Asking yourself, "What is bamboo?" Read our guide below to understand what it is, what its benefits are, and why you should consider it for your modern home.

What Is Bamboo?

So what is bamboo? Is it a type of grass; is it wood? The answer is: both. Bamboo plants are members of the grass family and comprise over 1,400 plant species spread across Asia, Northern Australia, South America, Central America, and North America. This plant species is typically found in bamboo forests or bamboo groves in tropical climates, but it can also withstand different conditions. Although bamboo isn’t classified as a form of wood, it has wood-like characteristics, giving bamboo a woody appearance when used to craft furniture pieces and decor items.

Benefits of Bamboo

Resilient

Considered a stronger building material than timber and even steel, Eastern parts of the world have used plants like bamboo in the construction of buildings, bridges, and an array of other infrastructure for centuries. Bamboo stems are very strong and can withstand breakage due to the fact that bamboo shoots grow straight up like grass and don't have the same knots or rays as trees. This makes it an even more desirable option for staple furniture pieces in your home that you want to last for a long time. Good examples include your bed frame, dining table, or chairs. Take things a step further with bamboo flooring.

Lightweight

Typically, bamboo furniture pieces are more lightweight than other types of wood furniture because of bamboo’s hollow interior. However, this doesn’t compromise bamboo’s strength, because the stem structure surrounding the hollow interior is made of strong fibers. This means you can move and reposition bamboo furniture items to accommodate your changing needs without much strain while still having a durable piece of furniture.

Tolerant of Different Conditions

Bamboo grows naturally in several unique climates, from humid tropical regions to cold, dry climates, which makes it an easily adaptable furniture option for outdoor use. Its ability to grow in humid climates makes bamboo less likely to swell or lose its shape, as it’s conditioned to maintain its shape no matter the weather.

Pro Tip:

Be sure to review a bamboo product’s specifications and care requirements to ensure it’s suitable to go outside. You may benefit from applying a waterproof seal (if not already applied) and sheltering your outdoor bamboo staples in waterproof coverings during colder months to maximize their life-spans.

Sustainable

Bamboo is a more sustainable option when compared with hardwood because of its ability to grow new shoots with minimal effort. Another benefit of bamboo is that it can be cut at its base, and depending on the particular species’ growth cycle, bamboo shoots can then regrow in two to five years. In contrast, hardwoods used for timber like oak can take up to 30–40 years to grow to maturity. Therefore, bamboo furniture is a great place to start when you want to practice sustainable living, as it’s an excellent eco-friendly alternative to tree harvesting.

Affordable

A key benefit of bamboo being readily available and quick to grow new bamboo shoots is that it’s generally more affordable when compared with its hardwood counterparts like birch, mahogany, or oak. This means you can get the woody look and feel of hardwood, without compromising on quality while also spending wisely.

Adaptable

Bamboo is an adaptable material that can take on intricate designs and shapes, but it can also be manipulated to achieve different aesthetics through dyeing or painting. It also works for a variety of different furniture and decor items you can incorporate into your home, from crafted furniture pieces to bamboo fabric area rugs or kitchen accessories. Because of bamboo’s ability to adapt, you can incorporate bamboo throughout your home in a variety of ways without compromising your home aesthetic.

For example, if you want the natural look of wood in your home, a light-finished bamboo accent can help you achieve that. Whereas if you want a more sleek, bold look, you can incorporate dyed or painted bamboo items to achieve shades of deep brown or even black.

Pro Tip:

To see if a product on AllModern is made from bamboo, check the Specifications tab in the product description on-site.

Ready to embrace bamboo?