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SAN DIEGO – May 24, 2010 - Cali Bamboo, capping off 5 years of research and development, has introduced the industry's first engineered bamboo dimensional lumber. The product is composed of large bamboo poles that have been shredded into strips, compressed at very high pressure, and configured into a matrix optimized for structural integrity.
Lumboo is available in 1x6, 2x4, 2x6, and 4x4 sizes. It's also supplied in pre-made fence configurations for Cali Bamboo's ranch-style post & rail system. The product is very low VOC and is urea-formaldehyde free.
“This launch is the product of many ideas,” said Jeff Goldberg, Cali's CEO. “We worked with Long Beach State Mechanical Engineering Department for help with some of the early prototypes.”
Until additional testing is completed, the product will only be supplied for use with the company's fence lines or for use in decking. The material is about as tough as ipe. “It's so strong, so dense, that you can't nail through it,” said Goldberg. “For some applications, people might find that a pain in the butt. But typically, the denser a product is, the longer it should last.”
Over the long haul, Goldberg believes Lumboo may be suitable for any application now served by other wood products and used in place of conventional framing lumber, glulams, or decking planks. That is yet to be proved, although Cali is working on it.
Bamboo products can contribute to certification under the LEED program and other green building systems as a rapidly renewable resource. Bamboo suitable for use in flooring and sheet goods can be harvested after only six years of growth.
View the article online here.
Lumboo™ also mentioned in the May issue of remodeling magazine here.
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