# Bamboo plywood



## ShawnH (Mar 30, 2007)

Have any of you used bamboo plywood? I just watched an old WW podcast with Kaleo Kala. I went to his website and found he uses a lot of bamboo plywood. I just did a quick search and it is quite beautiful and a sustainable product. But I found that a 3/4 4×8 sheet is 230 per sheet. Is this how much it runs? Who could afford it? Just curious about this and anyones experience.


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## rnkvale (Jan 18, 2009)

I have wondered the same. I thought because it grows so fast that it would be cheaper and easier to get a hold of. But it ain't. I bought some bamboo "bricks" to make a back splash in my kitchen I will try and find the site I purchased them at and post a link.


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## Dez (Mar 28, 2007)

Sustainable yes but hardly green. Consider the shipping costs including CO2. It is no wonder that it is expensive when you take that and the manufacturing process into account. Beautiful stuff, hard and I like the colors. Wish the US had a local source.


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## KnotWright (Nov 6, 2008)

I haven't used the plywood sheets, they are way too pricey for me, but I have used the 1 1/2" butcher block material, 2 years ago I could get a 4' x 8' piece in caramel for 375$ which to me was very reasonable. I couldn't do Formica counter tops for that price.

I saved the cutouts for making cutting boards. Its great stuff and fairly easy to maintain. Mineral oil with a little paraffin wax blended together, seals the pores and enhances the color. I installed this counter top around a slide-in range, and so far in 2 + years, no call backs, and last I saw was still looking like new.

The supplier carried both natural and the caramel colors of the butcher block as well as most thicknesses of the plywood in both colors. My Bluelinx distributor carries it, but I can't recall who the manufacture is.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

We did a big job in our shop last year with bamboo, and had about 200 sheets shipped direct from China. Sorry, but I don't know what the cost was.


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## nailbanger2 (Oct 17, 2009)

Hey, this topic has given me a little hope. About a year and a half ago I installed about 1600 sf of bamboo flooring. 3/4 TandG and I saved all the scraps. This stuff is heavy as heck and I had no idea if I could even use it, but now I'm going to have to do a little experimenting.


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## kimmellr (Jan 4, 2010)

There is a company in Portland, OR. I was quotes 155 per sheet. NWbamboo.com


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## Kaleo (Jan 25, 2007)

it's been a real long time since I have been on this site. I used a product called Plyboo. It did run about 220 a sheet. Which is pricey, but I used it for a specific piece catering to a specific clientele. It's great stuff, dimensionally stable and works well. The only thing I noticed was that it smelled funny when I cut it on the table saw. But I am use to the smell of plywood and other solid timbers. Give it a go and try it out, you'll like it I bet.

Kaleo
www.kala-studios.com


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## rdlaurance (Mar 28, 2009)

My brother recently finished some bamboo cabinets for our mother's kitchen.
The look and color of the wood (or grass?) is really great!


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I made a sofa table out of bamboo plywood. It was for an architectural firm that had a "green exhibition" at the local art museum.

The material was quite expensive as I recall but what I used was given to me. The problem that I had with it was that it would not lay flat. It had a good warp to it.

I was told by the supplier that cabinet shops were making cabinets and doors out of it but I am not sure how the shops were getting the doors to stay flat. I was turned off to the product of plywood because of this but I have bought veneer and done my own veneered panels and had great success with it.


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## kolwdwrkrsgirl (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi Shawn,
My BF Keith (fellow LJ, kolwdwrkr) works with bamboo ply ALL the time, so he can probably give you a wealth of information on the subject. The shop he's been working at (it's CALLED Laguna Bamboo, lol!) specializes in bamboo cabinetry for kitchens and baths, and besides that he's started doing some of his own personal hobby projects with it as well. You should message him.

I help out at the shop from time to time, and all I can tell you on the subject is that whenever I touch the stuff (either to sand it, or edgeband it, or what have you) I get nasty splinters! The fibers are really strong and sharp, and go in deep. OUCH!!


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## kolwdwrkrsgirl (Sep 16, 2009)

OOps….I JUST noticed that notottoman already posted a link directing you to one of Keith's blogs reguarding bamboo ply….so, there ya go! he,he,he! ; )


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I too have noticed the splinter issue.

I would say that even though I had a less than positive experience with it, I realize that it may have been isolated to the particular manufacturer or distributor and would try it again.

