Cork or bamboo flooring? Which would you choose if

[japple]

money were no object.

I am planning to replace the flooring in my whole house. Right now I have a berber-type carpet that was an extremely poor choice and probably of a poor quality. My house is a small wood-frame model with a great room in the middle, one bedroom & kitchen on one side and two smaller bedrooms with jack/jill bath on the other side. I am leaning towards floating plank cork flooring because of the environmental and health benefits, but I'm concerned about how well it will wear with 4 cats and 1 small dog.

I've read quite a bit of information on the web and did a DU search of a previous thread about cork flooring as well, but that discussion was some time ago and I'm hoping someone new might chime in now.

The sub floor is probably whatever was the cheapest thing on the market in 1981, but I think it's in okay shape.

[Warpy]

1. Both are renewable and easy on the feet

I'd probably go with the bamboo only because it grows faster and is replaced faster. In addition, I prefer the aesthetics, although both are attractive.

I've considered both in the past.

[AlCzervik]

2. i love the look of Bamboo, it's not that i don't like cork but bamboo is just really

spiffy looking.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Frank Lloyd Wright used a lot of cork. It wears very well

He used a great deal of it in commercial buildings and high traffic areas. Much of his original flooring is still where he called for it 40, 50, 80 years ago.

I like both materials. I have seriously looked into both materials. If it were me, I'd go with cork.

[japple]

4. I have some cork samples and they are beautiful. What I

really need to help me make my decision is for one of my cats to hork up a furball on one of the samples so I can see how easy it will be to clean.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. The cleanability is a function of the finish that's applied to whatever cork you choose.

Most of the modern, engineered cork flooring is prefinished with a coating that's essentially bulletproof.

But so is bamboo.

[randr]

6. Cork flooring prone to shrinkage

Cork flooring requires a high humidity level to prevent shrinkage. I live in Colorado and have been dissuaded by suppliers against cork for this reason. Check with the specific manufacturer for recommendations.
I saw bamboo used for a countertop where the wood had been baked to produce a beautiful tan tone. I am not sure if this process is commercially available but it was one of the most natural looking wood finishes I have ever seen.

[Dora]

7. I'd choose the cork.

We bought flooring last year, and because we were on a limited budget I thought bamboo would be our best choice. After looking at samples at different dealers, and talking with sales people about performance, I changed my mind. The bamboo is not good for use in kitchens or other places where moisture might be a concern (definitely NOT bathrooms) because the bamboo wicked the moisture more than other woods. One of the flooring samples we saw (5'x6' floor panel) was less than a year old, and showed warping.

Ultimately we went with tavern-grade engineered pecan planks. They look awesome, and have performed amazingly.

I think if cork had been in our budget we would have considered it.

[wildeyed]

8. I have had cork in my high traffic kitchen/dining area for two years.

It has worn well. I have two dogs, one quite large, and two little kids. There is some scratching of the finish coat at the sliding glass door to the yard where they all go in and out, but it probably would have been worse with hardwood. I am also a messy and enthusiastic cook, so this floor really gets a workout!

A friend has the caramelized bamboo, and he said that it hasn't worn well at all. Something about the process that they use to darken the wood also weakens it. So if you want the darker color, research carefully first.

[Kolesar]

9. The tongues and the grooves break off of bamboo planks...eom

[japple]

10. Well, I went with cork, and I LOVE IT!!!

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[NMDemDist2]

11. it's beautiful!!! is it slick for the dog

or is there some texture to it?

[japple]

12. Yes, the cats and dog are having to learn to walk on it. It

is a bit slippery, even for me, too. There is a bit of give to it, though, because there's cork on the backing as well, and a sort of spongy kind of underlayment. It's probably like walking on new hardwood flooring.

[Virginian]

14. Now that my brother has wood floors, the cat

gets a running start and slides down the hallway. He is so good at entertaining himself sometimes. You can hear his claws slipping as he is trying to get traction to run. He is like a cartoon.
I hope your animals learn to have fun with their new floor, too. It is so much better than getting a claw stuck in the berber.

[japple]

15. Yes, cats and dog were getting their claws caught in the carpet

all the time. One cat even perfected a hopping gait on 3 legs so he wouldn't have to put the foot with the ragged claw on the carpet. All is well now. The kittehs are slipping and sliding and having a great time chasing their furry mice.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. Dat looks mahvelus!

[MinneapolisMatt]

16. Just a little anecdote about cork flooring...

My parent's house (the one I grew up in) was built in 1952. Just a small, anonymous rambler, has cork flooring in the front entry hall.

It is in perfect condition still! We had a dog with sharp nails growing up, and nothing ever happened to it. Plus, it's really nice on your feet...even a little bit springy.

Hope that helps!

[sam sarrha]

17. bamboo is as strong as mild steel, its density is very protective.. if affordable, it's best

[madokie]

18. We put bamboo in our bedroom and hallway last year and we love it.

Up to this point it still looks as it did when I finished the installation.