Bamboo Plywood and Its Advantages: A Snappy Overview

For years hardwood have been the go to material for plywood and furniture. However over the past few years there has been a steady rise in the demand of bamboo plywood. Designers and architects are now looking to bamboo as a greener alternative to hardwood. You may wonder why. First of all bamboo is not a tree. Bamboos are very tall perennial grass as hard as some maple and oak trees. Bamboo plywood is made by cutting horizontal or vertical bamboo strips and gluing them together under high pressure to form even stronger plywood. So what makes bamboo the popular choice nowadays? Read on.

It looks like hardwood

Don’t be mistaken. Bamboo plywood looks no different than hardwood. They have a unique texture that lends a simple yet classy look to your furniture. The natural feel of the bamboo lends a traditional touch to your home all the while keeping it contemporary with various design styles and colors. Bamboo plywood comes in two distinct styles, namely horizontal and vertical. The horizontal arrangement shows fewer lines but more character while the vertical styled plywood shows more lines but lesser natural features.

Harder than most hardwood

Yes, you read that right. Bamboo plywood is harder than the average maple or oak plywood in the market. The greater density of the bamboo provides immense strength to the ply. Strand woven bamboo, which are made by fusing adhesive and strips of bamboo under high pressure, have been proven to be stronger than oak, ebony, maple and even most Brazilian hardwood. It has a very high score upwards of 3000 on the Janka hardness scale making it one of the hardest plywood. In fact bamboo has been in use in Asia for over thousands of years. The people of China (the highest producer of bamboo) have been using it to make houses, instruments, weapons and scaffolding.

Longevity

Bamboo plywood tends to have a longer life span than traditional hardwood. Bamboo is one of the most naturally durable materials out there. After proper treatment it resists dust and insects. They are also moisture resistant and immune to dents and scratches. Bamboo is also resistant to warping over time and can typically last a lifetime. They can easily last from 10 to 15 years with minimal maintenance. On top of that bamboo can be easily refinished 2-3 times thus increasing its lifespan. Practically they can last a lifetime.

Versatile

Bamboo plywood is extremely versatile to work with. Be it counter tops or cabinets in your kitchen or even the flooring of your home it goes just about anywhere and with anything. You can use bamboo to make furniture in your home. It might be grass but it is stronger than most hardwood and also more resilient to water and insects. The unique texture lends your furniture a touch of sophistication all the while being natural.

It’s cheap and easy to install

Not only is bamboo stronger than most hardwood it is also cheaper than them. Since bamboo is a grass which grows in numbers and have a short harvesting cycle bamboo is one of the cheapest materials in today’s market. It is very easy to install to. Bamboo is very easy to work with if you are planning to do it yourself. Bamboo plywood fits perfectly with minimal wastage and fuss.

Easy to maintain

Cleaning your bamboo furniture is no herculean task. If you have bought plywood from a reputable dealer then you will rarely need to clean it. During the manufacturing process bamboo is boiled in a solution of boric acid to remove the sugar and any insects present. This ensures that no insect infest the bamboo even after years of use. Bamboo plywood is immune to water spills as well as dust resistant. So use a clean mop to wipe your furniture from time to time and it will look as good as new. Even if there is a scratch or dent you can always refinish your bamboo product easily.

Bamboo is the most eco-friendly building material on the market and the new choice for home-owners and architects alike. If you want to move to the greener side of home renovation, it’s time you should choose bamboo flooring.