h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Very good entry, thanks.

My Mum just had bamboo flooring installed, it's fantastic! Warmer to bare feet than wood and it apparently is tougher than even hardwood. The canes were split twice and the pieces were laminated together (*cupping* each other) into planks and (I think) tongue and grooved. The planks are then *toe nailed* to hide the nails. The colour is warm and varying, everything from a light brown to a greenish darker brown. Very nice stuff.

I know here on the West coast of Canada bamboo grows well (on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland). I imagine it would in southern Britain as well, but can it grow in the more Northern areas?

Hello cl zoomer

I'm glad you enjoyed the entry.

Bamboo flooring sounds wonderful. The coating of the bamboo culms is really hard and can smash a hacksaw blade: I've seen it happen!

Yes, up here in Scotland we have bamboos growing happily, but not the giant ones used for building/construction. I harvest locally grown culms for my runner bean poles every year.


F/b

I found and interesting map of world bamboo growing areas here:

http://www.kyoto.zaq.ne.jp/dkakd107/C-e.html

It's a bit confusing and full of Chinglish but it seems to be well researched.

Looks like Janglish to me - or Dutch

The map's too small on my screen to make out what the different colours mean. Shame.


F/b