The properties of particleboard produced from l-,2-,3- and 4-year old Bambusa vulgaris Schrad, the commonest village bamboo in Malaysia, were ascertained. Culms of two years old or more were found to yield good particles for particleboard manufacture. Three particleboards with the density of 561,641 and 721 kg/m³ were produced by using urea formaldehyde resin as the binder at the resin contents of 6, 8 and 10%, pressing time of 6 minutes and temperature of 160°C. All the boards tested passed the minimum requirements of the British Standards BS 5669-1989.
This indicates the suitability of this bamboo species for the manufacture of particleboard.