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  1. #51
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    He is a very green guy...even has a glow worm farm next to his bed to save on electricity.

  2. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by justincase 13 View Post
    Looks great, love how green you went on this project.. I hope it will inspire others to follow in your footsteps.. I will be doing something similar next year, hopefully
    I'm not a mad eco warrior, but find it challenging and fun. Because we have treated the bamboo, rather than letting it rot the house is actually a carbon sink (or something like that). Most of the stuff is fairly simple and compliments each other - the open design keeps it cool, lets in light and provides a view upstairs.

    If you design something green, don't rush to bring ideas in from outside. The real sustainable building is what the locals have been doing for centuries. Try and find appropriate technologies that can improve on this.

    In our case treating the bamboo and using bolts meant we could build something a bit more substantial. The design itself is very simple and similar to what's done in traditionally throughout SEA.

  3. #53
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    sMITHSON looks really nice chap, nice big poles give it that structural quality and the traditional look of thatch is very appealing. Looks like early northern lanna style!

    I was wondering on your expertise with bamboo if i may ask a question?

    If i want to use bamboo for a perimeter wall, so concrete posts set every 3 meters or so and also concrete bottom for bamboo to slot into, is there anything else i should need to know about making it last or connecting the beams???

    I have seen most use a horizontal bamboo brace the others with bolts and then they are all tied, do you think this would be ok?

    many thanks .....
    im hot its so hot today.......milk was a bad choice!

  4. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by benlovesnuk View Post
    sMITHSON looks really nice chap, nice big poles give it that structural quality and the traditional look of thatch is very appealing. Looks like early northern lanna style!

    I was wondering on your expertise with bamboo if i may ask a question?

    If i want to use bamboo for a perimeter wall, so concrete posts set every 3 meters or so and also concrete bottom for bamboo to slot into, is there anything else i should need to know about making it last or connecting the beams???

    I have seen most use a horizontal bamboo brace the others with bolts and then they are all tied, do you think this would be ok?

    many thanks .....
    Hi Ben,

    If your looking to have an exterior wall in bamboo, what you suggest is OK. However I would avoid setting the poles in concrete (unless they're structural). They may need to be replaced from time to time and concrete would make this difficult.

    Also, even treated bamboo doesn't like moisture of sun, so take this into consideration when designing.

  5. #55
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    The house has now been 90% completed, however we have run out of preserved bamboo, so the finishing touches will have to wait a few months.The place is very cool, similar to sitting under a tree.





  6. #56
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    WOW, awesome! I think your right about improving on things that we have locally, like bamboo.

    Digging the roof its mad, big and airy i bet as you say.

    How easy would it be for someone else to do something like this(no building skills or practical knowledge), are you thinking or renting out your skills? and if so how much would something like this cost if to recreate it?
    My father in law loves this old traditional look and i want to build him something like this for him to live and paint in, which this open style looks right on the ticket.

    many thanks for your comments above, keep up the the good work.

  7. #57
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    It looks much better in person than in the photos.

    Job well done.

  8. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nawty View Post
    It looks much better in person than in the photos.

    Job well done.
    Are you saying I'm a shit photographer?

  9. #59
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    ok....photos do not do it justice.

  10. #60
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    Hi,
    Very interesting Project and in the trend "eco", I have seen in a magazine once of bamboo house in Japan or Korea... really beautiful, never think anyone really built to live in Thailand apart from a bamboo cottage.will come back to see the finish of your house.
    Last edited by siam; 07-10-2010 at 09:14 PM.

  11. #61
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    Quote Originally Posted by siam
    never think anyone really built to live in Thailand
    if you ever get to go trekking in the north, you will get to stay in bamboo houses, complete with cockroaches and rats, with pigs underneath

  12. #62
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrAndy
    Quote: Originally Posted by siam never think anyone really built to live in Thailand if you ever get to go trekking in the north, you will get to stay in bamboo houses, complete with cockroaches and rats, with pigs underneath

    What I means is a real nice house with concept design , Doc, not a villagers bamboo hut in remote area cottage(which I have seen lots of that.

  13. #63
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    Looks great! Will it need lot's of maintainance?

  14. #64
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    I really enjoyed this thread very very interestin as i have always wanted to see how it was done, if ya can could ya put some close ups of how the thatchin and the bamboo floor is done as i am curious.

    Bamboo is such an overlooked material just before i found this thread i commented on another thread on TD about bamboo and how strong it is when used for scaffoldin or pretty much anythin.

    Them big bamboo supports are massive i have seen some really big stands of bamboo up Cape york in FNQ but i don't think they were that big many many different species of it and bamboo is related to the "grasses" it actually is a grass i think?

