Green Living: 5 things to know about bamboo

By Lori Johnston

For the AJC

Bamboo is branching out.

The fast-growing sustainable resource isn’t just for cheesy theme bars and tropical islands anymore. It’s become a popular option for hardwood flooring, cabinets, doors, countertops and even sinks.

Read up on the qualities of this green giant and familiarize yourself with options if you’re considering installing bamboo in your home.

1. Bamboo shoots up fast.

The biggest eco-attribute about bamboo is its ability to regenerate after it has been cut, with no need for replanting. Moso bamboo, for example, can grow from 24 to 47 inches in just one day. “Bamboo grows very, very quickly. It quickly renews itself,” said Shane Lyle, principal of Strathmore Floors, Design and Cabinets in Atlanta and Alpharetta and Bell Carpet Galleries in Sandy Springs.

2. The look of bamboo has evolved.

For floors, cabinets or doors, you can choose three ways – horizontal, vertical or strand woven -- that the strips are assembled. Overall, bamboo floors are about 15 percent more expensive than oak floors, which are typically selected in the Southeast, Lyle says. You’ll pay more for strand woven, which is more durable and scratch resistant, because of the way it is processed, said Mickey Davis, vice president-sales for Atlanta-based Dasso Group, which produces green products made from bamboo for floors, countertops, panels, veneers and decking. Colors have expanded beyond the traditional copper and yellow hues, with amber (mimicking walnut) and roasted chestnut creating a more high-end exotic wood look for bamboo. You can stain it, too. “It doesn’t have to look like ‘Gilligan’s Island,’” Davis said.

3. Bamboo can make a statement, inside and out.

“It’s a very contemporary look. It will add a definite design element to your home,” Lyle said. Bamboo products are offered for shades and screens, with products sold by retailers including The Home Depot. Outside, bamboo is also used for decks, with SunGrassWood, made of laminated renewable bamboo up to 39 feet long, sold by Atlanta companies such as Via Virdis Green Solutions.

4. The older, the better for bamboo.

Buyers should learn about the history of the bamboo they are interested in purchasing. One big question: Ask about the age of the bamboo. More mature bamboo will be stronger, Davis said. “Good manufacturers will only harvest bamboo that’s at least 5 years old, preferably closer to 7,” he said.

5. Use the Ginsu on bamboo.

Bamboo countertops are cared for the same way as a butcher block countertop and it should cost less than butcher block or granite, Davis said. Bamboo isn’t just available in countertops, but cabinets and pantry doors and sinks. Lenova’s apron-front kitchen sink, for example, is made of Moso bamboo.