If you're eco-conscious and enjoy nature, then you're probably well familiar with the fact that Bamboo isn’t just a strong and sustainable material; it’s also quite versatile. If you're an avid DIYer, there are plenty of DIY bamboo ideas you can get your hands busy on. So what can you make out of bamboo poles?
From a bamboo pole, you can make so many things. For example, you can create; furniture such as a bamboo bench, bamboo wind chime, an outdoor shower from bamboo sticks, bamboo trellis, bamboo planters, bamboo fencing or bamboo gate from sealed bamboo. Bamboo plants are the perfect material choice because they're quite exotic, timeless, affordable, and sustainable as an eco-friendly material source.
When working on DIY bamboo projects, here are a few general tips you need to keep in mind:
- Customization: There are different kinds of bamboo, including the popularly known one with a blonde natural finish, the natural black bamboo or burnt bamboo. Additionally, you can customize bamboo by painting or staining it
- Cut: The best way to cut bamboo shafts is to use a fine-bladed hacksaw, bamboo machete or a power saw. To avoid the splintering, place a masking tape over the area you're going to cut
- Connect/Join: Avoid directly nailing into the bamboo pole. Instead, drill a hole and then sink the nail or screw. To join the poles together, use twine or string. You can create a pattern, then knot it and twine securely
Here are a few exciting and creative DIY bamboo crafts that you could consider:
1. Bamboo Room Divider
A room divider gives you plenty of creative room out of all the bamboo projects. DIY bamboo room dividers are a chic way to section larger rooms and uniquely create some privacy in the reading nook or bedroom changing area.
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To construct these dividers, you'll need to use long poles. Here's a simple way to construct your DIY bamboo room divider:
- Start by cutting these bamboo pieces to the height you'd want the divider to run
- Use a base that's in the same length as to how far you'd want it to run
- If you don’t like the natural look of the bamboo sticks, this is the point where you paint or stain the poles before placing each one in the base.
- Fill up the base with quick-dry cement. You can either mix it yourself or buy a pre-mixed cement
- Insert the bamboo sticks into the cement to create the design you want. A simple design is where you place the vertical poles an equal distance apart
- After the cement dries, you can decorate the base area using river rocks or some flowers to help hide the cement
Bamboo makes water-resistant items, but you can waterproof them by using a polyurethane sealant that helps protect bamboo for years to come.
2. Bamboo Wall Decor
Wall decor makes your space a tad more interesting—what better way than to use durable material for this. Bamboo gives you the ideal material for unique and inspirational craft pieces.
You can use bamboo to turn your wall into the room's focal point. You can also consider using bamboo designs in your office. In fact, research indicates the psychological well-being brought by natural elements in the office space.
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Incorporating color psychology and nature into your personal space is uplifting and great for your well-being and mental health.
Here's a simple, colorful DIY bamboo design you can create:
- Place bamboo poles on some old sheets, newspapers or tarps outside and apply a light coat of paint on the bamboo. Leave them to dry overnight
- You can use painter’s tape or masking tape to create different designs onto each pole while painting. Some designs could include using tape to create thick stripes of colors. Apply paint on the surface and then remove the tape once the paint has dried
- Alternatively, you can create simple exotic designs using natural bamboo color only. For some color variation, you can try mixing different natural colored bamboo poles
Tip: The Phyllostachys nigra is a unique bamboo species that comes in a dark brown, speckled color - Once you've settled on the colors, you can use hooks or picture wire to join the bamboo pieces or hang them on your wall
Alternatively, you can also create more complex designs such as triangle shelves out of thicker bamboo poles. Here's how:
3. DIY Bamboo Headboard
To bring that tropical element into your bedroom space, you can create a bamboo headboard for your bed. Bamboo shafts are so versatile they'll easily work with any home decor theme.
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To build your headboard:
- First, you'll need to determine how many bamboo poles you'll need to cover the width of your bed frame. A queen-size bed that's 60 inches wide will need roughly 64 inches since most headboards will be a tad wider than the mattress
- Layout the poles to create the design you want, then cut them to your ideal length. You can have all of them at the same height if you aim for uniformity. Alternatively, you can vary them slightly for a more organic natural appearance. Most headboards are roughly 3 feet high, higher at the middle section and slightly lower on the sides; you can try pulling this design with the bamboo poles
- Once the poles are laid out in the design you want, you can either use a 2-foot piece of rope, twine, or drill holes through each shaft and use strings to join the bamboo poles
- For a simple pattern, use the rope to tie each pole a third way down from the top and a third way from the bottom. Do this on all the poles, and join them
- You can also attach the headboard to your wall using wall hooks
You have a unique tropical retreat in your bedroom with a custom bamboo headboard. Here are other designs you can try:
4. Bamboo Coat Rack
A multi-function coat rack is a great addition to your mudroom or entryway. Yes, there are plenty of other prefabricated options, but isn't it so much more fun making your unique piece from environmentally-conscious material. So here's another easy bamboo project you can finish in less than one hour while using minimal tools.
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For this, all you need is a drill, some cord or twine, and four bamboo poles, 5-foot each. To construct your bamboo rack:
- You can paint parts or all the poles or go natural for a more exotic and organic look
- Mark a spot, roughly a foot and a half, from each end of the pole. These will form the bottom of the rack
- After this drill, a tiny hole through each pole on the marked spot. Try to do each at the same height to create an opening on each
- Hold the poles in a bundle, a foot and a half down from the top of each, and wrap the cord around your bundle several times. Do this until it gets to about 4 inches low
- Next, make your poles stand and splay them out to form a teepee shape of whatever size you like
- After this run, the rest of the cord through the drilled holes, tie it off so the bottom frame poles won't spread too far at the bottom and collapse
There are plenty of ways to do your DIY bamboo rack or bamboo shower caddy organizer, whether you're aiming for a minimalist or maximalist design. Here's another way to do it:
Bamboo is not only durable but also as sturdy as wood for extra support. You can make different interesting bamboo crafts and furniture, including a cute garden bench. Other than the bamboo bench, you can also make a beautifully airy outdoor bamboo shade or organic coffee table.
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To create your table:
- You'll need some bamboo poles, a piece of glass and twine. Use a wide diameter bamboo pole for the four legs and smaller poles as cross supports
- The beauty of making your coffee table is the fact that you can create the perfect size for your room. So first, determine the dimensions that you want and cut the bamboo poles to the ideal size. Leave an extra 1-2 centimeters for the cross pieces
- Drill two holes that are 90 degrees apart on each leg and insert the crosspiece into each hole. This will give you rectangular cross pieces connected to four vertical legs
- When each piece is in place, connect them with glue
- To enhance its appearance, tightly wrap the joints using twine or rope
- Additionally, you can use lacquer on the bamboo for preservation and a shine
- Finally, add the glass top. Have the glass extend roughly 3 inches beyond the legs
Vertical DIY bamboo planter tutorial:
Conclusion:
There are so many more amazing bamboo crafts you can create out of bamboo with a few tools and plenty of patience to add aesthetics to your space. Additionally, did you know you can also make bamboo soup?
The bottom line is to have fun with it. Enjoy!
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