I have been told that bamboo is harder than oak. So why is it that oak will take more abuse?

I'm not quite sure what abuse you feel Oak will take better than Bamboo.

#1-Bamboo is often harder than Oak, but not always (particularily the carbonized). Even if it is, all that means is that it won't dent as deeply, and we're probably only talking thousandths of an inch.

#2-The grain of Oak (& Ash) goes a long way in visually hiding "life" as it happens to your floor. It's still getting the dings, you just can't see them as well.
Bamboo is more uniform in look, so it doesn't hide things nearly as well.

#3-If you're looking at prefinished, I feel the finishes you'll be able to find on Oak (or Ash) will be far superior to those you'll get on the Bamboo. The Bamboo will be easier to Re-finish though.

Just my opinion!

And a darned good one at that!

Thanks for the input. The abuse I was refurring to is Two large dogs that are inside and love to play tug-a-war.

Be prepared for damage with dogs. Don't be misled by others claiming this or that is scratch proof. For some that don't read the fine print in finish warranties, damage from animals is not covered. Carbonized bamboo would not be a good choice in this scenerio. All bamboos have different hardnesses and there's really no parameter as there is with something like red and white oaks. Example: Canadian hardwoods are a tad harder than most American ones.

Noticed one bamboo offered by a large up and coming hard surfaces mega store. Sure it was priced right--something like $ 2.29 square foot but it proved to be incredibly soft--and this was a natural type. Very easily damaged. More so than higher priced better quality bamboos.

Take A Look At Our Bamboo Floor Choices

Your dogs will tear it up. I've seen it many times. Best wood floor for dogs is already distressed OR something like Patagonian Rosewood with a penetrating oil finish ( Waterlox, DuraSeal, Watco, etc. )

If you really must have wood, I tend to agree with Gary. Oil finished wood is much easier for the average homeowner to touch up, but it will need more maintenance.
You really shouldn't have wood though, considering your description of your dogs. Do yourself a favor and consider some alternatives.

Please!

Could you guys please expound on oil finishes vs the other finishes. Also what kind of maintenance does it need and how do you touch up scratches vs touch-ups with the other finishes.
And why patagonian rosewood?
Thanks,
Patricia (Another owner of large rough-housing dogs)
BTW, I know someone with several dogs who had bamboo installed and they said it was a disaster in less than a year. I've heard slate is great for dogs, due to the uneven surface and color it doesn't show dog wear or hair (unfortuneately it doesn't go with our style house)

Penetrating oil finishes are exactly that; they are in the wood instead of on top of it. The advantages are many. Will not show scratching as much due to the lower luster. More finish(oil) can be applied without lap marks, buffing, intensive cleaning. Strengthens the cellular structure of the wood. You can apply more finish just in high wear areas. Believe me, as a floor finisher for 24 yrs, it is a better way to go for high traffic floors subject to extreme use. The reason for Patagonian Rosewood is because it is one (if not the most) of the hardest woods available. At nearly 4 times the hardness of that bamboo and twice as hard as the hardest N. American hardwood, Hickory. The reason for using an oil finish on Patagonian Rosewood is mainly the the wood is way harder than any finish made. You just need a product to allow you to keep the floor clean. 3 to 4 coats of Waterlox would be my choice

Thanks Gary, that was very helpful. A few more questions for you (or anyone else out there):
1) So, between Distressed Pine and Patagonian Rosewood, which is better for resisting or otherwise hiding the evidence of "Giant Dog Games".
2) What are good sources for Distressed Pine and Patagonian Rosewood?
3) How often does one have to apply the oil finish to the trouble spots and the whole floor, and how much trouble is it to do it?
4) Is Waterlox the oil finish or the cleaner?
5) How do you clean a wood floor that has an oil finish?
Our dogs and I thank you for your help!
Patricia

Trish,
I'm not sure there are going to be any easy answers for you. There isn't a rule book that covers all this, it's all very subjective.

#1 - Rosewood will not mark as deeply (with the same amount of force)as Pine since it is at least 5 times harder Pine. Rosewood doesn't have much grain or variation so it will show marking more than most distressed looks. Marking may be very visible on some darker stained distressed looks since the light wood underneath will be exposed when scratched.
#2 - Depends on where you live.
#3 - You should touch up as soon as you notice the scratch. Do the whole floor once you notice areas really need it (traffic patterns are good signs). It's little trouble for some, a pain for others. Depends on your perception. If you want a low (no) maintenance floor this isn't it.
#4 - Waterlox is a company that has penetrating finishes, and possibly cleaner.
#5 - Sweep and/or vacuum mostly, but follow the finish company's recommendations otherwise.

Stone or tile would be much more durable and easily maintained.

I agree that tile or stone ( Not Marble or sandstone ) would be much more durable. It will probably cost more as well. Here in N.California, most tile work is about 25% more than hardwood (large quality floor tile compared to 2&1/4" red oak finished in place). Predistressed floors will show less damage; not necessarily be less susceptable to damage though, you just don't notice it. I wouldn't choose pine however or any open grained wood. Hand scraped hickory might be nice.

I rubbed my pen on a "scratch resistant" DuPont Teflon prefinished sample today in front of a customer. It was the top of the pen. Made a dent.

Hi Guys,
OK, the picture is getting a bit clearer but I still have questions ( and one answer - I live in Southern California, West LA to be more specific)

1) With the oil finish, what exactly is involved in "touching up" when I notice a scratch?
2) What exactly is involved in "doing the whole floor"? (i.e. is this a move out all the furniture, hire a pro and stay out of the room for several days kind of thing or a mop on another coat of the stuff kind of thing)
3) What is an open-grained wood?
4) How do I find out which woods are open-grained and which are not?

Thanks again!

1) Put some finish on a rag and rub it into the floor!
2)Move out small items, leave heavy stuff. Vacuum the floor, clean it with appropriate manufacterer recommended cleaner, sponge mop the oil finish on the floor. Wipe up large puddles. Let it dry NOTE: Some brands ( Duraseal, Watco) require burnishing with a buffer)
3) Typically, it is a wood (tree) that has pronounced growth cycles where the cellular growth rings cause the wood in those areas to be softer. Oak, Ash, Pine, Pecan/Hickory, Cherry (most N. American hardwoods) all have growth cycles where the "summer wood" is softer than the "springwood". Look at a piece of oak. Those large, darker flares in the "grain" are the summerwood. That part of the wood is much softer than the lighter, denser part. Since with oak, the summerwood comprises about 40 to 50% of the typical board ( on plain sawn lumber), one can expect that portion of the board to wear much faster. I've seen this in homes with dogs. The summerwood dished out and the springwood fine. Most S. American hardwoods do not have this phenomia as they are growing year round. A N. American wood that does not exhibit this is hard rock maple (suger maple)
4) I just told you! You can ask the supplier/distributor/salesman.