Treatment of bamboo for outdoor?

[mran66]

Any recommendations how should I treat dry bamboo poles/sticks for outdoor installation (will be fully exposed to sun and rain)? Bought some dry bamboo and wondering if should varnish or oil them to increase life before installation. Is it better just let them be as is, or treat with something? 

[sandyf]

23 minutes ago, mran66 said:

Any recommendations how should I treat dry bamboo poles/sticks for outdoor installation (will be fully exposed to sun and rain)? Bought some dry bamboo and wondering if should varnish or oil them to increase life before installation. Is it better just let them be as is, or treat with something? 

We have 3 bamboo plants in the garden, all different wall thickness so a variation on how long they last. I only ever use it for something temporary, within a year to 18 months there will termites or carpenter bees inside.

For anything more permanent I use steel hollow section, now with self drilling screws it can be easier to work than bamboo and comes already treated.

For some things bamboo would certainly give a better looking job but would need some form of protection. Lost count the number of times I have been stung picking up a length of bamboo.

[VocalNeal]

Soak in sea water for some months. I have heard.🤔

[sometimewoodworker]

8 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Soak in sea water for some months. I have heard.🤔

I also read about diesel and paraffin as a good treatment. Untreated bamboo will rot quite quickly.

[mran66]

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

For anything more permanent I use steel hollow section, now with self drilling screws it can be easier to work than bamboo and comes already treated.

For some things bamboo would certainly give a better looking job but would need some form of protection

 

I was also considering to use aluminium profile instead of bamboo, but felt bamboo trunk would kind of look nicer to my eye than sterile white painted aluminium profile (that sure would last forever), knowing that no matter hot to treat it, it would not last as long as the aluminium

 

Many years ago I installed an outdoor shower to a palm tree which at the time was alive and kicking. Few years ago it died and dropped the leafy branches without growing new ones. Now the dead palm tree has rotten (both inside the trunk as well as roots) to the extent that I need to do something about it, otherwise the shower will fall down in not too distant future. Just bought a thick bamboo trunk and few smaller sticks to make some supporting structure around.

 

2 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Soak in sea water for some months. I have heard.🤔

 

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I also read about diesel and paraffin as a good treatment. Untreated bamboo will rot quite quickly.

 

well, don't really have good place to soak, esp for months as would like to do the job in next few days or so.

 

I read from some page that soaking in boric acid solution would be good, however that would need to be done soon after the bamboo has been cut, not for one that has dried out long time already so presumably not good for me either. 

 

Treating with diesel also not really good idea for my application as don't want the everlasting smell...but how is this paraffin, is that something that does not smell like diesel, and could possibly be applied with just a brush?

 

Several years ago I made grilles out of around 1 inch bamboo sticks to hide aircon units from eyes, and just applied some Sadolin wood stain to them and they are all still okay, however they are under the roof so that they never get rain nor direct sunlight. 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

2 minutes ago, mran66 said:

Treating with diesel also not really good idea for my application as don't want the everlasting smell...but how is this paraffin, is that something that does not smell like diesel, and could possibly be applied with just a brush?

It’s a 50/50 diesel paraffin mix and the bamboo needs to be soaked, the smell is not everlasting, only about a week.

[sandyf]

13 hours ago, mran66 said:

Many years ago I installed an outdoor shower to a palm tree which at the time was alive and kicking. Few years ago it died and dropped the leafy branches without growing new ones. Now the dead palm tree has rotten (both inside the trunk as well as roots) to the extent that I need to do something about it, otherwise the shower will fall down in not too distant future. Just bought a thick bamboo trunk and few smaller sticks to make some supporting structure around.

Your palm was probably killed by insect larvae, they are about 2" long and half inch thick, we lose several every year that way. There is little point in trying to support it as in due course the whole trunk will disintegrate. Best bet would be to try and cut it off above the shower and see how long it lasts. 

If it has grown quite tall the weight will bring it down and could be difficult to prop. Good luck.

[sandyf]

14 hours ago, mran66 said:

I read from some page that soaking in boric acid solution would be good, however that would need to be done soon after the bamboo has been cut, not for one that has dried out long time already so presumably not good for me either. 

The boric acid is part of a treatment plan and to protect against termites. That can be necessary even if bamboo is not exposed to weather.

[fondue zoo]

https://bamboou.com/the-3-stages-for-turning-bamboo-into-a-reliable-construction-material/

[mran66]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

Your palm was probably killed by insect larvae, they are about 2" long and half inch thick, we lose several every year that way. There is little point in trying to support it as in due course the whole trunk will disintegrate. Best bet would be to try and cut it off above the shower and see how long it lasts. 

If it has grown quite tall the weight will bring it down and could be difficult to prop. Good luck.

 

As I already got a replacement bamboo trunk and concrete piece to put under the trunk, I think I will just cut it off and install the bamboo in place of it and fix the shower properly to bamboo. 

 

Just wondering if worth treating with some wood stain or something else easy, or just install au naturel and replace either with new bamboo or aluminum profile whenever it gets bad enough 

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, mran66 said:

 

As I already got a replacement bamboo trunk and concrete piece to put under the trunk, I think I will just cut it off and install the bamboo in place of it and fix the shower properly to bamboo. 

 

Just wondering if worth treating with some wood stain or something else easy, or just install au naturel and replace either with new bamboo or aluminum profile whenever it gets bad enough 

From what i heard proper treatment is a bit slow and tedious but something simple like a coat of woodstain wouldn't go amiss. Would be worth while trying to seal the ends somehow. Seen my sister in law stick the end in a tin can but all depends on the dia.