# Using Bamboo



## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

I work at Lumber Liquidators and we sell quite a bit of bamboo floors. Just wondering if any one out there has used bamboo in any projects. Where have you found it to use? Was it just flooring boards that you used in a project or was it regular lumber? Just wondering how it works or if anyone has any thoughts on using/obtaining bamboo that is not flooring.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/50343


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

If you go to my workshop pictures you will see the workbench I made with a bamboo flooring top. I'm very happy with it.

I don't have a picture, but I once made a clock with bamboo.

The only bamboo I have used is left over flooring. The only issue is that, IMO, you have to hide the edges. The top surface has been well treated and has a great look. The back and edges do not have that same look.

I think bamboo is a great product to work with in some applications. It is very tough and durable.

We have over 1000 square feet of bamboo on floors in our home.

I don't know this as a fact, but it seems like bamboo is less likely to move with changes in temperature or humidity. I've never notices a problem with our flooring or the work bench top.


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

Rich I'm glad to hear that you like your bamboo so much. Judging from your work bench it appears you have horizontal natural bamboo which like vertical bamboo is softer than red oak, though is significantly better than RO in terms of its stability. stranded bamboo on the other hand is roughly 2x as hard and stable as RO. Looking at end grains of vertical and horizontal bamboo you can see that they are an engineered/laminated product. When you have stranded bamboo it looks much more like a solid product and you would probably not have any issues in terms of a bad look on the edge to hide.

Still seems like everyone is just re-purposing flooring. I looked up bamboo on wikipedia. there was a section about using it in construction and furniture, but i didn't see much info that was too helpful. I wonder if it is readily available as lumber in asia? Any asian LJ's out there? What about californianians? if anyone domestically could get it I bet it would be them.


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## usnret (Jul 14, 2011)

I made some cutting boards from 1" bamboo that was used for stair treads that are not finished. It looks really good. Machines easily and sands pretty good. I also put in a bamboo wood floor that looks really nice.


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

horizontal and vertical bamboo is laminated so it probably uses a fair amount of adhesive. stranded is shredded bamboo that is boiled down, but I'm not sure if it dried out into a solid or if they use some sort of adhesive to hold it all together.


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## funchuck (Jan 11, 2010)

I used bamboo to make fly fishing rods before. You have to be prepared to get a lot of nasty cuts though. For some reason, it takes a little longer for them to heal. I bought actual bamboo (not the flooring). They were around 3" diameter, and I split it lengthwise so I had 8 (I think) full length pieces. Then, I used a block plane to get them to the desired dimension.

The bamboo is pretty thin (about 1/4" to 3/8"), so you'll probably have to layer them or something, if you want to build furniture, or, maybe use it like a veneer. I got my bamboo from butler bamboo in Santa Ana, CA. Since I work near there, I got to hand pick it too.


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

guess this is answering my own question a bit but I was just watching house crashers on HGTV and came across this company called teragren that makes a ton of bamboo products (all in the us of a). looks like mostly they do flooring, panels, coutertops, and veneers. but on the show they made a slat accent wall using a panel cut down into strips. I'm sure they are probably pretty expensive and crazy heavy, but hey im sure we've all used expensive and heavy materials before. At least its environmentally friendly! Also it appears as if they have access to dealers in most parts of the country for anyone that might be interested

I do have to say though I have been wondering a number of my original questions regarding locating and or using eucalyptus since we recently started selling a few floors made from that.


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## Tokolosi (Dec 14, 2011)

I have experimented with some bamboo floor salvage. I probably did something wrong (or had the wrong blade) - but all the pieces I cut burned so bad on the edges that they were unusable. Smells really good when it burns though.


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

The tops, sides, and backs of these pieces are 1/2" T&G bamboo flooring.


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

clint bamboo or not that is an awesome piece both in design and execution. what are the other woods that you used?


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

@Chubbs - Thanks for the compliment. The frame is dye stained red oak, the upper drawer faces are spalted maple, the lower drawers are spalted beech, and the slider panel is patinated copper. The finish is NC lacquer.


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## Tomj (Nov 18, 2011)

I have used bamboo in bows. I got into woodworking making bows/ laminated bows/selfbows etc.. I agree with everything you Bentheviking said. When it comes to making bows bamboo is considered natures fiberglass. It is very strong in tension (works well on the back of bow) and not so much in compression. Just like different woods have different strengths same goes for bamboo. Some bamboo I wouldn't use for furniture and especially not for bows. I have never made any furniture with bamboo though I know the Japanese prefer to use Madake A.K.A Japanese Timber Bamboo for furniture (grows to 72' and 5-6" in diameter) it is very strong and easy to work with because it tends to grow very strait. The second that is usually used in bamboo flooring is "Moso" it is the largest of any bamboo growing to 75' tall 7-8" in diameter. It is also the bamboo typically used for scaffolding. Bamboo does like to suck up moisture it needs to be sealed well. I myself have some Japanese timber bamboo growing in the backyard, although it most likely will not grow to it's 72' because of the climate here on Long Island.


