I need about 10' of 3/4 x 2" stock to trim a couple of patio tables. Considering the cost and difficulty of finding teak, does anyone have an idea of the durability of bamboo? I'm a "build it and forget it" type -- not interested in maintenance.

On 10/30/2017 6:16 PM, wrote:
I need about 10' of 3/4 x 2" stock to trim a couple of patio tables. Considering the cost and difficulty of finding teak, does anyone have an idea of the durability of bamboo? I'm a "build it and forget it" type -- not interested in maintenance.



Eco-Friendly

Bamboo is a much more environmentally friendly building material than
hardwood. As you probably know, many of the Earths forests have been
destroyed by harvesting wood, which is one reason hardwood has become
increasingly expensive over the past 10 years. Bamboo is responsibly
harvested and the grass can regenerate itself in as little as 3-5 years.
Compare that to hardwood trees which can take up to 50 years to
regenerate and you can see why bamboo is the more eco-friendly decking
material.
More Affordable

Many people choose the look of exotic hardwoods like cherry and teak for
their decking, but these woods can costs as much as $10 per square foot.
That can really add up. Compare that to bamboo, which generally costs
between $3 and $5, and you can see how the savings can really add up.
As Tough and Durable as Hardwood Decking

So you already know bamboo is the more eco-friendly choice, as well as
wallet-friendly choice, but youre probably wondering how durable bamboo
is. After all were talking decking, something that will live outdoors
and have to stand up to pets and kids running around on it, not to
mention the elements like sun, rain and snow.

Bamboo is incredibly durable and actually harder than maple and red oak,
which is pretty darn hard. It can stand up to dings and scratches with
the best of them, and, if maintained properly, you can expect your
bamboo deck to last for up to 20 years.
Moisture and Rot Resistant

Speaking of standing up to the elements€¦

Because bamboo is actually a grass and not a wood, it resists moisture
and rot very well. Exactly what you should be looking for in a decking
material. This means a floor with less gapping and cupping and, well,
rotting.

On 30 Oct 2017 16:16:01 -0700 (PDT) " wrote:

I need about 10' of 3/4 x 2" stock to trim a couple of patio tables.
Considering the cost and difficulty of finding teak, does anyone have
an idea of the durability of bamboo? I'm a "build it and forget it"
type -- not interested in maintenance.

mold loves bamboo

i had to store some bamboo flooring remnants outside and was surprised
how much mold grew on the bamboo as compared with other wood stored
together

the other wood had no mold at all

maybe only some species of bamboo exhibit this problem
it is possible that farm grown bamboo is a monoculture and the one
they chose is susceptible to mold

planned obsolescence via mold

On Mon, 30 Oct 2017 18:52:16 -0500, Unquestionably Confused
wrote:

On 10/30/2017 6:16 PM, wrote:
I need about 10' of 3/4 x 2" stock to trim a couple of patio tables. Considering the cost and difficulty of finding teak, does anyone have an idea of the durability of bamboo? I'm a "build it and forget it" type -- not interested in maintenance.



Eco-Friendly

Bamboo is a much more environmentally friendly building material than
hardwood. As you probably know, many of the Earth’s forests have been
destroyed by harvesting wood, which is one reason hardwood has become
increasingly expensive over the past 10 years.

Most commercial teak is plantation-grown. Blew your cred on one
count.

Bamboo is responsibly
harvested and the grass can regenerate itself in as little as 3-5 years.
Compare that to hardwood trees which can take up to 50 years to
regenerate and you can see why bamboo is the more eco-friendly decking
material.
More Affordable

Many people choose the look of exotic hardwoods like cherry

Cherry? Exotic? Blew your cred on two counts.

and teak for
their decking,

Who in their right mind would use cherry for "decking"? For an indoor
floor sure, but for "decking"? Blew your cred on three counts. Per
Ian Fleming, once is happenstance, twice is circumstance, three times
is enemy action--I'm done with this post.

remainder of sales pitch for bamboo trimmed

On 10/30/2017 10:04 PM, J. Clarke wrote:

remainder of sales pitch for bamboo trimmed


I'd not limit myself to just two woods either. There are a bunch of
others that do well outdoors. Spanish cedar, mahogany, tiger wood
(goncalo alves), etc. I used tiger wood for my deck. Still looks great.