Hi! Do you know of anyone who has had the strand carbonized bamboo in their home long enough to know how it holds up compared to hardwood? We are considering strand bamboo (Morningstar Strand Carbonized Bamboo) to replace the existing 15 yr old carpet and linoleum in our entry, dining room, kitchen and familyroom. These are very high traffic areas and we are looking for something durable, scratch resistant, easy to keep clean, and affordable for our budget. The Strand Carbonized Bamboo is a relatively newer product and the reviews we have read are from consumers who have had it less than a year. My husband is reluctant to putting any wood product in the kitchen, as we have heard horror stories of water damage to wood floors in the kitchen area - even though we have never personally encountered the problem in the 30-some years we've been homeowners! We are looking for a floor that will last, and one we hope not to have to replace again. With that in mind, we have put a small sample of bamboo, that we obtained from Lumber Liquidators, through a number of tests. We have scratched it with a knife, dropped cans and knives on it, dropped it on concrete, soaked it in the sink overnight (it sinks in water!), and sanded part of it with sandpaper to see if it can be refinished like wood (don't think so). Overall, we were pretty impressed! This is pretty tough stuff! HOWEVER... My husband was STILL concerned with how the strand carbonized bamboo is made and the longevity of it, compared to real hardwood. Wood has been used in homes for a couple hundred years, but bamboo is rather a newer product and we haven't heard of it used in homes for near as long. So he decided to place a piece of the strand bamboo outside for a week, exposing it to all elements of weather (rain, snow, cold, and sun) to see how it compares to other wood. :icon_rolleyes: The strands started to split and after a week, he was able to easily split the sample of bamboo in two with his hands. Solid wood did not do this. After that, I'm beginning to have second thoughts on whether this is a wise choice. :icon_confused: I love the bamboo, but I'm afraid of it! Just wish we knew how it holds up after 10 years or so and if there are any problems with humidity or dryness causing the bamboo to splinter or split, or other problems we should be aware of? I would hate to put this throughout and regret it a few years down the road. Would like to hear any opinions or experiences with long time use of this product. Thanks!