Thread: bamboo re bar?

few years back when we were getting quotes for our concrete road to the house some one told my wife that many people use bamboo as the reenforcement in concrete flooring/roads etc.
Now have decided to replace the now 10 % rotting bamboo and plank floor/deck to our orchid shade house with a thin cement/concrete floor and maybe some sand wash or leaf/ seashell printing and a bit of colouring..thought.. well I can use some bamboo as re-bar along with rubble ( the old fashioned Brit way)..it's not a load bearing floor.

Anyone done/tried this ?

Might not be load baring but i'd be concerned about the bamboo rotting over time and leaving pockets that might cause cracking eventually. Re bar or the steel grid material would be better, surely.

yes - you can bung any old crap in there and it'll be OK for foot traffic.

but bamboo is the commonly used product by thai do it yourselfer's.

count me among the rebar crew.

I had a bit of concrete done with bamboo.
It was a drying area so didn't have to support vehicles.
I was told it would be good for 7 years

you don't need rebar for that job, just that thick wire mesh they sell

put down your rubble, support the mesh so it is off the bottom, pour the concrete

Originally Posted by Jesus Jones

Might not be load baring but i'd be concerned about the bamboo rotting over time and leaving pockets that might cause cracking eventually. Re bar or the steel grid material would be better, surely.

This man is correct. go buy some cheap chicken wire or screen/wire mesh and put it in the pre-pour form. Put a couple rocks under the wire mesh to support it above the ground surface while you pour the concrete. This prevents the wire from coming into contact with the soil and absorbson of moisture which forms rust internally on the wire inside the concrete causing deterioration of the wire through corrosion and weakening of the concrete.

If the wire mesh falls to the bottom or the ground use a rake or wire hook to re-pull the mesh up from contact with the earth. I assume you are pouring this by the bucket load not the mixer truck load? Keep your mix stable and not overly "soupy," this increases the strength of the mix. Certainly the Thais like soupy mixes as its easier to pour, but in the end its weak concrete.

After completing the pour, screed it smooth and then cover with burlap bags for curing. As the concrete strengthens during the morning wet the burlap bags to keep the concrete from cracking due to water loss and heat. Most concrete isn't suppose to be poured in heat greater than 25 degrees C, however in Thailand its unavoidable and super plasticizers are used to moderate the temperatures.

Too much information? Sorry, but this is how its suppose to be done. Please no bamboo re-bar.

Originally Posted by ltnt

Originally Posted by Jesus Jones

Might not be load baring but i'd be concerned about the bamboo rotting over time and leaving pockets that might cause cracking eventually. Re bar or the steel grid material would be better, surely.

This man is correct. go buy some cheap chicken wire or screen/wire mesh and put it in the pre-pour form. Put a couple rocks under the wire mesh to support it above the ground surface while you pour the concrete. This prevents the wire from coming into contact with the soil and absorbson of moisture which forms rust internally on the wire inside the concrete causing deterioration of the wire through corrosion and weakening of the concrete.

If the wire mesh falls to the bottom or the ground use a rake or wire hook to re-pull the mesh up from contact with the earth. I assume you are pouring this by the bucket load not the mixer truck load? Keep your mix stable and not overly "soupy," this increases the strength of the mix. Certainly the Thais like soupy mixes as its easier to pour, but in the end its weak concrete.

After completing the pour, screed it smooth and then cover with burlap bags for curing. As the concrete strengthens during the morning wet the burlap bags to keep the concrete from cracking due to water loss and heat. Most concrete isn't suppose to be poured in heat greater than 25 degrees C, however in Thailand its unavoidable and super plasticizers are used to moderate the temperatures.

Too much information? Sorry, but this is how its suppose to be done. Please no bamboo re-bar.

no not too much info mate..all good..
remember building a garage with my dad 100 years ago .one of those preformed sectional concrete jobs in the UK. We just put down rubble.. bits of any old steel etc..and a hole for a "pit" which we dug later...about 6" concrete from a truck...think it is still there.....seem to remember the pit filled with water and nearly electrocuted meself when the inspection light fell in to 6in water..had on wellies so still 'ere..lol..pre GFI days...

.. have mesh in our road..it's cracked laterally in two places but on a steep incline so maybe slipped....thanks again guys..mesh is a lot less work than cutting friggin bamboo anyways...lol

I remember reading a thread on here about treating bamboo for a house build.

Originally Posted by OhOh

BAMBOO REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION
February 1966
U. S. NAVAL CIVIL ENGINEERING LABAORATORY
Port Hueneme, California
By
Francis E. Brink and Paul J. Rush

see BAMBOO REINFORCED CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

Seems it is good enough for the US navy

there ya go ...learn something new every day thanks for that...

Originally Posted by Crepitus

there ya go ...learn something new every day thanks for that...

I couldn't believe it myself, but looked into it some time ago. Don't forget the sealant on the bamboo, seems to help.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Originally Posted by Crepitus

there ya go ...learn something new every day thanks for that...

I couldn't believe it myself, but looked into it some time ago. Don't forget the sealant on the bamboo, seems to help.

Remember the Navy drive boats not build roads, that is unless you're a sea-bee.

Use bamboo by all means, it is very good in tension which is what you want from reinforcement. Do not use anything too green as you do not want it shrinking in use which will lead to cracking.

Steel is also fine.