I am partial to the looks of bamboo.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

I was planing a project with bamboo plywood but had to drop it when I got the quotes for the price per sheet.

it's supposedly an endless self-regenerating material (actually it's a weed, and once it grows, is pretty much impossible to kill/eliminate and will spread around wherever it can) but I guess the process to make it into plywood makes it very expensive (it's not really plywood - most sheets are just a lamination of thin strips when you look at it). it's also supposedly hard on tools and blades.

I was quoted ~$200 per 1/2" sheet (4'x8')


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## kolwdwrkr (Jul 27, 2008)

I am currently writing a blog on bamboo for the company I am working with. We are trying to form some sort of partnership between my company and his, although we are both unsure how we want to proceed, especially since it is a slow time. With the lack of work everyone has been layed off, and I have been asked to finish up the current job at half my cost. I am hoping the blog generates some leads, as well as produces some education to our prospective clients. The blog is here: http://lagunabamboo.blogspot.com/
I am also writing a blog for my company, just because my phone is still somewhat ringing. You can see it here: http://kolwoodworks.blogspot.com/.

I have made probably 6 kitchens, several bathrooms, and some miscellaneous things, like bowls, boxes, etc. My experience so far is that it is a nice stable material. Seems easy to work, although it does dull cutters. The material is essentially called plywood because it is layers. Normally 3. The front and back layers are about 3/16. The center is around 3/8 or so. The benefit to this is that the outerlayer is very thick, so the fear of sanding through is eliminated. The material sands nicely. Because it is essentially straws, when cutting the splinters are gruesome. They are very fine, stiff, and sharp. 

You can also get solid bamboo sheet goods in the same sizes, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 etc. It is not as stable as the 3 ply, and runs about the same cost. The cost in my opinion is based off of your relationship with the company you purchase for. For instance, we will buy 10 sheets at a time, and can do so for ~160 for 3/4" 3 ply. The prices are high here in the US because it is not a widely used material, so the demand is low, making prices higher. It seems like a luxury material, even though it really isn't. In time the material will be fairly expensive, as soon as the demand for it rises and it becomes as common as say maple or alder.
As far as design goes, I feel that it can only be used for modern contemporary designs. So flat panels, inlay work, etc all look great. But I haven't seen any detailed crowns, raised panels, carving, etc and in my opinion its because the glue lines show. For the most part, China supplies most of the bamboo used in the US as sheet goods. There seems to be glue on the surface because of poor manufacturing from China, but some companies do a good job eleviating that. It does sand right off.

My opinion of bamboo is that it's good for those who want to go green, although there's controversy there as well. It's not the most affordable material, and the designs are limited to the imagination and budget. Even though I have had some fun with it, I don't particularly like it enough to make it a focus of mine. I think I'm more traditional, whereas I like to see carvings, arches, routed detailing, etc. But I'm sure with the right imagination, the sky is the limit.


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## mac34 (Dec 12, 2009)

If you use bamboo faced plywood, be very careful not to use an orbital sander or do any sanding across the grain. It will rupture the fibers and destroy the panel beyond repair.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

Mac34 - I have used a random orbital sander on it and not had any issues.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Hmmm… I wonder what kind of binder is used to hold all those random fibres together? I mean, whether some sort of polyester, epoxy, phenolic, or other medium must be something less than 'organic'...I'm just not convinced that it is as green as it's made out to be. How long does it take to decompose in a landfill? Maybe someone here can fill in these details.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

I'm not real sure, poopiecat, but it looks to me like the bamboo is split and flattened. Maybe steam, maybe chemically. Don't know. If that's true, then the only binder would be what is needed to affix the strips together and, to any substrate. 
I just looked at some I have and it appears that the strips are about 5-6" wide. Hard to tell as the manuf. did such a good job. 
At any rate, IMHO, and all things considered, domestic hardwoods are far more "green" than bamboo.

Of course, that really mattered to me, I'd drink corn whiskey instead of Scotch, and eschew bubinga and vermillion.
And I ain't gonna do that!


