If you’re thinking of installing new countertops in your kitchen or bathroom or simply replacing your old ones, the appeal of bamboo is something to consider.

It is gaining in popularity across the world as an environmentally friendly alternative to marble, granite and other synthetic materials.

The lifestyle journalist Marye Audet says that “compared to hardwoods, bamboo releases about 35% more oxygen than a comparable area of trees”.

“It absorbs carbon from the environment and stores it, releasing it only when the plant decomposes. In other words, by using bamboo for long-term items like flooring and countertops the carbon is removed from the environment and stored safely.”

“And as a rapidly renewable resource bamboo can be used lavishly with no concern that it will run out or cause deforestation,” she says.

But apart from the green effect, bamboo countertops also have practical value, which is vital in an often-used space like a kitchen.

Firstly, countertops are renewable. They can be easily sanded and refinished after having been used, scratched and chipped. This will create the impression that they were brand new and just installed.

Bamboo is also incredibly strong and durable and 16% harder than maple countertops.

In this respect, it is better than wood in the sense that it is just as strong as most hardwoods and stronger than many others. “It has all the qualities of a sold timber. If you had to suspend it and walk across it, it wouldn’t even bend or snap,” says Bradley Schmidt, MD of Eco-Logic Bamboo, a local firm specialising in bamboo products for the home.

Because of its sturdiness, it has a higher degree of moisture tolerance and doesn’t swell or contract as much as wood will. This is a big benefit when one considers how much water there is in a kitchen, especially around the washing basin and other areas where food is being washed and prepared.

Whilst bamboo isn’t totally resistant to moisture, it is a lot more tolerant than most other materials. Oriental Bamboo tested this aspect of bamboo countertops by putting a few boards into a dishwasher and ran them through two hot consecutive cycles. The results showed that the countertops returned to the original dimensions after drying properly.

Although bamboo countertops are generally quite tough, it is not recommended that hot pans and pots are placed on them as they tend to burn easily. Bread and veggies also need to be cut somewhere else and not directly on the countertop.

But even if the bamboo is burned or scratched it can be easily repaired by sanding and refinishing it.

Another disadvantage of bamboo is that it might not be as conducive to food preparation as natural stone because it is porous which can lead to some moisture absorption. Your tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce might be a little drier after being cut on a bamboo countertop when compared with more traditional materials such as marble, which is impenetrable to water.

So if you want your countertops to be practical, durable and eco-friendly, look no further than bamboo countertops.

It might just save you a lot of money with its renewable qualities whilst also creating a pleasant green and healthy environment for yourself and your family. – Eugene Brink

Sources:

www.kitchen-counter-tops.net.
www.oriental-bamboo.co.za.
http://hubpages.com.
www.doityourself.com.

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