Bamboo boards and veneer
Short answer: Bamboo boards are made by cutting the stems into strips and gluing them together under pressure. The result resembles solid wood and is used for worktops, chopping boards and floors.
How the boards are made
The stems are cut into strips, dried and glued together in layers under pressure. Because a bamboo stem is hollow and round, it cannot be sawn into wide planks like a tree trunk. The strips are the building blocks, and glue and pressure turn them into a flat, stable board.
The pattern
The direction of the strips decides the pattern of the finished board. Laid flat, you see wide strips with the nodes as clear lines. Set on edge, the pattern becomes narrower and more even. When the fibres are pressed into a dense mass, the board gets a busier look, rather like marbled wood.
Hardness
Glued bamboo boards are hard and are used for floors, worktops and chopping boards where there is wear. How hard a board is depends on how the strips are laid and how tightly they are pressed. A hard surface takes a lot, but can also be harder to sand and work.
Veneer
Veneer is a thin layer of bamboo glued onto another board. It gives a surface the look of bamboo without the whole piece being solid bamboo. Veneer is used on furniture and cabinet doors, among other things. Quality depends on the veneer, the glue and the board underneath.
Glue and finish
Quality depends on the glue and the surface treatment, not only on the bamboo itself. The glue holds the strips together, and oil or lacquer protects against moisture and stains. Ask the retailer which glue and finish were used if the board will go in a kitchen or bathroom.
Not textiles
Boards and textiles are two different uses of the same raw material. In a board, the hard fibres of the stem are kept and glued together. In textiles, the cellulose is dissolved and the hard structure disappears. So a bamboo worktop says nothing about a garment. Read more in what is bamboo viscose.
From plant to fabric
For textiles the stems are broken down and the cellulose is dissolved chemically. It is formed into new fibres, which are spun into yarn and knitted or woven. That is why the same plant can give a hard worktop and a smooth, soft fabric. See from bamboo plant to soft fabric.
What you feel in a textile
Neither hardness nor pattern says anything about how a piece of bamboo viscose feels. There the knit and the fabric weight decide. A thin fabric falls lightly and feels airy, while a thicker one feels fuller. Read more in what fabric weight and GSM mean.
A grass
Bamboo looks like wood once it is glued into a board, but the plant is a grass. The stems grow fast and have their thickness from the start. That is why they must be cut into strips before they can be used as boards. Read more in is bamboo a grass or a tree.
See the range
If you want to see the raw material in soft form, bedding is a good place to start. Here bamboo becomes duvet covers, sheets and pillowcases that lie smooth against the skin. Look at fabric weight and weave in the descriptions. See bamboo bedding.
Frequently asked questions
How are bamboo boards made?
The stems are cut into strips, dried and glued together in layers under pressure. The direction of the strips decides both the pattern and the hardness of the finished board.
Are bamboo boards hard?
Yes. Glued boards are hard and are used for floors and worktops where there is wear. The hardness depends on how the strips are laid and pressed together.
Do bamboo boards have anything to do with textiles?
Only the raw material. In a board the hard fibres are kept, while in textiles the cellulose is dissolved and formed into new, soft fibres for knitting or weaving.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
