Flattened Bamboo Mats
A sustainable product with a thousand uses. Build the project of your dream with this 100% Colombian product!
What is Crushed Bamboo?
Crushed bamboo mats (also called “esterilla” in Spanish) are boards made from flattened bamboo poles. These mats are used for various applications mainly in the construction industry as you will see in some of the examples on this page.
Our crushed bamboo is made from Colombian Guadua angustifolia, also known as the world’s strongest bamboo. The mats are treated against insect infestation, and dried to approximately 13-15% moisture content.
This product is the result of centuries of Latin American craft heritage. Farmers use crushed bamboo mats as enclosures for animals, for making roofs, and for building adobe wall systems.
Nowadays, crushed bamboo mats are also use as decoration in modern homes, as fencing panels in gardens, ceiling covers for small and large structures, etc. Crushed bamboo mats are cheap, strong, and have insulating properties.
How are Crushed Bamboo Mats made?
Crushed bamboo mats are made by flattening round bamboo poles. It is crucial that fresh cut, green bamboo poles of about 4-6 years old are used since green bamboo is easier to spilt and clean than dried bamboo.
From round pole to flat board:
- Breaking the nodes of the bamboo with a hatchet is the first step of the flattening process. The green Guadua poles are manually struck with a hatchet around 250 times to obtain a 4 meter mat. Once all the nodes are broken, it is easy to open the bamboo with a spade.
- After the bamboo is flattened it is very important to remove the inner white layer and to clean the board. This step is important because the inner layer is extremely attractive for insects.
- When the bamboo mats are completely cleaned, the next step is to preserve them against future insect attacks and mold. Curing is done by submerging the bamboo in tanks with a mixture of non-toxic preservatives and water for several days.
- Finally, after all panels are treated, the drying process can start. Sun bleaching and air drying of crushed bamboo takes about 1-2 months.
What is Crushed Bamboo Used for?
Flattened bamboo mats are used for countless applications, from fences to ceilings, roof supports, chicken coops and pens, and even to build the walls of a house.
Crushed bamboo can be used for numerous applications. Although it could be used in its normal form, more often than not, certain manipulations such as sanding, shredding, pressing are performed to make it more suitable for its specific end use. Flattened bamboo is also cheaper to transport than round poles, which makes it a very attractive resource for manufacturers of value added bamboo products (flooring, furniture, particle boards, composite beams, etc.)
Crushed Bamboo Ceiling Panels
Esterilla is frequently used as bamboo ceiling panels in tropical architecture. Staining or painting the bamboo can also add extra color and character to the interior as shown in the example below.
Crushed Bamboo Wall Panels
Esterilla can also be used as bamboo wall covering or cladding, or as an integrated wall support system. Because of Guadua bamboo’s strength and flexibility, integrated crushed bamboo wall mats plastered with adobe provide an affordable alternative to drywall or brick.
The combination of bamboo and natural plasters make these walls earthquake resistant, extremely durable yet non-toxic and biodegradable, very effective for sound and temperature insulation, fire retardant and water resistant.
Crushed Bamboo Flooring
Crushed bamboo flooring is another popular application, either is a crude (with nodes) or sanded finish. Obviously the smoother the finish, the more work will be involved. The top layer could be sanded and finished with a polyurethane finish and glued together or to a backing.
Crushed Bamboo Furniture
The picture examples below show a few furniture experiments with flattened bamboo and locally sourced tropical hardwoods. Playing with the direction of the grain gave a pleasant aesthetic effect to the bamboo table top, especially with the darker contrast of the wooden frame. Crushed bamboo furniture also provides a more contemporary look opposed to traditional bamboo log furniture.
