Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF
Grade
FORM-PF = phenolic-bonded bamboo mat/curtain formwork plywood
Construction concrete-formwork panel: film-faced, phenolic-bonded, cheap and water-resistant for 6–10 pour cycles.
Values for the FORM-PF condition
Other Bamboo Plywood tempers and conditions
Bamboo Plywood is listed in 4 conditions; see the grade overview at Bamboo Plywood.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FORM-PFThis page Phenolic-bonded bamboo mat/curtain formwork plywood | Construction concrete-formwork panel: film-faced, phenolic-bonded, cheap and water-resistant for 6–10 pour cycles. | — | 80 | 1 | — | 0.2 W/m·K |
carbonized (steam heat-treated) laminated bamboo plywood | Pick for the amber/coffee colour and improved dimensional stability; accept ~10 % lower strength from the heat treatment. | — | 85 | 1 | — | 0.16 W/m·K |
LAM-NATDefault Natural (uncarbonized) laminated bamboo strip plywood | General-purpose furniture, worktop and panel grade: pale natural colour, best strength of the laminated grades. | — | 95 | 1.2 | — | 0.17 W/m·K |
Strand-woven / densified bamboo panel | Choose when maximum hardness, stiffness and wear resistance are needed (flooring, decking, tool handles, structural beams). | — | 150 | 1.4 | — | 0.25 W/m·K |
What is Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF?
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF is Bamboo Plywood in the FORM-PF grade — construction concrete-formwork panel: film-faced, phenolic-bonded, cheap and water-resistant for 6–10 pour cycles. Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF has a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi), stronger than 70% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 9 GPa (1.31 Msi). Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF has a density of 0.9 g/cm³ (0.0325 lb/in³), heavier than 72% of natural material grades. LAM-NAT is the default condition FabDigit quotes; FORM-PF is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Tough — resists crack growth — 2 MPa·√m (1.82 ksi·√in), better than 100% of natural material grades
- Conducts heat well — 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of natural material grades
Limitations
- High embodied carbon — 1.1 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 81% of natural material grades
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF properties
Typical room-temperature values for Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF; 11 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are Bamboo Plywood reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF has a density of 0.9 g/cm³ (0.0325 lb/in³), heavier than 72% of natural material grades.
Mechanical9
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF has a tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi), stronger than 70% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 9 GPa (1.31 Msi).
Thermal5
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF is rated for continuous service to 90°C (194 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 4.5 µm/m·K (2.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical1
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is good (55/100), better than 69% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF takes about 20 MJ of energy and emits 1.1 kg of CO₂ — more than 83% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 2%.
Manufacturability2
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF's machinability is very good (70/100, worse than 67% of natural material grades).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF
Is Bamboo Plywood easy to machine?
Cuts, routs and CNC-machines like dense hardwood — use carbide or PCD tooling and climb-cut/scoring to avoid glue-line chipping; silica and cured resin accelerate edge wear.
Can Bamboo Plywood be welded?
Not weldable; joined by PVA/PU/epoxy adhesives, dowels, dominos or mechanical fasteners with pre-drilled pilot holes.
Can Bamboo Plywood be formed, bent or molded?
Flat panels are not post-formable; curved parts are made by cold-bending thin plies or hot-pressing bamboo veneers over a mould during lay-up.
What surface finishes work on Bamboo Plywood?
Sands to a fine surface; finish with oil, hardwax, water-based PU or UV lacquer — seal all edges and end grain to limit moisture uptake and swelling.
Bamboo Plywood chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| cellulosebamboo fibre main constituent | 40 – 50 | 45 |
| hemicellulose | 15 – 25 | 20 |
| lignin | 18 – 26 | 22 |
| extractives + ash (incl. SiO2)silica in outer skin is abrasive to tooling | 2 – 6 | 4 |
| adhesive (UF / MUF / phenolic resin)resin loading sets E0/E1/F**** emission class and water resistance | 6 – 14 | 9 |
| moistureequilibrium MC at indoor conditions | 6 – 12 | 9 |
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF — frequently asked
What is Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF used for?
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF is typically used for flooring, furniture, skateboard decks, cutting boards and construction panels. In short: fast-renewable hardwood substitute; high in-plane tensile strength; hard-wearing panel surface.
What is the tensile strength of Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF?
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF has a typical tensile strength of 80 MPa (11.6 ksi) — stronger than 70% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (70/100, worse than 67% of natural material grades). Cuts, routs and CNC-machines like dense hardwood — use carbide or PCD tooling and climb-cut/scoring to avoid glue-line chipping; silica and cured resin accelerate edge wear.
Can Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF be welded?
Not weldable; joined by PVA/PU/epoxy adhesives, dowels, dominos or mechanical fasteners with pre-drilled pilot holes.
What surface finishes work on Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF?
Sands to a fine surface; finish with oil, hardwax, water-based PU or UV lacquer — seal all edges and end grain to limit moisture uptake and swelling.
Can Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF be formed, bent or molded?
Flat panels are not post-formable; curved parts are made by cold-bending thin plies or hot-pressing bamboo veneers over a mould during lay-up.
What is the maximum service temperature of Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF?
Bamboo Plywood FORM-PF is rated for continuous use to about 90°C (194 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ASTM D6874 — Nondestructive Evaluation of Wood-Based Flexural Members — ASTM International (2021)
- ISO 22157 — Bamboo structures: Determination of physical and mechanical properties of bamboo culms — ISO (2019)
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material (FPL-GTR-282) — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2021)
- Laminated and strand-woven bamboo panel technical data — MOSO International / Dasso Group (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.