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## MrsN (Sep 29, 2008)

I have made some cool things from pre-made bamboo cutting boards. The HomeGoods sore near by was clearancing out a bunch and I bought them all for way less then a piece of oak that size.

I just looked to see if the projects had been posted here, but I haven't posted them.

Here they are


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## KPW (Dec 1, 2011)

Hey MrsN, nice cutting board projects! Whats the process?


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## hnderson (Jan 22, 2012)

Cr1,

I had the same questions about bamboo. Here's Wickipedia's story about Bamboo flooring. It suggests that bamboo flooring uses less glues (usually urea formaldehyde) than some other flooring but also suggests that an overlooked eco concern is transportation as it mostly comes from China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_floor

Here in the pacific Northwest, there are a few bamboo growers. I wonder if it would make sense to purchase local bamboo, process it and then use it for woodworking projects.

Harold


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## ihmserv (Jan 29, 2008)

I've used scrap flooring pieces in segmented turnings, can't find the pics right now. 
but didn't have any problems with glueing, but that stuff is tough to turn without chipping. 
and the glues in the flooring dull tools fast. lots of sharpening.

IAN


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

I have used bamboo for years in the building of model airplanes. In certain areas and for certain uses the qualities of bamboo are unmatched. The outstanding qualities of bamboo are flexibility, toughness, shock resistance, and relative lightness. Its negatives are that it is available only in thin (1/8" to 3/8") narrow (1/4" to about 1" max) sections about 12" to 18" due to bamboo being a hollow tube with thin walls and solid nodes about every 12" to 18". I live in Atlanta, GA and it can be found occasionally growing from someone planting it around a home. A bamboo copse is very thick and you can hardly walk through it. I have friends who occasionally bring me some cuttings which I split and saw up and stow away. Another easily available source for small dowels and such are kebob skewers and chopsticks sold in grocery stores.

I seriously doubt you can get any use from bamboo for large flat surfaces unless you laminate it from hundreds of small pieces which is hardly practical. As it is a grass and grows primarily in Asia like a weed and very rapidly, I am sure special machines are used to size and prepare bamboo for lamination into a veneer for flooring. An interesting fact is lengths of bamboo are bound together to make scaffolds to erect tall office buildings in China and the Far East. It obviously works very well.

Planeman


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## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

I have made pens from (prebought) bamboo blanks and they turned out really well.


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## Bigromo (Oct 28, 2013)

This is an old post but something I am seriously looking into, so I figure others must be too. I have been shopping for bamboo flooring and was amazed at the variety, beauty and low cost of solid bamboo which would have a multitude of uses. Unfortunately, I finally was taking the plunge last weekend and went to lumber liquidators to look at it first hand and LOVED the natural finish horizontal bamboo flooring sample they had, it was very maple like and was listed at only 2.17 a square foot and the sample was 5/8 thick solid. I bought 2 bundles of 'utility oak' 2 1/4" flooring to laminate together to make a butcher block top for a new work bench that is my next project-cutting the toungue off them and gluing them flat on their faces, running dowels through several periodically to add strength, then designing or cutting various holes for bench dogs, etc. But when I saw the bamboo, I have been wanting to make a flat headboard for some new beds and I thought how nice that and some nightstands made of it would look. So I went to purchase some and was disappointed they have discontinued 5/8 and only have 3/8 now-which might be good for drawers, some sides of some things, but you can't dowel it really if it's that thin, so I'm going to search for another source of 5/8 while I build my bench.

If anyone has built furniture with bamboo and has tips, dos dont's they are much appreciated. You should check out your local lumber liquidators for the variety of this as well as very reasonably priced unfinished hardwood that is up to 5 1/2 inches wide, 3/4 thick. It seems it may be a good source for lumber on some projects, including hardwood like my 'utility oak' at only .89/ sqft on up to exotics.

I am also curious if anyone has done any turning on bamboo-I am thinking if laminating some together as well as doing some things with segmented bowls with small pieces constructed into a bowl blank. All I need is time.

Any ideas or feedback appreciated.

ps-the one piece of furniture shown above is gorgeous-


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

This was scrap from a restaurant build. It came in 4×8 sheets x 3/4" thick. Google Tiger Strand Bamboo


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

hey bigromo OP here. we did discontinue the 5/8" horizontal bamboo not sure why, but my guess is they wanted to to make more room for the stranded bamboos. As many nice lumber options LL has, we are ultimately a flooring store and stranded bamboo is a superior product to the horizontal products that you saw in terms of strength and durability with a minor cost increase. If you did want to get a thicker product I'd recommend laminating multiple pieces together (since that is all horizontal bamboo is) or working with your local store to find some 5/8" product. If no stores within driving distance have an available ask your local store to see if they can have some boxes fedexed to you from another store. if they aren't able to help PM me and ill see what I can do for you . This was a very popular item for us a few years ago and I'm sure there is still some product available.

In terms of turning I am not thinking that it would not turn well. Bamboo is just thin pieces of grass glued together and I think that turning would cause it to just splinter apart. It might be possible with really really sharp tools, but even then I'm not sure. I've got very limited turning experience so maybe it would go fine, but my inclination would be to say it wouldn't work well.


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