Bamboo Mat Board

Bamboo is a traditional building material throughout the world’s tropical and sub tropical regions. Bamboo is a renewable and versatile resource, with high strength and low weight. That’s why it is widely used in different forms of construction, particularly for housing in rural areas. Bamboo mat board (BMB) is a plywood-like wooden board made from layers of woven bamboo mats that have been pressed together. It is usually made of three layers of mats and is about 3 mm thick. It can be produced in a range of standard sizes. Bamboo mat board can be used for panelling, ceilings, prefabricated shelters, packing cases, storage bins, roofs, doors and door panels, furniture and household utensils such as trays and plates. BMB is also used in concrete formwork. The production of mats is labour intensive and difficult to mechanise. Bamboo mat board has enormous income generating potential for the rural poor and particularly for women, who make up the vast majority of weavers. This project profile is for setting up of a Bamboo Mat Board making unit, based on 300 working days per annum and 8 working hours per day