Has it completely dried out? You should be able to sand down if necessary, but is there a closet where you can test it? I think you'll have to refinish the whole floor.

Not yet, and sadly no closet area...good idea though. Thanks.

It's difficult to say without pictures and measurements, but I'll bet you're looking at replacement of all of it.

The "cheapest" option = remove the bamboo in KITCHEN and then replace with appropriate product such as porcelain tile. Bamboo has SOOOO many variations to it (solid strand; old growth; engineered; floating; etc) that you would need a very high-end professional to assess the product. Even after assessing it, the ability to SOURCE the replacement product could be (I would expect it to be) impossible.

So you are back to square one which is to say you need a replacement for the flooring in the kitchen.

*IF you have (big if), SOLID STRAND 3/4" bamboo it is *POSSIBLE to have it refinished. Possible meaning you MUST FIND the HIGHEST LEVEL professional in your AREA (100 mile radius if you must). That person MUST HAVE the ability to refinish factory finished bamboo.

The factory finish is often Aluminum Oxide. This is the toughest of the tough. Which means it is TOUGH to sand OFF. The average cost for sand/refinish hardwood is $5/sf. If Aluminum Oxide is present that price just went up to $7-$9/sf.

And if you have BAMBOO added into the mix, the price just went up AGAIN ($9+ per square foot). Sigh. You can see why Joseph is pointing towards removal. Getting ALL OF YOUR DUCKS in a row (either finding the EXACT replacement product OR finding the EXACT PROFESSIONAL to refinish the bamboo) is going to be a MONUMENTAL task.

Personally I would cut out the bamboo in the kitchen and replace it with a stunning travertine-look porcelain tile that compliments the remaining bamboo flooring!

But before we get ahead of ourselves, please post some photos. It really is the only way for us to help.

@ SJ McCarthy

To begin with, I didn't state "cheapest", rather, "least expensive". As far as "remove the bamboo in KITCHEN and then replace with appropriate product such as porcelain tile", that is not an option.

This level is entirely open-concept with all the floors flowing from one room to another, there is no "kitchen", per se. I chose bamboo because it is ecologically sustainable and extremely hard, withstanding the nails of my very active rescue and foster dogs.

It is not a "floating" floor and I know the manufacturer as well as the vendor, also that it is solid, not manufactured..."either finding the EXACT replacement product OR finding the EXACT PROFESSIONAL to refinish the bamboo) is going to be a MONUMENTAL task."

Also, in 40 years of home ownership, I've never had a flood in my kitchen and didn't anticipate such.

Further, I live in Northern Virginia, which can get quite cold in the winter. I have heated tile flooring in my bathrooms, but did not want tile or the cost of heating the floors on the entire main level.

I came here seeking advice from professionals, not condescending chiding from someone who is not even knowledgable on the topic and appears to have a bias against the product. Throwing out figures, not knowing if I am located in NYC or rural Alabama, further suggests your ignorance.

Whoa. OP - I believe SJ McCarthy has a background in the flooring business, and certainly used to comment as a pro on here. I think your criticism of her is a little unfair.

As for bamboo, all/all bamboo flooring in the US is manufactured. It's not a wood, it's a grass, with the strands dried, heated, then cut into strands and laminated by the application of heat, glue and/or UV. (Bamboo flooring has a reputation for being "green," but bamboo flooring that uses formaldehyde in the gluing process, not so much.) Point is, it's not wood so it's not just a case of treating it like an oak floor. It requires a different expertise to refinish.

Whether your bamboo flooring is in a condition, and of sufficient quality, to be refinished, is something a local flooring pro can answer. But, as SJ points out, it will be expensive, regardless of where you live.

Replacing the damaged part of the flooring may (or may not) be possible. First you have to find matching bamboo flooring. Again, a pro could tell you if that's likely. Ask your flooring company if that line is still available.

And since you asked for the least expensive (aka cheapest) option, tiling would probably be it. Incidentally, we have an open space house with engineered oak hardwood everywhere except the wet areas, so, yes, we do have tile in the kitchen, butting up to the wood. It's ordinary porcelain tile, not wood look, with a similar tone to the floors, so it doesn't clash. Something like that may be your most practical option. I understand that's not what you want - you want continuity - but I suspect you
don't want to be replacing all your floors throughout the house to
achieve that.

Well, SJ is listed as a "homeowner", not a professional. His/her comments indicated there is not much knowledge there regarding the material. I am also aware that bamboo is a grass, that's why it is ecologically sustainable and I chose it. Did you even read my comment? It doesn't sound like it since I stated I know the vendor, product and line.

Find it very interesting you jump to the defense of him/her. My question was directed at professionals who could tell me if I should look at replacement or repair...not bored retirees who have an axe to grind against bamboo flooring.

I would suggest trying to dry the Bamboo before entertaining thoughts of sanding. I've dried lots of floors by building tents out of poly sheeting and putting a dehumidifier inside. Remediation companies use vacuum mats to pull moisture out of wood flooring quite effectively. It's a costly procedure but might save you money overall (and a lot of grief). Your insurance might even pay for it. In any case you shouldn't refinish the Bamboo until it "uncups". If you have to go the sanding route it's unlikely that you would be happy with refinishing only the affected area. Unless your floor is quite new, and you have enough material from the same batch, it's also unlikely that replacing boards would achieve a somewhat perfect outcome. Do you have leftover material?

@ Johnson Flooring Co. Inc. - Unfortunately not enough. Will contact someone in remediation, thanks.

Dear Laura, I'm sorry if you felt my expertise as a flooring expert was not apparent. I choose to post as a private citizen for my own enjoyment.

Since you know the product, the vendor and the line, the simplest thing will be to order more of the "same" and have it installed. And often the simplest is the cheapest as well. Since you commented about knowing the vendor on a third post, I did not see it until after my post. Had I known that you already had the information in hand, then I would certainly have told you to go ahead and purchase more of the same and do a remove/replace.

Any professional worth their salt would say the same. The hardest part with replacement product would be to find the VENDOR and the LINE. You are 3/4 of the way to a really nice repair job.

If you wish to bash me because I'm listed as a private citizen, then feel free (thanks for coming to my defense jmm1837). I can take it. But please keep in mind that some of the most important information (you know the vendor and the line of product needed) was missing from your original post. Had I known that I would have suggested something you would have liked to hear = "Go ahead and purchase more of the same. It's the easiest/cheapest way to achieve the fix that is needed."

Good luck. I really hope you find a great solution. Bamboo is a stunning product that is tricky at times. I admire the HIGH END bamboo. It is the low-end stuff that gets my goat!