Building on bamboo

Bamboo, which is now a globally recognised substitute for wood, can be processed into wooden products that may successfully compete in price and performance with conventional options. H. Vibhu More use in realty. — V. Sajeev Kumar The decline in timber availability and emergence of new technologies and product options have spurred interest in bamboo and coir-based composites as wood substitutes for the building industry.Bamboo-based panels and boards are hard and durable and may successfully substitute hard wood products. India, being a timber-deficit country, relies heavily on imports. Its annual requirement is about 40 million cu m but only about 0.25 million cu m is available locally. To meet the increasing demand for wood-based panel products, there is a need to identify substitutes. A study by FAO forecasts that... [read full story]