Nature has offered a versatile and cheap material bamboo, which is generally found to grow principally in forest areas from sea level to about 400 m wherever suitable combination of ecological factors prevail. This potential renewable natural resource has been since times immemorial, exploited by mankind for a variety of purposes specially in developing countries like Asia, Africa and South America. Bamboo is very well known for its remarkably fast growth. The size and yield of bamboo depends upon several factors like species, soil, climate etc. For example, D. gigantius gives culm 35 m long and 20-25 cm in diameter, Chimoni bambus densifolia culm is hardly 90 cm long and 0.85 cm in diameter. While species like D. strictus are almost solid (specially in dry areas) most of the other species are hollow with wall thickness varying (0.62-0.85 cm). Bamboo possesses adequate strength which compares favourably with some conventional species like sal (Shorea robusta) and teak (Tectona grandis). Bamboos and reeds are said to be the oldest and major building materials specially for rural areas throughout tropical and subtropical regions. It is reported that more people live in houses made of bamboos and reeds than in houses of any other material.

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