[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Bamboo flooring veneer

[Jason Holstine]

The cheap bamboo is cheap for a reason. And not sustainable. We run into the
problem all the time where customers come in "hey we bought some bamboo at
(blank) Depot or (blank) Liquidators, etc. a year ago, and it's scratching
real easy and feels squishy." There are several factors why, but in short:
Chinese manufacturers tear down hardwood native forests or farmland, plant
bamboo plantations, soak the land with chemical fertilizers and pesticides,
and cut down the stalk in 2 years (when it reaches 80% of its mature
height). Then in the factory the adhesives and finishes are nasty and toxic
(even if they have E1 certs just walk out back and look in the dumpster for
the truth). The material fails b/c while the Moso specie will mature to 80%
of its height in about 2 years, it takes 4-8 years to mature for consistent
moisture content. And it needs to be kiln dried in the factory for QC.
There's no need for pesticides and best sustainability uses native or
old-generation plantations. B/c it's native to the Chinese ecosystem and
shipping is actually quite efficient, the emboddied energy is actually
pretty low.
Treehugger.com, grist and other online sources have more detailed stories
that aren't completely accurate but pretty good.

A good bamboo, such as EcoTimber or Smith & Fong (which have been at it much
before the bamboo craze took off), has 1/8" top layer that can be sanded a
couple of times. You should expect to get 30-40-60 years out of it. If
you're in a really dry climate be careful b/c the glues b/w bamboo and
sublayer can dry and cause problems--solid bamboo may be better option.
Really the only other engd option is true veneer--wallpaper thickness--with
no sandability or repairability.

Jason Holstine
Amicus Green Building Center
www.amicusgreen.com and www.amicusdb.com


-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Lawrence Lile
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 7:42 PM
To: Shillpa Bansal-Singh; Greenbuilder list
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] [BULK] Bamboo flooring veneer


You can buy solid 3/4" bamboo several places, I just paid about $2.10 a
square foot for it at Home Depot, it is also stocked at my local Sam's club
for a little less.  You could resand it until you are old and gray and never
wear it out.  

 
 
Lawrence Lile, P.E., LEED AP


-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Shillpa
Bansal-Singh
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 6:36 PM
To: Greenbuilder list
Subject: [BULK] [Greenbuilding] Bamboo flooring veneer
Importance: Low

We are planing to install bamboo enginered floors in our condominium.
The
pre-finished top veneer on the flooring is 1/8th inch and is said to be able
to resanded another 1-2 times only. Would anyone have a cue on the
recommended thickness of the engineered floor veneer and if you require to
sand the flooring later in its life?

Thanks in advance to your help

Best
Divvyaan 


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