Bamboo

Bamboo is found in tropical and subtropical areas with mild temperatures. They are mainly found in East and Southeast Asia - specifically China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia. 

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It is an incredibly fast-growing grass that proposes a sustainable alternative to wood. This relatively inexpensive material has a light yellow color that can be enhanced by steaming. Bamboo has a higher compressive strength than wood, brick, and concrete and has a slightly lower tensile strength than steel. Although it is quite stable in humidity, it is still vulnerable to shrinkage, rot, and insects.

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Mature stems that are about 4-5 years old are carefully extracted. They are then pushed through a metal splitter to be cut into slats which are planed down to gain a uniform shape. These slats are boiled in hydrogen peroxide to protect them from insects and fungi and then dried until they can be sanded down. These strips are finally glued together horizontally or vertically to create panels.

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For maintenance, avoid cleaning bamboo with a wet/steam mop due to moisture buildup over time. Cleaning with non-alkaline and non-abrasive cleaning solutions is important due to bamboo’s sensitivity to acidity. Sun exposure can also fade bamboo over time.

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