with older homes with “traditional” fixtures.
Bamboo has a high VOC, volatile organic compound, because of the way it is manufactured. Stalks are cut into thin pieces and glued together with adhesives and pressure. So, although it’s a sustainable product, it has implications of not being a “green” product based on the toxicity of the glues and potential contamination of the space that it is used in.
You don’t want to install bamboo in a high humidity environment like basements because it can absorb the moisture from the air and cause swelling and buckling. Conversely, if the climate is too aired and dry, bamboo can shirk and potentially crack. It’s not the ideal product for hot, dry attic spaces either.
Like cork, heavy objects with metal supports or blunt legs will cause dents to eventually appear. The good news is bamboo, unlike cork, can be sanded and refinished if surface scratches are bothersome.
Cost to Install Bamboo Flooring
The cost of bamboo flooring is similar to cork: $5 to $10 a square foot. In my experience, most contractors charge around $4 a square foot to install bamboo because of the use of glue and underlay.
I like Cali brand bamboo floors. They offer light, medium and dark colors and various size planks: think, wide, extra wide to suit a number of different design projects. They have a customer support like where you can ask expert advice and get free samples as well. Again, I’m not an affiliate for their products.
Installation of Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo typically comes in planks like other types of wood flooring. It has a tongue and grove joinery and needs to be installed over a level sub floor with a vapor barrier. The pieces must be glued together with PVA glue to ensure that the planks don’t separate at the seams when being used. It’s important to stagger the joints and use spacers when installing to give the planks some extra security in their position and to allow for expansion later on.
Because of factors like possibly leveling the sub-floor and installing a vapor barrier, bamboo is not the easiest beginner diy project.
Cleaning of bamboo floors
Bamboo tends to scratch easily, so keeping debris like stones or coarse dirt off it will help to maintain it’s finish. Other than that, I would clean it with a damp mop or steamer with moderate hot water and vinegar like cork. Again, don’t let pools of water sit on bamboo and remove the steamer and wet steamer pad from remaining on the floor after use.
There you have it
My take on the true durability and sustainability of cork and bamboo flooring.
Pros & cons of cork vs. bamboo flooring
The Cost of each Where to find each product Installation of both
The maintenance of cork and bamboo flooring
I’d love to hear your experiences with cork or bamboo flooring. Each product can provide years of durability and beautiful design to any space. Did you have trouble with a diy installation or did it go smoothly?
Have you experienced different things with either product that you didn’t expect for better or worse? Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
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Until next week my friends, have an amazing weekend and remember to keep your dreams big for your small space!
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Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.
