Is bamboo stronger than wood? Bamboo products are known for their excellent strength and durability. However, if you are new to the wood types, you may wonder about many points.
How strong is bamboo? How does bamboo compare to some other materials? Is it worth choosing?
Here is a simple flooring guide that you can explore before starting your new home design project!
What makes bamboo better than other wood products?
Bamboo is a good, durable, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional wood furniture making and flooring. I prefer bamboo furniture and flooring as a durable and eco-friendly option.
Here is a list of characteristics that make bamboo a better option over some other types of wood:
#1. Eco-friendliness: the fast-growing grass has extremely more chances to restore quickly than any type of tree.
Thus, harvesting bamboo doesn’t have such a drastic environmental impact as deforestation.
#2. Sustainability: by a list of characteristics, bamboo can be comparable to many types of solid hardwood. It can be much stronger than many traditional wood flooring types.
#3. Weight and handiness: the light weight of bamboo makes it much easier to deal with than a typical solid hardwood when redesigning your house.
#4. Average costs: the average price of bamboo flooring is generally less than hardwood ones.
#5. Moisture resistance: both bamboo and hardwood flooring are water-resistant, especially when finished properly. However, hardwood flooring is less moisture-resistant than bamboo.
Keep in mind that neither of these flooring types is fully waterproof, so they are not suitable for use in basements or any similar spaces with high moisture content.
#6. Hardness and sturdiness: since harder wood types are prone to denting and chipping, bamboo is a more reliable option to work with, as well as some types of soft wood. In furniture, it is more resistant to mechanical damage and easier to treat.
Benefits of bamboo flooring
Bamboo is a great natural material that is used for flooring and furniture making. A whole list of benefits makes bamboo one of the most popular building materials.
If you are wondering what are all the benefits of this strong and durable material, you should know about all the reasons to choose it for your design.
#1. Eco-friendly material
As a natural source, bamboo plants are beneficial in some points.
This is a super-renewable resource that can grow fast and make a new potential crop. As the world’s fastest-growing plant, it is a better eco-friendly option than any hardwood made of trees that take much more time to grow again.
To fully mature, the bamboo scaffolding needs about 3 years!
Making bamboo construction projects is much faster and safer than creating the same constructions from steel or concrete.
The engineered bamboo constructions are suitable for supporting loads of more than 500 pounds for a linear foot!
#2. Extreme strength and durability
Yes, bamboo is stronger than steel! Bamboo fibers can resist bending and hold more extra weight than regular wood.
It is an ideal material for many purposes: indoor and outdoor furniture, flooring, construction projects, and many others.
Generally, the tensile strength of bamboo products is up to 1,400 psi, which is higher than many other materials, including even such materials as concrete.
Besides, it can undergo multiple ways of processing, which makes it even more resilient and stronger!
For example, carbonized bamboo is created with the help of extreme heat in an oxygen-free environment. The material becomes stronger and gains more resistance to water impacts and insects.
The bamboo’s lifespan is not the longest of all the flooring types. However, it is higher than engineered hardwood flooring and some other veneer surfaces.
#3. Lightweight
Thanks to its lightweight structure, bamboo is a popular option for many building projects. It is super-easy to transport, move, and work with.
#4. High sustainability
Bamboo is widely known as one of the most sustainable materials all over the world! Thus, it is a great sustainable alternative to many wood species.
The dense fibers of bamboo allow the products to resist mechanical impacts.
#5. Affordable price
Bamboo furniture and flooring are affordable to buy. If the extra materials and tools are not included, the cost of bamboo flooring is less than other wood types.
#6. Easy maintenance
Unlike some other hardwood types, bamboo flooring doesn’t require any extra care tips and needs minimal maintenance. If treated properly, it is highly resilient to water impacts and pest infestations.
Drawbacks of bamboo flooring
Along with many benefits, bamboo furniture and flooring have their drawbacks that you need to consider:
#1. Shorter lifespan
Generally, bamboo’s lifespan is much longer than engineered hardwood flooring. But as for the actual hardwood, its longevity surpasses the bamboo’s one.
While many types of hardwood can last over 100 years or more, bamboo has a relatively shorter lifespan (about 30 to 50 years).
However, properly sealed flooring can last longer in the right conditions with moderate humidity levels.
#2. Vulnerable grain patterns
Bamboo grain patterns can be susceptible to moisture and temperature impacts. Because of its open grain, unprocessed bamboo furniture and flooring can warp and crack in high humidity levels.
The proper finishing can improve the situation, but some types of finishes are not compatible with bamboo.
I tried several finishes on my bamboo flooring and the results were different as some of them didn’t adhere to the surface properly.
#3. Extra costs
As for the bamboo initial costs, they are not high. As for me, buying the materials for bamboo floors was much cheaper than getting some traditional hardwoods.
However, if you need extra materials and tools for finishing, the overall cost can be quite high.
FAQ
Does bamboo last longer than wood?
The lifespan of bamboo flooring is about 30 to 50 years. Bamboo flooring can be vulnerable to high humidity levels or drastic temperature changes.
As for the hardwood flooring, it can last more than 125 years with proper care and a few refinishing sessions.
How much weight can bamboo support?
Bamboo is famous for its extraordinary strength and durability. One square inch of bamboo is capable of keeping up to 7 1/2 tons of weight and 52,000 pounds of pressure.
Is bamboo stronger than pine wood?
Yes, it is. Bamboo is much stronger than many types of wood, such as pine or oak. It is a much more sustainable material to pressure, so it is less prone to break.
Final thoughts
While both hardwood and bamboo flooring is a good choice always consider the benefits that can be crucial for your next home improvement project.
We hope this guide was helpful to you!