Working with Bamboo - Hints and Tips

• Do not nail directly into the bamboo. Use a drill to create pilot holes slightly bigger than the nail you are using and a nail driver to prevent crushing the cane.

• A fine hacksaw is recommended for cutting bamboo canes.

• Bamboo can begin to rot after two to three years of continuous contact with soil. It is recommended that you use hardwood posts for any supports that come into contact with the ground.

• If you wish to apply a preservative to your bamboo canes or fences, hemp or tung oils or petroleum based preservatives are recommended.

• Bamboo can alter in colour as it ages. You can also expect your canes to crack due to expansion and contraction. This will not diminish their strength.

• If you cut the top of any canes you will be using diagonally or vertically above the highest joint the membrane inside the cane with help prevent collection of water.

• For the fence posts, it is advisable to use a rot-resistant wood, such as pressure-treated lumber or cedar, that is no bigger than 4 x 4 inches. Round posts will blend better than square ones.

• Bamboo canes will always vary in straightness, tapering, colour, cracking and positioning of joints. It is best to bear all of this in mind when designing your project and working out quantities.