How Much Does Bamboo Flooring Cost?

Average Cost to Install Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo Flooring Cost per Square Foot

Bamboo flooring costs around $2 to $10 per square foot for the materials alone. To pay for professional bamboo floor installation, factor in another $5 to $10 per square foot. Altogether, fully installed bamboo flooring costs around $7 to $20 per square foot. 

Here’s an overview of the average price range per square foot, uninstalled, for some of the leading bamboo flooring retailers:

Bamboo Flooring Labor Costs

Most local hardwood flooring contractors charge between $5 to $10 per square foot for bamboo floor installation. Some installers may charge an hourly rate, which generally falls between $30 and $45 per hour, consistent with the typical cost of hardwood floor installation.

Floating Bamboo Installation Cost

The most inexpensive type of bamboo flooring installation is called floating installation, which ranges from $5 to $7 per square foot. For a floating bamboo floor installation, the contractor will lock the boards in with one another. The bamboo planks must have a tongue-and-groove edge, and the floor must be level.

This installation style is popular because it makes it easier to remove boards for easy fixes, which can keep hardwood floor repair costs down.

Glue and Nailing Bamboo Flooring Costs

Two other installation methods are slightly more expensive: gluing or nailing the bamboo planks down. On average, this type of bamboo flooring installation costs around $8 to $10 per square foot.

In the former method, the contractor will glue down the bamboo planks to the subfloor; in the latter, they’ll nail down the planks to the subfloor. While these installation methods cost more and increase floor and subfloor repair costs down the road, they provide more stability than a floating installation.

Pricing by Brand

The brand can also impact overall bamboo floor prices, though most offer a range of low- and high-end wood that can affect the overall cost to install bamboo flooring.

Cali Bamboo Floor Prices

Cali Bamboo flooring prices range from $3.50 to $8 per square foot, and you can choose from bamboo, vinyl, oak, hickory, maple, eucalyptus, and other eco-friendly flooring options. Bamboo flooring options range from engineered to solid. You can even get recycled bamboo composite decking if you want to use bamboo for a new deck.

Though prices for Cali Bamboo flooring tend to be on the higher side, the generous warranties instill more confidence when considering the cost of bamboo flooring.

EcoFusion Bamboo Floor Prices

You’ll spend between $3 and $9 per square foot on EcoFusion bamboo flooring. EcoFusion flooring is available at specialty flooring stores across the country. You can find the brand’s bamboo flooring in a range of looks and styles, including darker shades that are sometimes difficult to find.

Home Legend Bamboo Floor Prices

Bamboo flooring prices at Home Legend range from $2 to $5 per square foot, making this one of the more affordable bamboo floor brands. You can find Home Legend bamboo at Home Depot stores nationwide in quite a few styles and with decent warranties.

Islander Bamboo Floor Prices

Islander is another budget-friendly bamboo floor option, with prices typically ranging between $4.50 and $6.50 per square foot. The engineered bamboo flooring you’ll get through Islander is available in quite a few styles, though not as extensive as some other brands on this list.

Lifeproof Bamboo Floor Prices

Yet another economy brand of bamboo flooring is Lifeproof, with bamboo floor prices ranging from $3 to $4 per square foot. This is another Home Depot brand, so it’s easier to find across the country. And while waterproof, it isn’t scratch-resistant, so it isn’t ideal for homes with pets.

Morningstar Bamboo Floor Prices

Morningstar offers more than 40 different kinds of bamboo flooring, all at reasonable prices. In general, you’ll pay around $2 to $4 per square foot for Morningstar bamboo flooring. Look for Morningstar at retailers such as LL Flooring.

Teragren Bamboo Floor Prices

On the higher end of bamboo flooring prices is Teragren, with options ranging from $6 to $10 per square foot. Teragren specializes in more than just bamboo flooring. You can shop this brand if you’d like to explore bamboo countertops. But finding Teragren bamboo flooring can be challenging because you’ll have to find a specialty flooring store to purchase this brand.

USFloors Bamboo Floor Prices

Find USFloors at big box stores. Like the Home Depot brands of bamboo floors, this Lowe’s brand of flooring is made from economy bamboo, usually selling for $3 to $4 per square foot.

Other Bamboo Flooring Cost Factors

When budgeting for your bamboo flooring cost, you may need to factor in more than average bamboo floor prices and labor rates. The cost to install bamboo flooring might include additional cost factors, like removal of the existing flooring or repairing the subfloor.

