What Are Engineered Bamboo Dowels?

At House of Clermont, we use engineered bamboo dowels in our 500 mm-high cylindrical wall sculptures. These solid, rounded elements form the patterns and contours of each design—but how does a hollow bamboo stem become a solid dowel?

From bamboo stems to solid material

Bamboo naturally grows as a hollow stem. Through a process called lamination, strips of bamboo can be brought together to create a solid material.

The stems are split into strips, which are dried and planed before being bonded together with adhesive under pressure. The resulting solid blanks can then be machined into cylindrical dowels and sanded.

Our dowels show straight grain running along their length and distinct sections across the cut ends—features consistent with this laminated construction.

What does “engineered” mean?

The word “engineered” refers to the way the bamboo is assembled. Natural bamboo strips are bonded together to produce a solid form that can be shaped and worked.

This process makes it possible to create cylindrical elements in dimensions that could not simply be cut from a hollow stem. Before painting, subtle variations in the bamboo and the joins between strips can be seen on the surface

Bamboo: a rapidly renewable material

Bamboo is remarkable for the speed at which it grows. Although its stems can resemble timber, it is actually a grass, with new shoots emerging from an established underground root system.

Moso bamboo, commonly used to manufacture engineered bamboo products, can reach around 20 metres in height within a single growing season. Reaching full height is only the first stage: the stems then mature over several years, developing the characteristics needed for processing into a solid material. They are typically ready to harvest at around four to five years old.

Regrowth without replanting

Harvesting a mature bamboo stem leaves the underground root system in place, allowing the plant to keep producing new shoots. Younger stems remain growing alongside them.

In a well-managed bamboo plantation, approximately 20–25% of the stems can be harvested each year while maintaining the plantation. This ongoing cycle of growth and selective harvesting makes bamboo a rapidly renewable resource.

From fast-growing grass to sculptural material

Lamination allows the hollow bamboo stems to become solid material. Prepared strips are bonded together, then machined and sanded into cylindrical dowels.

At House of Clermont, these dowels form the foundation of our 500 mm-high bamboo wall sculptures. Through hand painting and careful assembly, a fast-growing natural resource becomes an artwork designed to be enjoyed for years.