So, have I peeked your interest?
Here’s the story:
I have bamboo growing at my beach house, 70×100 lot, 25% bamboo. I have yet to rebuild the outdoor shower (taken down due to the work I was doing). I was thinking of using some of the bamboo to build the outdoor shower. I’ve been looking at google images for a bamboo shower for inspiration, and most of what I like is the thicker bamboo, mine is 3/4″ thick. I’m looking at Craigslist and in the materials section this guy has bamboo poles listed free. I shoot him an email, his one stipulation is that you take alot. I say I may be able to take all of it. Turns out he has 600-700 6′ by 1 1/2″ poles and about 500 8’by 2″ poles. I need about 200 to do the shower if I put bamboo on both sides of the framing, see attached pic:
https://images.finehomebuilding.com/app/uploads/2019/01/26005728/FSGBambooHut022.jpg
I have a privacy fence, 8′ panels with lattice tops, that’s nearing the end of it’s life. Thought I’d do privacy fencing, again using Bamboo on both sides of framing, that’s another 400 used. Any ideas for the rest? Any ideas for preserving the bamboo I use, water seal, etc?
Thanks
Kevin
Replies
I've seen them weave the stuff that is growing into interesting things. Mayube you can weave something while it's growing?
any pictures?
sorry, no pix
eta thye did the weaving while it was growing. Imagination is the limit on what you wrap it around & through.
Edited 11/19/2008 8:43 pm ET by john7g
I've had bamboo at my place in Orangedale, Florida and used to make kids' forts out of it. It deteriorated rather more rapidly than I expected. Google bamboor fishing poles...I read somewhere, sometime what they do to make them, and it isn't just cutting down the shoot and putting a string on the end. It involved baking the pole and putting a lacquer on them.
The point I'm not making well is that just having the canes won't do you much good. Check on how they are handled to make them last.
The answer you're looking for........I don't know but it isn't easy.
surprised by your answer, I was expecting someone to say they last forever with little care. who knew.
I looked at using local bamboo for fencing, for the same reason as you: "Free". I harvested a truck load of it, probably around 2" diameter, it was nasty work, as it's a grass and bitch to cut down. I finally ended up using a sawzall with the lowest TPI blade I could find.
You have to dry it, so if this is a project you want to get done now, look for another material. I tried to split it when green and make fencing, but when it's soft, it splits oddly, not to mention it'll split even more when drying.
I got the bamboo fence book: http://www.amazon.com/Building-Bamboo-Fences-Isao-Yoshikawa It's really interesting and has some great designs, but even the book points out that bamboo needs constant maintenance/replacement. It is cheap material, and that's about all it's got going for it. Maybe interesting for an interior finish, or maybe the local bamboo I had isn't a good species for outdoor application, but my stock of bamboo looked pretty ugly after sitting outside for a couple of months.
I still want to build one, though ;)
Z
Picked up 1/2 of it today, 480 2" by 8' pieces and 160 1 1/2" by 6' pieces. This was imported from China, all bundled, already dry and stored indoors. I'm thinking I might just do the outside shower and use the rest as a ceiling inside the house. Probably pass on the other 1/2 still at the guys storage place. He said he had others interested, said he needs it gone by the 1st, and I'll take it if it my not taking it causes him problems.