Engineered bamboo vs Karndean for kitchen/hall

[VeryPunny]

We have to make a decision about what flooring to use in our hall/kitchen/big family room. For ages I was set on Karndean for low maintenance and reasonable looks, but now I am thinking of engineered bamboo, which I think looks a bit nicer - the carbonised strand woven stuff. However, will bamboo stand up to heavy traffic and water spills in a kitchen? There will be electric underfloor heating throughout.

Any advice greatly appreciated!

We have had bamboo flooring in the hall for about 4 years. We had a gloss finish and if you look very carefully, you can see that it has scratched. However, you need to be on your hands and knees to see it. It bounces light around the hall, has stood up to 3 children and all that entails, and it still looks lovely. Would recommend it. In fact, on the back of the hall, we have just (about 6 months ago) done the whole of the kitchen / dining / family area in bamboo (not gloss though, it has more of a sheen – I think the gloss had been discontinued) and I love it. Just wipe up spills (as you would with any other flooring), really easy to manage, looks good.

My parents have wood effect Karndean throughout their downstairs and my mother loves it. I think it looks like lino. Posh lino, but still lino. I get that lots of people love it for its practicality and because its so hard wearing, but I’d much rather have the look and feel of solid wood. The solid wood we have was cheaper than the Karndean too.

We have bamboo throughout our downstairs. It's been down for 4 years and looks as good as new. I'd recommend.

Hi, we had solid bamboo tongue and grove (vertical carbonises) for 10 years through the entire house except bedrooms. It got scratches and dings but really it held up very well.

I am looking to have it again but this time I will go for as matte a finish as I can find. Try samples from different companies. So far my best attempts to vandalise samples has shown 'the bamboo company' strand woven to hold up the best. Simply bamboo is also great, very very matte and the cheapest I can find. Some of the samples from elsewhere have scratched and dented quite easily in comparison. Strand woven matte is the way to go, it has the feel of wood and I imagine it will insulate better than any Lino.

Aaaargh, was hoping people would slate bamboo! All the work has been quoted for Karndean; as we have issues with floor levels, suddenly using bamboo planks will change things. I do think the bamboo finish is nicer. Lelivre - I have some strand woven samples from the Bamboo Flooring Company and was v. impressed - it was that I was thinking of using. Thanks all!

I have bamboo in the whole of my downstairs except the living room and family rooms. Its also in my upstairs bathrooms.
6 years old (picture on my profile) and I still love it.
yup, dings and scratches but it still looks fab - and we are a boots ON house (regular parties with lots of people tramping through)

It copes with abuse and the leaky washing machine.
I should probably hire a steamer some time
but the long term option is to sand the whole lot back a fraction and reseal it in a few more years

Verypunny it's so affordable, harder than the hardest of hard woods and moisture and mould resistant. And the uniclic is so easy to DIY fit. It will last as long as you want to. It's the practical choice for me. Yes I meant the bamboo flooring company. I think that's who I used before actually. It worked great in the kitchen but if water continuously puddles (as it did in one spot of my Kitchen) it will eventually penetrate and cause some damage, it needs a little care...but not much!

Talkinpeace where did you get yours pls? I am about to buy about 50 m2

Also, I recall, you have bamboo kitchen worktops too don't you? You don't find it too much? That's why I had dismissed it. I must make a decision on worktops shortly...although the heart wants slate!

The floors and worktops came from different companies (as that gave the best match)

Flooring was this
simplybamboo.co.uk/collections/classic-series/products/natural-horizontal-bamboo-flooring

The worktop company are gone but they cost me around £400 for all of them ...
the island is two pieces back to back - and the joy of bamboo is that there is no top or bottom or front or back - so the offcuts make ab shelves

the kitchen is ikea matt white
and the tiles were from a local specialist
NB I have LOTS of natural light so that evens things up

but I still love all of the bamboo
it is THE MOST sustainable worktop as each stem only takes 3 years to grow

Thanks! I love the pale bamboo now. I had carbonised in my last place but want the natural this time, I bet the white with the pale yellowy bamboo looks great. I'm on my iPhone and can't see your pics but will take time to. Thanks for replying