Bamboo plywood

[John Conklin]

I noticed that a local supplier has started carrying bamboo plywood and I'm thinking about trying it. 3/4"x4x8 for $39.95 seems reasonable.

Anyone else use it or have any info?

[John R Green]

It's called Plyboo - Google it

[John Conklin]

Thanks, I know all about Google. Just wondered if anyone had any first hand experience.

[david minnery]

Plyboo is just one of the many products out there. The plyboo brand is very good, and they offer a variety of products. Based on the price, my guess that's a different brand. Plyboo will be 2-3 as much as that.

[Jamie Buxton]

I built a set of stair treads with the stuff. Wear gloves; sharp edges splinter. After you ease the corners, it is okay.

BTW, my local hardwood dealers are asking over $150 per sheet of 3/4".

[J.R. Rutter]

Ditto on paying a lot more than $40/sheet. I've used several suppliers and quality does correlate to price in my experience. The least expensive has more internal voids and does not stay as flat. It is very durable in general, and heavy.

[John Conklin]

I went ahead and got a sheet just to give it a try. I'm going to use it for a knock-down table for the shop, so I can handle some imperfections. The face plies are thin, but no worse than a shop grade birch would be. There are 11 internal plies so I'm hoping it will be stable. I actually like the look of it. From what I've seen on the net, I think it's carbonized since it has a darker color. The only weird thin is that the face plies run the 4 foot direction instead of the 8 foot, but doesn't matter for shop stuff.

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[Dave Zellers]

Very interesting stuff! Right now I'm paying $73 a sheet for paint grade birch- quality stuff, not BORG stuff. Comes flat, stays flat.

What is the surface like? Smooth? Bamboo should be even harder than birch. I wonder if it's paintable. That is odd about the grain direction. 11 ply sounds good but I bought some BORG birch that was 11 ply and it warped like crazy shortly after I brought it into my shop. That's why I'm back to paying $73 at my trusted lumber yard.

I think the BORG stuff needs to be used and locked into position as soon as you bring it home before it goes kerflooie. I remember someone here a few years ago saying the problem is they use wood that isn't fully dry for the inner plys.

Please report back after you use this sheet.

[Jamie Buxton]

I went ahead and got a sheet just to give it a try. I'm going to use it for a knock-down table for the shop, so I can handle some imperfections. The face plies are thin, but no worse than a shop grade birch would be. ..]

Ah. The bamboo I've seen in my dealers is bamboo throughout. What you have is dunno-wood interior plies, and bamboo for the face plies. That probably explains the difference in price I commented on earlier.