Bamboo Countertops

Natural, Evvironment-Friendly, Stunning, Durable and Fuctional Bamboo Countertops

Using bamboo countertops is one of the best ways of bringing the outdoor inside the house. Tables that are topped with bamboo are refreshing to behold. Their natural green colors have a truly soothing effect to tired eyes.

More and more eco-conscious homeowners are turning to bamboo for their house fixtures. Bamboo has always been a favorite material for making place mats, kitchen utensils and certain types of furniture. Now they are gaining popularity in building walls, floors and even whole houses. Certainly, bamboo countertops are the best among bamboo products developed by man.

Bamboo is the most eco-friendly of all natural materials because it can easily replenish itself. It is not uncommon for a bamboo tree to grow up to 60 feet tall in just a span of 3 to 5 years. It will be hard for us to consume more bamboo than what we need. Clusters of bamboo trees can easily grow if the right factors are present. Bamboo is also a very flexible and hardy material that’s why it is perfect for making bamboo countertops. It is very easy to work with compared to other types of countertop materials. They can also be assembled so that they can be as strong and hardy as any countertop made of stones.

Types Of Bamboo Countertops
There are two basic methods of building bamboo countertops. The method you will choose will depend on how you will use the countertop. Here are some pertinent details regarding these methods.

• End-grain method – bamboo countertops made this way are the strongest. Therefore if you are thinking of using bamboo for your kitchen countertop, this is the way they should be built. The bamboo strips or segments are assembled and glued together with their end-grains facing up. This will result in a countertop surface that has small rectangular shapes. They are actually the end-grains of the bamboo strips. Once the adhesives have cured, the countertop is sealed and laminated. This will enable the bamboo countertop surface to resist the intrusion of water and dirt.
• Plank method – small strips of bamboo are glued together to create the planks. These planks are then glued together with non-toxic adhesive (free of formaldehyde) to form the countertop surface. This process is similar to the production of certain types of laminates. Typically, this type of bamboo countertop is delivered with no finish. They need to be sealed before they are installed. Bamboo countertops made this way are best for decorative functions.

Advantages of Bamboo Countertops
Using these types of counters will give you a lot of benefits. Here are some of them.

• They are eco-friendly – experience shows that bamboo grows fast at the rate of 2 feet per day. In just 3 to 5 years they can be as high as 60 feet. It is quite difficult to deplete this natural resource.
• They are elegant and also affordable – the natural beauty of bamboo is soothing to the eyes. It imparts sophistication to the room where they are installed. And yet it will only cost you around $30 to $40 per square foot to build one.
• They are also very durable – if they are adequately sealed and laminated, they can last for years.
• Cleaning and maintaining them are very easy by just using mild soaps and cleansers and soft non-abrasive cloths.
• Unique Look – the green color and wood grains of bamboo are very distinct. You cannot find any natural material with its kind of beauty and elegance.

Disadvantages of Bamboo Countertops
Using bamboo also presents some disadvantages. A number of them are listed below.

• They can be burned since they are basically made of wood. Therefore you need to be careful about your hot pots and pans. Always use trivets and cloth pads if you are you are forced to place them on the countertop surface.
•  They can be soaked with water – therefore sealing and laminating the surface is very important.
• They can be scratched – another reason why you need to seal and laminate them.
• They need to be sealed and laminated regularly. If you want your bamboo countertop to retain its shine, you need to do this periodically.

Bamboo countertops are indeed good alternatives to standard hard stone and man-made countertops especially if you are eco-conscious. It is not hard to make them as durable like hard stone countertops. Just make sure that their assembly process is done properly, then have them adequately sealed and laminated and you have it done. It is possible to extend their useful service lives by using them properly and taking care of them everyday.

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