    Anyway it's a shame that here in oz it is not used much as an alternative to timber it's a shame also it does not last longer surely there would have to be somethin that could be used maybe somethin naturally found that will give it a longer life span? i wonder what sort of a life span it would achieve if it was treated with formaldehyde? i know it is a pretty nasty chem but near on every house has it in it i would say it would have to extend it's life over 20 yrs.

    I done a bit of readin up years ago just outta curiosity on "hay bales" used in alternative buildin methods and some of them structures are still standin 100 yrs later in Canada but as ya mentioned in this thread it is all about fightin off insect attack..

    Keep up the good work Smithson i will be watchin with interest, thanks again.

  15. #65
    Thailand Expat jandajoy's Avatar
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    Stu, interesting observations.

    Thank you.

    Which locally grown hallucinogenic are you using at the moment?

    Just a polite inquiry.

  16. #66
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    Yes Stu, I was thinking the same. How come it hasn't taken off as an alternative building product in Australia? There are lots of places where it would grow like a weed and there are lots of practical applications that can think of too.

  17. #67
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    Quote Originally Posted by jandajoy View Post
    Stu, interesting observations.

    Thank you.

    Which locally grown hallucinogenic are you using at the moment?

    Just a polite inquiry.
    A little Lysergic acid diethylamide, tetra hydra canibanol, was gunna do some crack but i lost me crack pipe and can't seem to find it?

    Yes JL it is overlooked as an alternative buildin material i remembered seein a pub i think it was up north that had a feature wall all done in bamboo and it had been done in resin and looked stunning just cant think what sort now?

    It is used quite a lot on slabbed timber and gives a beautiful glass finish and highlights the grain i used to use it on the fishin rods i built years ago to bring out the colors in the bindin and seal it from the elements and it is not epoxy resin.

    Anyway i will think about it while im lookin for me pipe!!

  18. #68
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    sunsetter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stu
    Lysergic acid diethylamide

    save me some

  19. #69
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    Thanks for all the comments.

    Bamboo can't be used in Oz due to building regulations and I can't see that changing easily, which is a shame because there's lots of potential and Australia has keen bamboo growers.

    We treated with Borates, which should last 15-20 years, but I can't say for sure. So far there's been no insect attacks.

    Maintenance required will be new thatching in about 5 yrs and replacing a couple of bamboo poles that receive a bit of sun and will crack. At today's prices the roof would be about 15k and poles about 1k including labor. The house was pretty cheap, but involved a lot of research and planning.

    Most village builders will know how to do the thatching, same with the floor. This is is done by splitting and flattening bamboo poles, the thicker the poles the less 'spring'.

    Hardest part by far was the harvesting and treatment. Bamboo should be 3-4+years old, but is usually cut before then.

    We're happy with the house, our next project will be a shed to treat bamboo and then a large bungalow. As the team gets more experienced, we should come up with some nice work.

  20. #70
    Member stu's Avatar
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    [quote=Smithson;1583144]Thanks for all the comments.

    "Bamboo can't be used in Oz due to building regulations"

    That somehow doesn't surprise me when ya get something as practical as bamboo as a buildin material it's bound to get get squashed as there are two ways of doin things and that is the sensible way and the Government bureaucratic way and they tend to go for the latter.

  21. #71
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    Interesting site on the subject of bamboo around the house...

    VERDEE Bamboo Living

  22. #72
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    Interesting thread and end product turned out very nice indeed. Bamboo certainly is an interesting option for house / structural building for all the reasons everyone has gone into. Some interesting links out on the web and in particular a nice web site here; www bambooliving dot com (sorry - can't post the link as my first post on Teak Door!!)
    Lots of good looking designs and information on the use of bamboo as a building material. Prices also seem reasonable. Appears they are getting their bamboo from Vietnam which must be treated with Borates prior to shipping to Hawaii - as Smithson mentioned in his opening post. Amazing the speed the bamboo grows at and how it is a truly sustainable material if harvested correctly.

  23. #73
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    Quote Originally Posted by nearthesea View Post
    Amazing the speed the bamboo grows at and how it is a truly sustainable material if harvested correctly.
    What's even more amazing is the difficulty in getting mature bamboo (3-4+ years old). The farmers cut it too early and seems there's nothing you can do to stop them. Poles of the correct type and age, cut at the right time of year will last much longer, even without treatment.

  24. #74
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    The house is basically finished now, I'm still tossing up whether to put a small skillion roof out the front. If it's raining with a decent wind, then there'll be some spray, however this is pretty rare. We have screens that roll down which help quite a bit and the spray doesn't enter the bedrooms. I'd really hate to loose any natural light and the open feel of the house.

    Last edited by Marmite the Dog; 20-07-2011 at 10:22 AM. Reason: Sorted out layout

  25. #75
    Thailand Expat jandajoy's Avatar
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    Beautiful job,mate.

    How about some more pics?

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