How Much Does Bamboo Flooring Cost in 2025?

This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.

Installing bamboo flooring costs between  $1,750 and $5,000 for a 250-square-foot room, with an average price of $3,400. That's about $7 to $20 per square foot, installed. Factors like location, room size, and material quality influence the final cost. Hiring a bamboo flooring installation professional ensures a successful installation that enhances your home's value.

Bamboo Flooring Cost Factors

When budgeting for your bamboo flooring, you’ll need to take a variety of factors into account. Here is a breakdown of the key cost drivers that influence the total price of your bamboo floors.

Cost per Square Foot

Bamboo flooring materials cost $2 to $10 per square foot. Professional installation adds another $5 to $10 per square foot. Fully installed, expect to pay $7 to $20 per square foot for bamboo flooring.

Labor

Most local hardwood flooring contractors charge between $5 and $10 per square foot for bamboo floor installation. There are several main types of installation to consider:

Floating Bamboo Installation 

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 together. 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 lower wood floor repair costs.

Glue and Nailing Installation

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

In the former method, the contractor glues the bamboo planks to the subfloor; in the latter, they nail them 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.

Removing Existing Flooring, Molding, and Baseboards

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 $1.10 to $5.10 per square foot, to your overall budget.

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 (replacing subflooring costs an average of $1,560), but joist issues are much more expensive. 

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 wood floors costs between $2 and $8 per square foot.

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

Bamboo vs. Hardwood Cost Comparison

How does the cost of installing bamboo flooring compare to the cost of installing other hardwood flooring? Hardwood floors cost an average of $5 to $15 per square foot for a standard installation. Bamboo flooring starts at $7 per square foot installed, but can reach $20 per square foot on the high end.

Bamboo Flooring Cost by Type

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

Engineered bamboo flooring costs an average of $2 to $5 per square foot. 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

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

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

Strand-woven bamboo fetches the highest bamboo flooring cost, at an average of $5 to $10 per square foot. These higher price points are due to the higher durability of strand-woven bamboo, which comprises woven strands of bamboo grass compressed under intense heat and pressure to give them 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 Flooring Cost 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 of installing bamboo flooring.

Cali Bamboo 

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 

EcoFusion bamboo flooring costs between $3 and $9 per square foot. The brand offers a range of looks and styles, including darker shades that can be difficult to find.

Islander 

Islander is another budget-friendly bamboo floor option, with prices 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

Yet another economy brand of bamboo flooring is Lifeproof, with bamboo floor prices ranging from $3 to $4 per square foot. This is a 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.

Teragren

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.

Pros & Cons of Bamboo Floors

There are many reasons to choose bamboo flooring for your home, as well as some disadvantages. Understanding the pros and cons of bamboo flooring will help you make an informed decision.

Bamboo Flooring Advantages

Here are some reasons to install bamboo flooring in your home:

• 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 hold moisture on their top surface, making them easy to wipe away. They're also resistant to mold and mildew. However, bamboo is 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 mop it with a bamboo flooring cleaning spray several times a month.

• 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

Consider these potential drawbacks of bamboo flooring:

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

• Scratches 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 bamboo's eco-friendliness.

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

DIY vs. Hiring a Professional Installer

While you can install bamboo or hardwood flooring yourself, there are potential pitfalls that could cost as much as hiring a professional.

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

• Uneven floors: If the floors are uneven after your first attempt, you'll need to pull them out and reinstall the wood.

• 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.

Hiring a professional can save you time and ensure a quality installation with long-lasting results. Contact a bamboo flooring installer in your area to discuss pricing based on your home’s specifications, needs, and budget.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.