4 Reasons why bamboo plywood is so expensive

People are increasingly concerned about the environment. As a result, more and more people are looking for sustainable and environmentally friendly options. One such option is the use of bamboo products, especially bamboo plywood.

Bamboo plywood has become a popular choice for residential and commercial projects. It is ideal for flooring, countertops, cabinets, furniture and other materials.

However, despite the popularity of bamboo plywood, some people may be hesitant to buy bamboo plywood because of its high cost. For some, bamboo plywood may be a noticeable hit to their wallets.

You may ask, is bamboo plywood really that expensive?

Like any quality item or material, bamboo plywood is quite expensive. Here are four reasons why

1. Complex manufacturing process

As you’ve already guessed, bamboo vinyl planks are made from bamboo. However, any kind of bamboo can be used. It can be extracted from a type of lush bamboo called moso bamboo.

Mauve bamboo is different from the common garden bamboo. Also known as turtle bamboo, moso bamboo takes five to six years to mature. When mature, it produces the highest fiber density of any bamboo. This makes it ideal for the production of man-made bamboo products such as bamboo plywood.

The production of bamboo plywood involves several steps.

When the stalks grow to 35-40 feet, they are harvested and inspected for defects and pests. The stalks and stumps are then cut into slats. They are then treated with a borate mixture to kill pests. They are then kiln dried to a moisture content of 6-9%.

The slats are sanded and leveled by the production staff and the kiln-dried slats are inspected. Slats are divided into two categories: by substance and by substrate. The dried slats are glued together to form a single sheet. The sheets are glued together to form a multi-layer plywood. Multi-layer plywood does not contain formaldehyde.

Additionally, gluing and hot pressing are performed to prevent the multilayer panels from warping. This last process makes the bamboo plywood more stable. In addition, the dimensional stability of bamboo plywood is 3-4 times higher than that of oak plywood.

2. Only about 30% of bamboo seedlings can be utilized.

Some people (maybe very few) do not know that bamboo is a grass plant.

Bamboo is a tall, fast-growing perennial plant. Some species can grow up to a foot in a day. They have hard, hollow stalks called bamboo stakes that grow in bunches from thick underground stems.

Engineered bamboo growers harvest the stalks as they mature. They are then cut into boards or sheets to make bamboo plywood. However, since the bamboo stems are hollow, they cannot be easily cut into slats. The bamboo industry can only utilize about 30% of the bamboo to produce bamboo plywood.

3. Limited bamboo resources

There are about 14 million hectares of bamboo forests in the world. These bamboo forests are located in the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas and Africa.

On the other hand, the global forest area is about 4.06 billion hectares. Since the 1990s, primary forests have decreased by more than 80 million hectares. This is due to the unsustainable use of forests and forest resources by humans. Nevertheless, forests are still larger than bamboo forests.

There are more than 70 bamboo genera and 1,000 bamboo species in the world. About 80% of them grow in eastern and southeastern Asia.

About 20% of the world’s bamboo grows in China. This is due to China’s geographical conditions and favorable natural environment. Therefore, China is called the Kingdom of Bamboo. There are more than 500 species of bamboo in China, and moso bamboo is one of them. Mulberry is a type of bamboo that manufacturers use to make bamboo plywood.

4. Truck transportation.

Many types of bamboo grow in Asia. Especially in northern China, more than 500 species of bamboo are grown. Therefore, China is known as the bamboo kingdom. Where the bamboo plywood is transported will affect the transportation cost.

Bamboo plywood is denser than hardwood plywood such as maple and oak. Its thickness in relation to its density affects transportation costs.

Why use bamboo plywood?

Bamboo plywood is too expensive. So why do we use it? You may be wondering.

Bamboo is very flexible and can move and bend with the wind. Because of this flexibility, bamboo may not seem like a good choice for a building material.

However, bamboo plywood is superior to hardwood. Here are a few reasons why bamboo plywood is an ideal alternative to hardwoods

Bamboo plywood is both flexible and stable.

The inherent strength of bamboo ensures sturdy construction. Traditional woodworking tools

It also comes in different sizes and grain types for a variety of uses. Cabinets, furniture, flooring, countertops, etc.

Bamboo can be harvested every 4-6 years. It does not harm the environment or animal habitats.

Bamboo absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Bamboo produces 30% more oxygen than trees.

Trees take decades or even centuries to mature. While bamboo takes only a few years to grow. Therefore, bamboo is an ideal building material.

Bamboo plywood is an environmentally friendly bamboo material.

Bamboo takes only four to six years to reach full maturity. Bamboo producers can harvest bamboo every year without destroying the forest. This is because bamboo can grow new shoots in a short period of time.

In contrast, hardwoods take decades or even centuries to fully mature. The use of bamboo plywood helps to mitigate and minimize the effects of deforestation.

Bamboo plywood is dense and strong.

Bamboo has a tensile strength of 28,000 pounds per square inch. This makes it stronger than hardwoods such as maple and oak. It is 25% harder than red oak and 12% harder than North American maple.

What is bamboo plywood used for?

Bamboo plywood is a more beautiful and environmentally friendly alternative to hardwood. It is available in a variety of sizes, textures, finishes and unfinished.

Bamboo plywood is ideal for both small and large projects. Here are some uses for bamboo plywood.

Vanity Countertops.

Bamboo plywood is very attractive as a bathroom veneer. It has moisture resistant properties. This property prevents bamboo from expanding in the humid environment of the bathroom.

Kitchen Cabinets.

Cabinets are an important part of the kitchen. Bamboo cabinets make the kitchen look fresh and modern.

Customized Furniture

Bamboo veneer is durable and scratch resistant. Ideal for office and dining room furniture.

Flooring

Bamboo plywood is durable and waterproof. It is cheaper than parquet and perfect for

Decorative frames

Bamboo plywood is ideal for framing and edging doors, windows and mirrors. It is also ideal for wainscoting panels, signs and artwork.

Built-in cabinets.

These cabinets can be used as work areas, bookshelves and decorative shelves. Bamboo is both strong and lightweight, making it an ideal material for built-in cabinets.

Pocket or sliding doors.

These doors are often used to hide storage cabinets or closets in tight spaces. They are also ideal for regular or bi-fold doors that take up a lot of space. Bamboo plywood is the ideal material for sliding doors to hide pocket doors.

In addition to these ideas for using bamboo plywood, there are many other uses for bamboo plywood.