Hello Twix6,
I do have some experience with Home Depot and other 'big box' stores. These stores unfortunately get what is considered by most in the industry as 'scraps' which is why the pricing is so competitive. The product may look and feel great but the durability is just not there in the long run. Just like hardwoods there are many different grades of bamboo, and the stuff at the big stores is very low. You are correct that strand woven in general is harder than most hardwoods, if you have some time check out www.shopgrf.com there is an option for you called strand woven rosewood. This is the color and the durability you are looking for. Yes, it can be a little more money, but it will be a much better product in the long run and will last a lifetime if installed and taken care of properly.

Here is a link that might be useful: strand woven bamboo

Completely agree is flooringexpertnyc. Homedepot and other bigbox stores carry crap wood. Its mostly utilty grade. The product itself will hold up. Problem is each box is going to carry about 20 sq ft and out of that box you will only be able to use maybe 10 sq ft. The bad stuff will have visual or physical defects. So to get a good looking floor you wiuld end up with double of what you need. Spend the extra money and get a reliable brand from a distributor.

Hi, I don't have experience with HD, I bought my bamboo strand floor for kitchen at Costco. Bamboo strand on the "hardness" scale is one of the hardest serfices. My floor has a great deal of variation of color, which is what I wanted, because of this I did have some wastage with planks I didn't like the color of. The manufactuer was Mohawk, the difference between my floor and the one sold at the local flooring store is that my planks are thinner, which is fine for me, the price was aprox 1/2. The floating installation makes it feel soft, which I wanted because I have a bad back.

Sandy16. Rule of thumb. Stay away from big box stores. At least for quality wood flooring. They normally recieve the lowest quality wood. Best bet is to call a local flooring contractor or visit a flooring distribution center and ask their opinions. Better quality = $$

I considered bamboo (before giving up and settling on laminate). When reading flooring reviews, I was under the impression that when many bamboo floor reviewers mentioned scratches, they were talking about the finish, not necessarily the bamboo. So, the strand-woven bamboo might not dent as easily, but the finish could still scratch. And somehow I doubt that the "real" flooring is any better quality than the samples. That would largely defeat the purpose of samples.