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

Afaik there is no binder. Bamboo plywood and lumber is made up of strips that are typically about 1/4" thick and 1/2" to 3/4" wide. The strips are just cut from the bamboo. These are glued up into sheets and slabs. They don't glue up the individual fibers.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks, Gene and Ger!
'Kaleo' above stated that there was an unusual smell when it is cut. Bamboo is NOT lumber, and it has to be cohered somehow. Maybe somebody who knows the manufacturing process can shed some light on this. Also, perhaps, what toxic fumes are emitted when this material is burning, that might indicate the presence of resinous, or plasticized, man-made materials used in the manufacturing process. I just can't help but think that this stuff is mostly lab-created, and not a 'natural' product. I'd start using it if indeed it was truly a greener alternative, including its eventual presence in the landfill.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

poopiekat -there are not additives aside from glue to hold the strips together.

bamboo although a weed, still has the same characteristics of any other lumber, it is a solid material made of long grains just like oak (with the only difference oak trunk is not hollowed while bamboo is so yields less material per 'trunk').

As for the smell - different lumber have different smells when cut/planed/machined, bamboo is no different. 'smell funny' or 'smell different' does not always equates to dangerous chemicals that are used to create the material in a lab…

Plyboo (afaik) does not contain foermhylaid, and is actually considered green. yes - bamboo composts.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks, Purplev!
Perhaps my perception is wrong; I think of bamboo as the stuff we used to make fishin' poles out of, whenever a roll of linoleum was delivered. It was seldom more than 1 1/2" thick, though I've seen it perhaps 4" in diameter somewhere. is this what is cut to strips, and adhered together? If so, it just seems like an awful lot of non-bamboo is in a single square foot of the stuff, proportionally speaking. I'm going to see if I can find some specs on this stuff…..I'd like to try it, if it isn't one step backwards. Remember, on a related note, compact-fluorescent light bulbs now facilitate the presence of mercury in our detoxed homes…if one breaks. Yet they're said to be much greener than incandescents, and yes I've heard all the statistics. I am suspicious of things said to be 'greener' if they're just a trade-off of one danger for another.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

NP poopiekat. bamboo although smaller than most other trees used for lumber, still can be bigger than the chopstick, and fishing poles you've seen:










as you said, the 'shell' has to be cut into strips which are then glued together. here is a view of the bamboo cut:









This is why bamboo material is mostly considered plywood, even though in some cases there is only 1 ply (made of 3/4" strips). as you say - there is glue between each 2 strips but still most of the material is plain bamboo. and as mentioned - most companies (at least those that I contacted) were using plain glue without the hazardous materials as they are known today.

I am no advocate for bamboo material, and in most application don't really care much for it. although in some application I think it's the BEST.

As you said though - thats the info we're getting, but who's to say what else is going on… delivery and all. like eggs and cheese - tomorrow they may discover than foermhylaid might actually be good nutrition, and H2O bad for ya… go figure.


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## Wolffarmer (Jul 14, 2009)

Just remember that bamboo is a grass. the stems are like wheat, hollow inside with a "node" every so often so even with the largest of bamboo to make "lumber" they have to vertically cut the plant into long small strips and glue them together. To me that does not sound so very "green" other than bamboo grows so easily. Also grass is filled with silica, that is one of the things that killed off the dinosaurs. Grasses developed and they was unable to eat/digest it. Ruminant mammals developed and they was able to thrive on a diet of mostly grasses. Thus the huge herds of bison on the north american grass planes. Horses was hanging on here until they where finished off by a new critter on the scene, humans. Years later the Mongol people took to the many horses of the Mongolian plane and quickly expanded coming close to taking over Asia and Europe. Ok so i have a little to much of plant science in my past. Of course there are more than one cause for these events, the rise of grass was one.

Randy


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

As far as uses for bamboo, being as hard as it is, I surfaced one of my benches with it. It's great for that. 
An acquaintance surfaced her kitchen counters and island with it. I's fairly susceptible to scorches, though. My shop hot plate sits on little legs about 3/4 high and it scorched the bench top.


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

I think there are many part os the USA where bamboo could be quickly and cheaply grown . Cutting out expensive and ungreen carbon emmisions in so doing .Why not find out if there is anywhere doing just that?Alistair


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Well… if bamboo is the miracle building material, the inhabitants of *Gilligan's Island *would have sailed home. Heck, even Tom Hanks as *Cast Away *used timbers instead of bamboo to float away from his little slice of paradise. Steve McQueen used coconuts in *Papillon*.....just thinking out loud…I really would like to try bamboo sheetgoods.


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