Plyboo

[Bernhard Lampert]

Folks,

Has anyone out there heard of, seen or even used Plyboo? Plyboo is plywood manufactured from bamboo. In the latest Fine Homebuilding 'Kitchen and Bath' issue, there is an article featuring a kitchen made from Plyboo. It looks really cool, I like the contemporary look of the Plyboo. According to the article and some websites, Plyboo is supposed to be pretty tough, easily worked and finished. I am just curious if anyone has first hand experience working with that stuff.
Thanks,
Bernhard

[Jim Becker]

'Creeker Joe Dusel uses it, I believe. It's not inexpensive, but looks to be a very nice material in looks and purpose...and made from fast-growing, renewable grass. (Bamboo)

What I find interesting about the product is that it's made a little different than traditional plywood, making even the edges useful in some cases.

[John Timberlake]

I am waiting for a sample to show up. Found a couple of weeks ago on line. Looks really intersting. Would love to see some used to make furniture. Web site is www.plyboo.com.

I also found some additional interesting materials at www.environbiocomposites.com/ where they have composite boards made from wheat straw and sunflower hulls. Also see http://www.kireiusa.com/ for material made by laminating poplar and sorgum stalks. And http://www.durapalm.com/ for plywood made from palm.

[Robert Mayer]

There was a thread about this about a year ago, not sure if it was this forum or not. The stuff was fairly expensive considering its a renewable tree.

Im actually going to put bamboo flooring in my house sometime in the next year or two. The flooring is a lot cheaper than the plywood if you feel like jointing some boards together...

[J.R. Rutter]

Got some samples of 1/4" to evaluate for door panels. After a while, some of it split at glue lines. Probably not an issue for thicker multiply stuff. This was single ply.

[Art Mulder]

Never seen it in plywood form. However I have seen bamboo in flooring -- same configuration as hardwood flooring.

And it was priced more than Oak or Maple.

[Joe Dusel (Vista, CA)]

I have used a bit of Plyboo for a few jobs that I have done. It's great stuff. You can use it for everything that you would use wood for (it's grass). Price-wise it works out to about $6 / square foot.

Here is a link to an article I put together on it.

http://www.woodistry.com/articles/BambooPlywood.htm

I just got an email from the guy who owns TotallyBamboo.com and he told me that he now carries 1 1/2" and 2" thick bamboo sheets in sheets around 30" x 96". Now that stuff is expensive, but it would make a nice countertop.

Take care,

Joe

[Bernhard Lampert]

Thank you all for the info.

John- I also went to the Plyboo.com site and was referred toa local distributor in Richmond, VA (still 2.5hrs from my neck of the woods). And I am also waiting for a sample pack.

Joe- Thank you for the link to your article. You do some very nice work!

If all goes well, I will use it for my kitchen cabinets, at least for all exposed surfaces.

Bernhard