All bamboo floors on the market come with a surface finish, ceramic and aluminum oxide being very popular for their scratch resistance and durability. As with hardwood floors, mixing surface finishes with wax finishes is not an option, but does it make it impossible to use wax on a bamboo floor?
The common answer would be, don’t use wax if you can afford to maintain and recoat a surface finish. Another piece of advice that you will hear often is to never use wax on the surface finish. Anything goes, of course, but depending on the type of bamboo flooring, you can wax if really necessary, but it’s not as straightforward as you might have imagined.
It takes as much as sanding the original finish and re-waxing the floor. It is the same procedure that is followed for wooden floors. Note that once this is done, it is unlikely that you will be able to switch back to a surface finish ever again. Wax seeps into the bamboo and collects underneath, so even a thorough sanding on a solid bamboo floor might not remove all of the wax.
Another problem is that once you go the way of waxing, you’ll need to re-wax and polish the floor regularly to keep it in top condition, just like with a hardwood floor. One factor that may deny you the opportunity to switch to a wax finish is the type of bamboo flooring. Sure, solid flooring is always a good candidate, but with the special chemicals and processes used in the manufacture of some engineered and woven bamboo flooring, you’d be better off asking the manufacturer for advice. I won’t even mention expensive hand-discarded floors that require completely specialized sanding and finishing if you want to keep their original look.
When it comes to the visual appearance, you will most likely notice a change, especially on a natural bamboo floor. The color of charred floors may be less affected, but it depends on the level of charring and the brand of wax you are using.
As you may have guessed, once the wax comes in contact with the floor, your warranty will be voided and it will be gone. Consider seriously before making such a decision and if there is any possibility of avoiding the use of wax, do so.