Bamboo building material

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scbafreak - 16 Jan 2007 23:43 GMT

I am working on an outrigger sailing canoe and I am considering using Bamboo
for a building material for a few parts. The designer states that this is
adviseable if suitable material can be found, and has used this material in
some of his boats. He does not give any recomendations about treating the
bamboo and I don't think he treats his at all.

I am wondering if there is anyone that has used bamboo for any of thier
projects and how it is holding up. Also I would like to know if there is
anything I can do to prevent rotting, sun damage and insect damage. Should I
try to coat it with epoxy resin or varnish it? Should I soak it in salt
water and let it dry out? The bamboo I am looking at is here:
http://www.calibamboo.com/bamboolumber.html

Thanks,
Bill

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Wm Watt - 18 Jan 2007 17:37 GMT

I have used secondhandn untreated bamboo spars on small sprit sails. I
filled any surface cracks with epoxy and gave the spars two coats of
polyurethan varnish. They were previously used as flag poles on
downhill ski slalom runs. They have served well.

Bamboo deposits silicon in its outer skin (bark?) which makes it hard,
abrasion resistant, and durable.Unfortuately the inner surface is soft,
soaks up moisture, weakens and breaks, or rots. After a capsize one set
of spars broke the next time I went out. You have to keep the inside
from getting wet. I don't know what the "treatment" is. Probably it
prevents this condition but I'd check before using it.

In Asia they weave thin strips of bamboo into sheets (plys) out of
which they make a very durable construction plywood. It is claimed to
last much longer than douglas fir plywood for concrete forming. The
sheets of plywood used in construction are too thick and heavy for
small boat hulls.

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scbafreak - 18 Jan 2007 18:17 GMT

>In Asia they weave thin strips of bamboo into sheets (plys) out of
>which they make a very durable construction plywood. It is claimed to
>last much longer than douglas fir plywood for concrete forming. The
>sheets of plywood used in construction are too thick and heavy for
>small boat hulls.

I may just have to use epoxy on the ends to seal off the inside part. I am
not sure if I am going to use it for a mast yet. I may not be able to get it
in a long enough length. I am mainly thinking I would use it for some
crossbeam supports running between the akas but if I can get it to work as a
mast I may do that as well.

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Boat Forum / Building / January 2007

Bamboo building material