5 ms·

One problem with bamboo is that it easily grows mold. So even if you treat the outside it's entirely possible mold is growing on the inside. I'm sure there are

by proee 8y ago

One problem with bamboo is that it easily grows mold. So even if you treat the outside it's entirely possible mold is growing on the inside. I'm sure there are some good ways to "dip" bamboo and coat it in something to prevent mold growth. I live in Hawaii and I won't use anything with bamboo because it always seems to eventually mold.

LeifCarrotson 8y ago
To be fair, Hawaii is a pretty extreme environment for mold problems. Bali likely is too, but it's hardly fair to judge the material for mold problems when hollow PVC will develop mold too...
- proee 8y ago
  PVC actually does pretty well against mold growth. It's the organic materials that are usually the biggest problem. Metals, glass, and dense plastics are fairly mold resistant.
cwkoss 8y ago
I visited this bamboo factory and village. I forget exactly what chemicals they used. I think they said it was a 'bromine bath' - they have long troughs that they fill with bamboo, then pump full of warm liquid. They let them soak for an amount of hours, then wash off the solution. They said this process both hardens the material and makes it less vulnerable to pest damage. Bamboo requires different amounts of treatment for different uses (sounds like too long makes it brittle, but very hard). Didn't see a spot of mold on the houses we toured - but I'm certainly curious about the longevity as well. Another neat design trick: they would cut little square holes in posts about 3 feet off the ground, so they could pour the supporting footings through the hole so the cement actually extends a few feet up into the post. Here's their website - if you're in Ubud, you should visit! Their ~1-2 hour walking tour was nice. Or, you can book ahead to stay in one of these houses. http://greenvillagebali.com/ http://greenvillagebali.com/

5 ms·

One problem with bamboo is that it easily grows mold. So even if you treat the outside it's entirely possible mold is growing on the inside. I'm sure there are

by proee 8y ago

LeifCarrotson 8y ago
To be fair, Hawaii is a pretty extreme environment for mold problems. Bali likely is too, but it's hardly fair to judge the material for mold problems when hollow PVC will develop mold too...
- proee 8y ago
  PVC actually does pretty well against mold growth. It's the organic materials that are usually the biggest problem. Metals, glass, and dense plastics are fairly mold resistant.
cwkoss 8y ago
I visited this bamboo factory and village. I forget exactly what chemicals they used. I think they said it was a 'bromine bath' - they have long troughs that they fill with bamboo, then pump full of warm liquid. They let them soak for an amount of hours, then wash off the solution. They said this process both hardens the material and makes it less vulnerable to pest damage. Bamboo requires different amounts of treatment for different uses (sounds like too long makes it brittle, but very hard). Didn't see a spot of mold on the houses we toured - but I'm certainly curious about the longevity as well. Another neat design trick: they would cut little square holes in posts about 3 feet off the ground, so they could pour the supporting footings through the hole so the cement actually extends a few feet up into the post. Here's their website - if you're in Ubud, you should visit! Their ~1-2 hour walking tour was nice. Or, you can book ahead to stay in one of these houses. http://greenvillagebali.com/ http://greenvillagebali.com/