Bamboos grow more rapidly than trees and start to yield within three or four years of planting. Plantation establishment requires minimal capital investment and builds upon the inherent plant-cultivation skills of local farmers and foresters. Bamboos can be harvested annually and non-destructively. Bamboos are excellent for rejuvenating degraded lands and protecting against soil erosion. Bamboos may easily be intercropped with shallow-rooted crops. As well as the culms, all other parts of the bamboo plant can be used in rural livelihoods - shoots for food, leaves for fodder, and branches for items such as brooms and for firewood.

What is laminated bamboo flooring? Laminated bamboo flooring is a unique flooring material comprised of layers of bamboo wood that have been coated with glue and pressed firmly together. Laminated bamboo flooring is very attractive as the natural grain of the bamboo is unique and very clearly evident. Bamboo flooring is cheaper to produce than wood flooring and is more marketable due to its production from renewable bamboo resources. Laminated bamboo flooring is gaining in popularity. In China it is manufactured in over 100 units that together produce about 10 million square metres annually (ten square kilometres).

How are bamboo floorboards produced? 1. Bamboos are split2. Sheets are coated 3. Sheets are assembled into thick section with adhesive resin into units (or sheets) 4. Units are pressed 5. Floorboards are sanded 6. Boards are together in a hot and tongues and grooves painted or press to form cut to facilitate board varnished floorboards jointing

Main development attributes of a bamboo floorboard unit Reduces dependence on timber resources through wood substitution. Permits rehabilitation of degraded lands through increased areas of bamboo plantations. Creates employment opportunities for unskilled, semi- skilled and technically-trained staff at the factory and for bamboo growers who will supply the unit. Increases community welfare and improves local rural economies if established as a community enterprise. Photo: Cutting the grooves

Requirements for success Sustained availability of bamboos. Inexpensive labour for the factory itself. Regular supply of electricity for the factory. Start up capital. Suitable marketing mechanisms for sale of boards. Finally, an innovative approach to marketing the boards, especially in the lucrative export markets of the more affluent countries of the world. Horizontal bamboo floorboardsVertical bamboo floorboards

Bamboo 5000 tonnes UF adhesive12 tonnes PVA emulsion adhesive0.5 tonnes Ammonium chloride0.12 tonnes Paint8 tonnes Other chemicals0.4 tonnes Only about 50% of the raw bamboo material can be used to produce floorboards. The remainder can be used as raw materials for a range of bamboo products from bamboo particle boards to woven bamboo items. Annual consumption of raw materials for a unit producing 40, 000 sq. m. of flooring per year

Financial aspects of a unit capable of producing 40, 000 sq. m. of bamboo flooring per year Machinery costs at establishment $366, 000 COSTS OF PRODUCTION per m 2 Bamboo $6.50 Adhesives and other chemicals$2.50 Wages$1.40 Other$2.00 TOTAL $12.40

For further information See TOTEMs Bamboo flooring TOTEM Bamboo roofing sheets TOTEM Splitting and slivering unit TOTEM Websites www. inbar.int Contact INBAR, Beijing , China Bamboo Engineering and Research Centre, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, , China Above: sanding equipment