Are these cutting boards made from plyboo?

[Rahul Srivastava]

I was wondering what is the form of bamboo that these people are using to make cutting boards out of them? I don't know much about bamboo, but would appreciate some feedback based on these images. I would assume that they are made from 3ply bamboo that is formaldehyde free. Does anyone know a good online supplier, as well as a good supplier in Michigan?

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0066/1032/products/AHeirloom-Alabama-Mini-Cutting-Board_large.jpeg?v=1436916468
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0066/1032/products/AHeirloom-Alaska-State-Shaped-Cutting-Board_large.jpeg?v=1436916736

[John T Barker]

I can't answer your questions (sorry) but would suggest thinking about a better wood. Porous woods don't make for good cutting boards, from what I read years ago. Maple has been a common choice in cutting boards and food prep surfaces because of inherant qualities that make it suitable for this purpose. Other woods are often chosen for this use, either for decorative purposes or cost. If you can afford it I would go with a dense, closed pore wood.

[glenn bradley]

I cannot tell from the picture but, as John points out bamboo is a very poor choice for cutting boards. The primary reason cited on cooking and knife making forums is the hardness. It dulls blades quickly. For a decorative item it would be fine and simply Googling "Bamboo Lumber" in my area gave me a couple of sources within 50 miles. Cali bamboo (http://www.calibamboo.com/product-plywood-3ply-1-4-inch-horizontal-natural-8010000701.html) also sell online but I think the shipping would be prohibitive. Rockler sells it by the piece but, size may be a problem.

[Martin Wasner]

The shop next door is a distributor for Plyboo and Richlite. Plyboo is scary expensive stuff. I'm not certain and may be mis-remembering, but I think a 4x8 is around $500 a sheet depending on color and type. I want to say I priced out a sheet of the 24mm stuff to build myself a dining room table a few years ago and it was $900. But, there's no labor in milling. Just cut to size.

I did try making a sample raised panel door out of some scraps they had laying around. It machined well, and went together fine, but the cope joints all popped. I think they'd have to be milled from a solid piece on a CNC like mdf doors to make it work. It looks really awesome though, I'll take a picture when I get back to the shop.


Looks pretty sweet I think, but not a good idea. I seriously doubt I glued it incorrectly, I've built thousands of doors, and this one sat in bar clamps until the glue cured. Which is better than the way we typically assemble doors. The plys and the grain going opposite directions isn't a good fit for this kind of joint. I'm not sure I'd want a whole kitchen this way either, a bit too much going on. On a limited scale like a small vanity it'd be pretty cool though.

http://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10645029_777109035727677_6223140342668328575_n.jpg ?oh=f16b6c4d7a8236c16b4d9f4a13bc97dd&oe=5729C69B

[john bateman]

If you google bamboo cutting boards, you will see there are hundreds of them and not too pricey. It wouldn't surprise me if the ones in your pictures were just bought as blanks, then cut into the various shapes you see.

[Peter Kelly]

Plyboo plywood is designed for interior use only. Plyboo plywood is not a structurally rated sheet good. Smith & Fong cannot take responsibility for inappropriate applications or environmental conditions. If you have further questions about a product or specific application, please feel free to contact us for further information.

Based on the above, I'm assuming the stuff isn't made with water-resistant glue. Would likely delaminate pretty quickly under normal cutting board use.