- Bamboo flooring's solid, especially strand-woven—seen it hold up surprisingly well in a few commercial projects. Still skeptical about cork, though.
- Had a residential build where the client insisted on cork for bedrooms because of the comfort factor. Looked great at first, but within a year or two, high-traffic areas near doorways started looking pretty tired.
- We did try sealing with a low-VOC polyurethane once, hoping to boost durability without losing eco-friendly points. Honestly, the results were mixed... looked decent initially, but it didn't really solve the wear issue long-term.
- If you're set on cork, maybe just keep it to lower-traffic areas. Otherwise, bamboo seems like the safer bet—at least you won't be replacing it anytime soon.
- Curious if anyone's found a better low-VOC sealer that actually lasts...
Had a similar experience with cork in a home office project—client loved the softness underfoot, but the rolling chair chewed it up pretty quick. We tried a beeswax-based low-VOC sealer hoping it'd toughen things up without compromising eco-friendliness. Looked promising initially, but after a year, same story... wear marks and dents. Bamboo's been way more forgiving in my experience, especially strand-woven. Seems like cork's best left for cozy, barefoot spaces rather than high-traffic zones.
Totally agree about cork not holding up under rolling chairs. I've been wondering, though, if it's just a matter of choosing a different type of cork flooring or maybe a thicker layer? I've seen some commercial-grade cork tiles advertised as being tougher and more resistant to dents—has anyone actually tried those in a home office setup?
Personally, I've had bamboo flooring (strand-woven, like you mentioned) for about five years now in my office, and it does handle rolling chairs pretty well. But I have noticed some fading near the window areas over time. Has anyone else experienced this with bamboo? I'm wondering if there's a particular finish or treatment that helps prevent UV-related discoloration without introducing unwanted chemicals.
Also curious about linoleum—real linoleum made from linseed oil and natural materials, not vinyl—which is supposed to be both eco-friendly and durable. Has anyone given that a shot in an office or high-traffic area? Would love to know how it holds up compared to cork or bamboo, especially under rolling furniture.
Seems like every eco-friendly flooring option has its own quirks and trade-offs...
Yeah, you're right about the quirks... I haven't tried linoleum myself, but my parents put it in their kitchen a few years back, and it's holding up surprisingly well under constant foot traffic. Might actually handle rolling chairs better than cork does. Worth a shot, maybe?
Yeah, linoleum's definitely underrated in my book. But have you considered how it handles spills or moisture compared to cork? I've noticed cork can stain pretty easily...wonder if linoleum holds up better over the long haul.
