For years hardwood have been the go to material for plywood and furniture but over the past few decades there has been a gradual rise in the demand for bamboo plywood. Designers and architects are now looking to bamboo as a greener alternative to hardwood. Firstly 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.

It’s cheap and easy to install

Not only is bamboo harder than most hardwood but 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 too. Bamboo is very comfortable to work with if you are planning to do it yourself. Bamboo plywood fits perfectly with minimal wastage and fuss.

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.

Easy to maintain

Cleaning your bamboo furniture is no herculean task. During the manufacturing process bamboo is boiled in a solution of boric acid to remove the sugar and any insects present. This ensures that there is no insect infestation in the bamboo even after years of use. Bamboo plywood is immune to water spills and also dust resistant. Just using a clean mop to wipe the furniture from time to time will keep it looking as good as new. Even if there is a scratch or dent you can always refinish your bamboo product easily.

Eco-friendly

Bamboos have a short life cycle of 5-7 years. This means that when a bamboo is cut down another one grows in just about 5 years time. In contrast most hardwoods take something from 30-100 years to mature and cutting down such trees cause massive environmental damages. Bamboo is thus a sustainable alternative to hardwood. Home owners nowadays want their homes and interior décor to be eco-friendly. Bamboo is the most eco-friendly building material.