March 26, 2026
Bamboo and engineered timber both give you a warm, timber-look floor, but they are made very differently. If you have been searching for engineered bamboo flooring, this guide compares bamboo vs engineered timber flooring on look, feel, construction, water, installation and refinishing, so you can pick the one that suits your home.
| Bamboo flooring | Engineered timber flooring | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Bamboo, a grass, cut, processed and pressed into boards | A real hardwood top layer over a core, usually plywood |
| Look | Natural, timber-like look | Real timber grain, such as oak or Australian species |
| Hardness and feel | Depends on how the boards are made and finished | Depends on the timber species and finish |
| Water | Wipe spills promptly; check each range’s guidelines for wet rooms | Wipe spills promptly; AquaCore ranges have a water-resistant core |
| Installation | Method set out on the range’s specification sheet | Floating, glued or click-lock, depending on the range |
| Refinishing | Ask about the range you choose | Depends on top-layer thickness; thicker layers give more room |
Bamboo is a grass rather than a tree, and it grows much faster than hardwood timber. To make flooring, the bamboo is cut, processed and pressed into boards with a timber-like look. Some bamboo boards are built in layers, which is why you will see the term engineered bamboo flooring. How a bamboo floor performs depends on how its boards are made and finished, so check the specification sheet for each range.
Engineered timber has a layer of real hardwood on top of a stable core. In most boards that core is plywood, with layers laid in different directions. The surface you walk on is genuine timber, so it looks and feels like a timber floor. Our engineered vs solid timber guide explains how it compares with solid boards.
Bamboo has its own natural, timber-like grain. Engineered timber shows the grain of the species on top, such as European Oak, Spotted Gum or Blackbutt.
Hardness depends on how bamboo boards are made and finished, and on the species and finish of engineered timber. The best test is to compare samples of both side by side in a showroom.
Treat both like a timber floor: wipe up spills promptly and use a well-wrung mop.
For bamboo, the installation method is set out on the range’s specification sheet, and we confirm it in your written quote after checking the subfloor at the measure. Engineered timber varies by range. Royal 15/4MM Oak is tongue and groove for floating or trowel-glued installation, and Royal AquaCore Oak uses a click-lock system.
Engineered timber has a real hardwood top layer, so it can often be sanded and refinished later, depending on the thickness of the top layer. A thicker layer gives more scope: 4mm allows more than 2mm, and a thin layer may only suit a light sand or a recoat. Ask us before sanding, or see our floor sanding and polishing service. For bamboo, ask about refinishing for the range you choose.
Royal Bamboo: seven colours. Ask us for the specification sheet, or see the samples in a showroom.
Royal Hydro Bamboo: seven colours, described as having a water-protected core. Ask us for the specification sheet.
See every colour on our bamboo flooring page.
Browse the full timber flooring range, or read our guide to choosing engineered timber colours.
Many people search for sustainable bamboo flooring because bamboo grows quickly. That is only one part of the picture. How any floor affects the environment also depends on how the raw material is harvested, how the boards are made, glued and finished, how far they travel, and how long the floor stays down.
So it depends on the product. Whatever floor you choose, ask the supplier:
We can pass on the manufacturer’s documentation for any range. Weighing vinyl and hybrid too? Our vinyl vs hybrid guide explains how they differ.
Not sure yet? Book a free measure and quote and we will bring bamboo samples to see in your own light, talk you through samples of our timber ranges, check your subfloor and give you a written quote.
It depends on how the bamboo boards are made and finished, and on the species and finish of the engineered timber. Ask for the specification sheet for each range and compare samples side by side in a showroom.
No. Engineered timber has a real hardwood top layer over a core, usually plywood. Bamboo is a grass that is processed and pressed into boards, and some bamboo boards are built in layers. Check the specification sheet to see how a bamboo range is made.
Bamboo is a fast-growing grass, but the environmental impact of any floor also depends on how it is harvested, made, finished and transported. Ask for each product’s certifications and documentation before you decide.
Royal AquaCore Oak has a water-resistant core and is suited to open-plan living, kitchens and dining areas. For bamboo, check the range’s guidelines before using it in a kitchen, bathroom or laundry. Wipe up spills promptly on either floor.
Often, depending on the thickness of its timber top layer. A thicker layer, such as 4mm, allows more sanding than 2mm, and a thin layer may only suit a light sand or a recoat. Ask us before sanding.
With over 20 years of experience, Royal Floors supplies bamboo and timber flooring with professional installation. Visit our timber displays in Penrith, Campbelltown, Hornsby or Logan. Or book your free measure and quote, or call 1300 980 501.
Four showrooms across Sydney & Brisbane
