Bamboo floors can be stained and refinished just like hardwood floors. Much of the same materials and techniques used for finishing and refinishing hardwood floors can be used when doing bamboo floors. Although bamboo is basically made from compressed bamboo fibers, it will act very much in the same way as other wood floors when finished or refinished. If you are planning on staining your bamboo floors, then you should know about the materials and techniques available for your project's success.
Staining
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Sand the bamboo floors in the direction of the grain. Use a large floor sander that uses a belt. Begin with 80-grit paper to remove any marks or scratches on the floor. Remove the excess dust with a shop-vac and sand the floor--in the direction of the grain--with 120-grit sandpaper. Use an edger--smaller belt sander--to sand near the walls, and an orbital sander for the corners. After you have gotten the floor smooth, screen the floor with a floor polisher and 220-grit sanding screen. The screening will be the last step before you stain the bamboo.
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Wipe on water- or oil-based stain using a cotton rag. Be careful not to leave any excess stain on the floor. For a quicker application, brush on the stain, and then remove the excess using a cotton cloth. Add more coats of stain to darken the floor tint and less for a lighter tint. After you have completed the floor staining, you can proceed to the finish.
If you are refinishing your bamboo floor, then you will need to remove the top layer of finish in order to stain your bamboo. Use a floor polisher and sanding screen to remove this top layer. If your bamboo is in good shape, then you will only need to screen the top layer. If the existing color of your floor is dark and you want to lighten the color, then you will need to use the belt sander to remove the old stain. If the floor is light in color and you want to go darker, then you will only need to screen the surface of the floor to remove the finish.