Introducing Lumboo, First Engineered Dimensional Lumber from Bamboo

Oct 27, 2023

Bamboo has gotten a lot of accolades in the green building and construction. They are renewable, has natural antibiotic properties, and are biodegradable. The biggest perk is that renewable factor; it only takes three years for bamboo to reach their maturity whereas a tree can take up to 150 years. Another reason to celebrate Bamboo is their strength and durability.

Although the actuality of this claim has been disputed in TreeHugger article, Bamboo Flooring, Is it Really TreeHugger Green? "Before we look at the environmental issues, let's look at its utility- is it all it is cracked up to be? One of the major benefits touted by vendors is how hard and tough it is. It's Not. The popular carbonized darker bamboos are comparable to Black Walnut, considered a soft hardwood, and the lighter natural colours test comparable to maple." However, there is no denying that Bamboo is the star material and "it child" in the green world.

Cali Bamboo is serving the demanding need for Bamboo by introducing Lumboo, the first engineered dimensional lumber made from Bamboo. Lumboo is manufactured by gluing strips of bamboo together into a block. According to Cali Bamboo, a low VOC resin is used to compress the bamboo strips together. According to Building Green, The blocks are milled into 1×4, 2×4, 2×6, and 4×4 products, although due to the strength of the product, the actual sizes are much smaller than their nominal sizes. Lumboo is made in China and distributed from several points in the U.S. directly by Cali Bamboo.

Four years in the making, it is only currently available as fencing product. Cali Bamboo is hoping to expand their lumber line to framing and decking lumber in the near future, especially if they can bring the price down. Although it is also touted as termite resistant; Cali Bamboo does not have testing data to support that claim (or any testing on overall decay resistance), noting that it is a well-known attribute of bamboo {via Building Green}.

Sources: Re-Nest, TreeHugger, Building Green

Image Source: Cali Bamboo

Susie Kim-Carberry is a professional writer who's been featured in numerous publications, both in print and online. She started as a features writer for The Bayonet Newspaper in 1997 and studied print journalism at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Media. Kim-Carberry is currently focusing on online media as a freelance writer, content producer and also serves as a site editor for Important Media. A self-confessed travel addict, her other equally important job is being a semi-crunchy mom to her two daughters. She tries to maintain a balanced life through her yoga practice and secretly dreams of being a Parisian one day.