Bamboo Plywood SWB
Grade
SWB = strand-woven / densified bamboo panel
Choose when maximum hardness, stiffness and wear resistance are needed (flooring, decking, tool handles, structural beams).
Values for the SWB 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
SWBThis page 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 SWB?
Bamboo Plywood SWB is Bamboo Plywood in the SWB grade — choose when maximum hardness, stiffness and wear resistance are needed (flooring, decking, tool handles, structural beams). Bamboo Plywood SWB has a tensile strength of 150 MPa (21.8 ksi), stronger than 102% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1.4% and the elastic modulus is 15 GPa (2.18 Msi). Bamboo Plywood SWB has a density of 1.2 g/cm³ (0.0434 lb/in³), heavier than 81% of natural material grades. LAM-NAT is the default condition FabDigit quotes; SWB 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
- Stiff — 15 GPa (2.18 Msi), better than 81% of natural material grades
- Conducts heat well — 0.25 W/m·K (0.144 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of natural material grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 80% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 60/100, worse than 89% of natural material grades
- Heavy — 1.2 g/cm³ (0.0434 lb/in³), worse than 81% of natural material grades
- High embodied carbon — 1.1 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 81% of natural material grades
Bamboo Plywood SWB properties
Typical room-temperature values for Bamboo Plywood SWB; 12 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 SWB has a density of 1.2 g/cm³ (0.0434 lb/in³), heavier than 81% of natural material grades.
Mechanical9
Bamboo Plywood SWB has a tensile strength of 150 MPa (21.8 ksi), stronger than 102% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1.4% and the elastic modulus is 15 GPa (2.18 Msi).
Thermal5
Bamboo Plywood SWB is rated for continuous service to 80°C (176 °F). It conducts heat at 0.25 W/m·K (0.144 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 SWB has an electrical resistivity of 1×10¹⁰ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is fair (50/100), better than 63% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Bamboo Plywood SWB 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 SWB's machinability is good (60/100, worse than 89% 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 SWB
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 SWB — frequently asked
What is Bamboo Plywood SWB used for?
Bamboo Plywood SWB 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 SWB?
Bamboo Plywood SWB has a typical tensile strength of 150 MPa (21.8 ksi) — stronger than 102% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Bamboo Plywood SWB easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (60/100, worse than 89% 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 SWB 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 SWB?
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 SWB 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 SWB?
Bamboo Plywood SWB is rated for continuous use to about 80°C (176 °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.