Is bamboo the same as wood?

Bamboo is an extremely durable material that is often used in construction. With similar looking and texture as wood, many customers are wondering: is bamboo the same as wood?

Although bamboo is usually used in a same way as wood, it’s actually a grass. Bamboo is the fast-growing plant on earth, which can get mature in 5 years. Bamboo has many wood-like characteristics that make it difficult to tell the two apart. As a member of the grass family, bamboo grows much differently.

Wood is an abundant organic material and renewable resource that grows continuously. Structurally, wood is exceptionally strong and naturally resists compression while maintaining flexibility, which is why it’s so widely used in all aspects of our lives. Trees grow upward and outward, and the stem increases in diameter with each new year of growth.

Despite the obvious structural differences between bamboo and wood, the two actually have quite similar material compositions. They both have slender, sharp cells forming a heterogeneous cellular material that is composed of a high quantity of cellulose. Both wood and bamboo are tremendously strong, yet flexible. Due to its hollow nature, bamboo actually has higher flexibility when compared to wood. The hollowness allows bamboo to be bent into different shapes without breaking. Although bamboo is technically a grass and not a tree, it’s a strong, flexible, and incredibly renewable resource that can be used in much the same way as wood.

Trees are constantly being cut down to be turned into lumber for use in all aspects of our lives. The process is relatively straightforward. But how does one turn bamboo into something like a wooden plank? First, bamboo can be harvested in as little as 3 years, whereas hardwood can take as long as 40-60 years to grow before being harvested! Once harvested, the green outer layer of the bamboo is removed and the culm is cut into strips which are then milled and boiled to remove starch and sugar. This step in the process is important in reducing the risk of decay or insect damage.

Bamboo flooring is often mistaken for hardwood flooring. In fact, bamboo and hardwood flooring have a very similar feel and look, though as we know bamboo is not technically hardwood. There are subtle features that make bamboo flooring much different from hardwood flooring.

In recent years, bamboo has increasingly been used as a more sustainable substitute for wood. Not only does it grow quickly and easily, but it’s incredibly versatile. It has all of the benefits of growing like a weed, as well as the benefits of being as strong as wood.

Although hardwood certainly has its own advantages such as resisting mold and decay for many years, it can take a lifetime to grow. Although trees are a renewable resource, they don’t grow fast enough to support a growing population. This is where bamboo can help by supplementing traditional wood or paper products and therefore reducing the speed at which we cut down trees.

Bamboo is a beautiful and sustainable option that can be used instead of wood, or a great addition.