For the renovation of his house in the town of L’Arbresle (69), near Lyon, the owner opted for Moso bamboo cladding, installed by the company BCR. Eighteen months after the completion of the project, the occupants still greatly appreciate their facades, which offer an elegant contrast with the ipe wood terrace.

To give his house walls a new lease of life, the owner initially hesitated between wood and stone. Unconvinced by the aging potential of traditional wood cladding, he ultimately opted for bamboo and Moso products to enhance some 140 m2 of facades. Installed in July 2024 by Bois Concept Rénovation, a company specializing in exterior renovations in the Lyon region, the X-treme Varibo cladding now provides complete satisfaction thanks to meticulous design and preparation: "The installation required three people on site for three weeks," explains the manager of BCR. Upstream, the facades were covered with a standard render and then repainted in an anthracite shade for the contemporary and aesthetically pleasing look desired by the owner. Next, the Varibo cladding was installed on aluminum rails using the Grad invisible and removable fixing system. To create visual interest, three different widths of boards were chosen for this project and positioned according to a pattern dictated by the Grad rails, which were also treated in black to blend seamlessly with the open-jointed boards.

Choosing Bamboo

Manufactured in China from an abundant and renewable bamboo resource, the FSC-certified Varibo boards appealed to the homeowner for their aesthetics, ease of installation, and durability. While the initial cost of a bamboo board is higher than that of traditional red cedar, Douglas fir, or exotic wood cladding (around €230 excluding VAT per square meter, including labor, for a turnkey solution), the product's natural appearance (no knots) and lack of maintenance were compelling reasons.

“On this project, since the cladding isn’t in contact with the ground, it benefits from a 25-year maintenance-free guarantee, which is a real peace of mind,” continues Arnaud Depoilly, Sales and Specification Manager at Moso. A view shared by the homeowner who, more than a year after the completion of the work, has no regrets about his choice: “Initially, I was leaning towards a system combining stone and wood, but I had some concerns about the aging of wood cladding. After several discussions with BCR, and seeing numerous public buildings clad in bamboo that age well, we agreed on a stone and bamboo solution that suits me perfectly. Today, I’m happy with this choice, which enhances my property, gives it added value, and, aesthetically speaking, offers a beautiful contrast with the ipe wood terrace, which has turned grayer.”

Photo credits: Adèle Cazier

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