Bamboo Plywood: A Comprehensive Guide

Bamboo plywood is one of the most widely used materials in home construction today. A small house of nearly 1200 Square feet can require making use of around seventy sheets of plywood in the interior wall sheathing and eighty sheets for roof and outside sheathing.

What if it were feasible to create plywood from grass instead of taking down the number of trees all around the world? Here, we will have a sight of the possibilities of using it as a sustainable choice for the construction of a home.

Is bamboo plywood sustainable?

All the excess carbon dioxide in the air can be a sink in a plant of bamboo. As it is fast growth nature plant, it can cut off a large percentage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, in a short period. Unlike numerous trees in a forest, it can easily grow in less optimum soil, abandoned and degraded land. In the coastal areas, canal banks, railway lines, roadsides, and other areas with marginal soils, it can be grown successfully.

How long does it take for bamboo to grow?

Bamboo can be grown to a harvestable size within 1-3 years. When a Douglas fit tree grows to its harvestable size, around 25-40 harvests could be done for bamboo. If we consider hardwood, it may give you 60 harvests of a bamboo yield until one harvest of hardwood would be done.

Is it harder than Oak or Maple?

Bamboo is 17% harder than maple and 30% harder than oak. These are the two most common hardwoods used in making plywood for home.

Where can you use bamboo plywood?

Bamboo plywood can be used in place of regular plywood, it belongs to a none timber forest category. It can be manufactured to follow either vertical or horizontal grain making for an attractive plywood interior. It can be used for countertops, interior walls, cabinetry, or furniture.

Does it need to be treated?

Bamboo plywood is naturally resistant to termites and molds. Hence, there’s no need to put extra effort into putting any heavy chemicals or treating them with pesticides. Apart from it, most of the lumber that is used in construction is to be treated with chocolate copper arsenate. But here, in this case, the natural resistance of bamboo to the pesticides will help you averting extra pressure-treated lumber sources.

What color is bamboo plywood?

The natural bamboo plywood is little light in color. However, to create darker, amber color tones, it is possible to apply a none toxic steam treatment. This process will allow the natural sugars of bamboo to get carbonize and hence a dark color will be produced.

What are the downsides to using bamboo plywood?

The availability of bamboo is the only pitfall to it. It can be grown almost anywhere on the globe. Most of its yield is found in Asia. So, if you are residing in North America, just think! How long it would have to travel to reach you here. It is advisable to check or to ask your supplier or manufacturer that where exactly their bamboo products are sourced. Bamboo products are identical to wood products.

Companies offering bamboo plywood: As bamboo is made to grow as a sustainable construction alternative, the count of bamboo plywood companies and flooring products continues to grow. Below, we can have a list of the top 3 bamboo ply supplying companies-

1.Plywood in bamboo: For the North American markets, Plywood in bamboo is perhaps the most favorable choice. It offers the widest array of bamboo products. They offer a bamboo ceiling system, plywood and veneer, wall systems, trim molding, And even-dimensional plywood lumber. The products are mostly free of formaldehyde. Super Density Strand bamboo flooring is their peculiar product. It is three times harder than traditional red oak flooring.

2.PW wood products: This company provides bamboo sheets, panels, and normal-sized bamboo plywood in both horizontal as well as vertical grains. They often offer bamboo decking which ensures ecological sustainability and durability. To help protect against water, mildew, and pests, it is treated with hydrogen peroxide and natural borate.

3.NW bamboo: This company offers high-quality bamboo plywood. This is a Portland, Oregon-based company. Its manufacture and distributes plywood panels, dimensional bamboo, veneer, lumber, and countertops, etc.