Removing Existing Flooring

Some flooring installers may include the removal of existing flooring in their quote for bamboo flooring installation, but it's important to clarify when getting estimates. For example, if you currently have carpet, you may need to add the price of carpet removal, about $1 to $1.50 per square foot, to your overall budget.

Removing Molding and Baseboards

If the room in which you’re installing bamboo has any special molding or baseboards, the contractor will likely need to remove all of this before installing the bamboo, then reinstall the molding and baseboards when the flooring is in place. If this is a significant effort, the contractor may reflect the work in their overall labor fee.

Repairing Subfloor and Joists

Whenever you remove an existing flooring to install a new one, it's a good idea to inspect the subfloor and floor joists for potential issues. If you or the contractor detects a problem, you may need to factor in floor repair costs. A contractor must address any issues with joists or the subfloor before they can start laying down the new bamboo floor.

Remember that you can install bamboo floors on top of existing wood floors, but if you're installing on top of a concrete floor, you can only use engineered bamboo flooring. If you want to use solid bamboo, you'll first need to install a subfloor and underlayment.

Subfloor and underlayment costs are generally manageable, but joist issues are much more expensive to take care of. Here are some common prices to consider:

• Replacing subfloor: $2–$2.50 per sq. ft.

• Installing underlayment: $3.40–$5.30 per sq. ft.

• Repairing joists: $10,000–$20,000 for a small room

Staining and Finishing

You can purchase prefinished bamboo flooring, but some bamboo comes unfinished. After installing a new unfinished bamboo floor, you may want to stain it to match the design of your space. Refinishing hardwood floors costs between $3 and $8 per square foot.

Keep in mind that you can't stain some of the more budget-friendly bamboo flooring brands.

Bamboo Flooring Types

The type of bamboo flooring you choose can significantly impact the price. Engineered bamboo flooring is the most inexpensive (as low as $2 per square foot), while solid wood bamboo—horizontal, vertical, or strand-woven—is more expensive (as high as $10 per square foot).

Engineered Bamboo Flooring

Engineered bamboo flooring costs around $2 to $5 per square foot for the material. Unlike traditional solid bamboo flooring, engineered bamboo flooring uses a thin layer of bamboo veneer applied to a thicker layer of plywood.

Engineered bamboo flooring is durable and more resistant to water damage, but it usually can’t be refinished. Often, engineered bamboo is a budget-friendly option.

Horizontal Bamboo Flooring

Horizontal bamboo flooring, which runs between $3 and $6 per square foot uninstalled, showcases the grain of the wood more than its sister style (vertical). You can get horizontal bamboo with a click system or tongue-and-groove cut. Expect durability similar to that of oak flooring.

Vertical Bamboo Flooring

Vertical bamboo flooring goes between $4 and $10 per square foot. This solid bamboo flooring is more expensive than horizontal bamboo because it requires more bamboo material per square foot. The appearance is more textured than horizontal bamboo. But like horizontal bamboo flooring, vertical bamboo floors are as durable as oak floors and can use a tongue-and-groove or click-system cut.

Strand-Woven Bamboo Flooring

Strand-woven fetches the highest bamboo flooring cost at around $5 to $10 per square foot for the material. This higher price for bamboo flooring points to the higher durability of strand-woven bamboo, which comprises woven strands of bamboo grass, which are compressed under intense heat and pressure to give them their strength.

Strand-woven bamboo floors have a beautiful and random grain pattern. Often, manufacturers will use a combination of light and dark bamboo for more visual interest. Like other solid bamboo floor options, you can install strand-woven bamboo with a click or tongue-and-groove system.

Bamboo vs. Hardwood Cost Differences

How does the cost to install bamboo flooring compare to the cost to install other hardwood flooring? Hardwood floors cost around $6 to $12 per square foot for the typical installation, with some projects going as high as approximately $25 per square foot. Bamboo flooring starts at around $7 per square foot installed but can reach around $20 per square foot on the high end.

Pros & Cons of Bamboo Floors

Bamboo flooring is popular for many reasons but has advantages and disadvantages. Read the table below to discover the pros and cons of bamboo floors before installing them in your home.

Reasons to Install Bamboo Flooring

When considering installing bamboo flooring in your home, consider the following pros:

• Eco-friendly: Bamboo is a sustainable material that’s technically not wood at all but grass. As a grass, bamboo matures quickly, unlike some trees that may take 30–50 years before you can harvest them for high-quality hardwood. The bamboo harvesting process is also less destructive. Root systems are left intact, so replanting generally isn't necessary.

