Is Bamboo Flooring Good for Dogs?

Spoiler alert: Yes, bamboo flooring is a dog lover’s dream. Whether you’ve got a clumsy Great Dane or a zoom-happy Chihuahua, bamboo flooring can handle the paws, the spills, and the occasional… ahem… oopsie. Let’s dig into why bamboo flooring might just be the best thing you’ve never considered for your pet-friendly home.

If you’re like most homeowners with dogs or cats, you keep your pets in mind when choosing products for your home. Accidents happen, but you don’t have to fear! Bamboo flooring is built for easy clean up, and it is strong and resistant enough to endure pet messes in the short-term.

To show you why bamboo flooring is the best flooring for pets and dogs, we answer the questions we hear most often from customers — before they buy and fall in love with their bamboo floors.

🦴 The Big Question: Can Dogs Scratch Bamboo Floors?

Dogs will be dogs — and that includes skidding, sliding, and sprinting across your floors like it’s the Indy 500.

But here’s the good news: strand woven bamboo is one of the hardest flooring options available, scoring sky-high on the Janka hardness scale (higher than oak and even maple). That means fewer scratches and no deep claw marks from your four-legged speedster.

Real Talk:

No floor is 100% scratch-proof. If you let your dog wear cleats (please don’t), you’ll probably see some marks. But for everyday dog life? Bamboo holds up like a champ.

🗣️ “…it withstands all normal abuse from walking and living. For example, it holds up to my rolling desk chair and to the eight dog paws bearing a total of 100 lbs without scratching… which the red oak floors in my old house could not do.” ~ Paul O., Cincinnati

💧 But What About Pet Accidents?

Let’s be honest — dogs are adorable, but they’re also sometimes little indoor sprinklers. Fortunately, high-quality bamboo flooring is finished with tough, moisture-resistant coatings, giving you a bit of a grace period if accidents happen. Following simple cleaning and maintenance routine keeps your bamboo floors looking like new.

Clean-up Tips:

• Wipe up spills or puddles within 20–24 hours.

• Use a pet-safe floor cleaner and microfiber mop.

• Consider placing mats near water bowls or entryways for extra protection.

🗣️ “Three dogs. Five years. Zero regrets. Our bamboo floor still looks amazing.” — John T., Suwanee

🗣️“Love love love my bamboo floors. Kids, dogs, life, and they still look beautiful. 4 years after we put them in still getting compliments..” ~ Margaret S.

🗣️“I’ve had my floors down for 2 years now. I have 2 dogs and a 2-year-old and my floors look brand new. I have this floor on my entire 1st level, including the kitchen.” ~ Daniel F.

Check out more bamboo flooring reviews from pet owners!

🏆 Bamboo vs Other Flooring: The Pet Showdown

Here’s how bamboo stacks up against other popular flooring options

🐶 Is Bamboo Flooring Safe for Pets?

You’ve probably heard scary rumors about flooring and formaldehyde. The truth? Most high-quality bamboo flooring — like the kind we sell at Ambient — is certified non-toxic and meets CARB Phase 2 and FloorScore standards. In fact, the safest bamboo flooring brands test their products annually, have Floorscore certification, and meet the CARB Phase 2 indoor air standard.

So yes, your pup can nap belly-up on the floor without breathing anything funky.

💡 Pro tip: Look for low-VOC certification labels when choosing any flooring.

But toxicity isn’t determined by the presence of a substance. The amount is what matters.

🗣️“Having a chemistry background… I started thinking maybe I should look for something out of a natural material… I found Ambient. Their products are certified to meet formaldehyde standards of far more stringent nations than the USA. That is important to me because this flooring is going to be in my family room, which gets a lot of suns. Also, my children, I, and my guests will be spending a lot of time in this room.” ~

🐼 Does Bamboo Flooring Hurt Pandas?

We get this question a lot. The short answer? Nope. Not even close.

The bamboo used in flooring is a species pandas don’t eat. So go ahead and install those gorgeous planks without any panda guilt.

🐕 Choosing the Right Bamboo Flooring for Pet Life

Not all bamboo floors are created equal. Here’s what to look for:

✅ Strand Woven Bamboo

Super tough. Super durable. Great for busy homes with pets, kids, and clumsy adults.

✅ Low-VOC Certified

Look for CARB Phase 2 and FloorScore labels — especially important if your pets spend a lot of time on the floor (and they do).

✅ Matte or Wire-Brushed Finishes

These hide small scratches better than glossy finishes. Plus, they look amazing.

James Wright

About the Author

James is your friendly neighborhood content writer here at the Green Living Blog. With a passion for all things sustainable, he’s your go-to guru for everything eco-friendly. Armed with a treasure trove of wisdom about sustainable living, recycling, and environmentally conscious practices, James is on a mission. He’s here to make sure you not only protect your family but also keep Mother Earth smiling. 😊🌎 When he’s not busy sharing eco-friendly insights, James can often be found teaching his cat that compost bins make the purr-fect hideaway. 🐱♻️ Join James on his quest to uncover the secrets of defeating wasteful habits while leaving the lightest footprint on our precious planet’s ecosystem.