• Hassle-free installation: Bamboo flooring offers easy tongue-and-groove or click systems for floating installation, so many homeowners may opt to do the work themselves.

• Variety of styles: Bamboo flooring comes in various styles and colors, making it easy to blend into your home's existing aesthetic. Carbonizing bamboo can even make it change color without having to apply any stains or chemical-based finishes.

• Moisture-resistant: Bamboo floors typically hold moisture on the top surface, making it easy to wipe away. They're also resistant to mold and mildew. However, it's generally not waterproof, so it's a good idea to keep bamboo floors out of bathrooms and utility rooms.

• Stress-free maintenance: Unlike carpet or tile, bamboo flooring requires minimal upkeep. Sweep it with a broom regularly, and use a bamboo flooring cleaning spray several times a month to mop it.

• Reduces airborne allergens: Bamboo doesn't trap dust or mites, which makes it an excellent option for allergy sufferers.

• Refinishes easily: Unless you choose engineered bamboo, bamboo floors are great candidates for refinishing down the line. If you change a room's aesthetic, you can easily restain the bamboo to change the color.

Drawbacks of Bamboo Flooring

Homeowners should, however, consider a few cons of bamboo flooring installation:

• May produce hazardous emissions: Most bamboo flooring planks contain volatile organic chemicals, also known as VOC. Bamboo planks consist of sliced and shredded bamboo stalks that are glued together with the help of high-pressure heating and a resin adhesive.

• Can scratch easily: Bamboo may be less susceptible to scratching than some hardwoods, but it’s not completely scratch-resistant. Lay down rugs in high-traffic areas, and use furniture pads to avoid scratches. That said, lighter-colored planks have better durability since the heating process that darkens wood softens it up to 20%.

• Variable quality: You can find a low-budget bamboo floor, but it’ll likely be less durable. Some brands may also use manufacturing processes that counteract the eco-friendliness of bamboo.

• Not waterproof: While bamboo flooring is mildly moisture-resistant, it isn’t truly waterproof. In severely humid conditions or the case of a flooded room, bamboo flooring can swell.

DIY vs. Hiring a Professional Installer

You can install any bamboo or hardwood floor yourself. It’s often a low-risk DIY project. But watch out for a few pitfalls of a DIY install that can cost you as much or more than simply hiring a pro.

• Extra waste: Pros can get the job done with minimal overage, saving you money.

• Uneven floors: You’ll need to pull the floors and reinstall the wood if they’re uneven after your first attempt.

• Gaps or crooked installs: Some DIY installers find that the room they’re installing floors in isn’t perfectly square. Understanding where to start makes all the difference when lining up the grain with the room.

You might find that hiring a pro and saving yourself the time and hassle of a DIY job might make more sense. Even if you’re looking into DIY-ing, contact a floor installation professional near you for quotes and a free consultation.

FAQs

Is bamboo flooring expensive?

Bamboo floor prices range from inexpensive to expensive when compared to hardwood. You can get bamboo flooring as low as $2 per square foot but may pay as much as $10 per square foot. Fully installed, you’ll pay between $7 to $20 per square foot. The price tag reflects the style, brand, and level of quality you purchase.

How long do bamboo floors last?

Bamboo floors can last 20 to 50 years when properly maintained and cared for. The quality you purchase and how careful you maintain the flooring can extend the life span. Generally speaking, solid bamboo flooring (horizontal, vertical, or strand-woven) lasts longer than engineered bamboo floors, but they're more expensive to purchase.

Is bamboo cheaper than carpet?

Installing bamboo floors is about twice as expensive as installing carpet. Carpet costs approximately $3.50 to $11 per square foot installed, while you’ll pay around that much alone just for bamboo floor materials (around $2 to $10 per square foot). Fully installed, bamboo floors cost around $7 to $20 per square foot.

Is bamboo flooring good for kitchens?

Bamboo floors make great additions to kitchens. However, like any hardwood, they can dent and scratch. Bamboo floors are also susceptible to water damage unless you purchase an engineered variety. This means a leaky dishwasher or overflowing sink could ruin a portion of the kitchen floors if you don’t mop up the water quickly.

Can dogs scratch bamboo floors?

Yes, dogs can scratch bamboo flooring. While bamboo floors are more durable than some types of hardwood, they're susceptible to scratching over time. High-quality natural bamboo doesn't scratch as easily as lower-quality carbonized bamboo. If you're worried about scratching, lay down area rugs in high-traffic areas, and trim your dog's nails regularly to prevent scratching.