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Comment by colinb | Hacker News Reader

My standing desk top, a Fully Jarvis, is made from bamboo.

Comparing the illustrations in TFA to the thing I'm leaning on, I think it is constructed of a core of side-pressed pieces, with a thin layer of plain-pressed pieces giving the working surface and underside.

I've had it for < 1 year. It is a little soft, and shows dents and scratches where I set down moderately heavy objects with too much force, but it still looks nice. I guess I can think of the marks as evidence of actual use and life.

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Almost all wooden surfaces will show dings and dents from heavy objects. Denser woods with a matte finish will show them less of course, but it's inevitable.

I installed all bamboo flooring in my house and then threw a party... some woman who was at the party was wearing 6" heels and after the party my floor was dimpled all over... she apparently walked like five miles within my living room, dining room, kitchen...

Interestingly, floor decks in airliners and load floors in military cargo aircraft are made from a composite of an aluminum skin and very high-quality end-grain balsa wood panels, laminated together in a huge press with film adhesives. (Used to be called Metalite by LTV, who made the stuff for lots of other aircraft companies...) It's lighter and stronger than any synthetic composite for that application. Load floors obviously need to take huge abuse, but still be light, and women's stilletto heels are famous for being able to exert several thousand pounds of force (dynamically) in a tiny area.

FYI, women are also really hard on touchscreens - fake nails/nail polish is the hardest and most abrasive thing they come in contact with over their life except for drops on pavement. It's the main reason all decent touchscreens now have glass top layers.

Interesting. Bamboo flooring usually has higher Janka rating then other wood used for flooring.

Same nonsense I was told when I put in bamboo flooring. In my case it was destroyed by the late night shenanigans of an 11 lb cat. I think hardwood comes with its own tragedy at no extra cost. What we need is a flooring material that acquires character as people walk on it and scratch it. Edit: And it turns out we have it.

https://www.sheogaflooring.com/flooring/textured-flooring/

If it makes you feel any better my solid "hardwood" workbench from Gladiator (purchased at Lowes) I use as a standing desk also has some dings and dents! I also figure it's part of the charm.

Same here (same desk). Whenever my kids drop something heavier on the surface, it leaves deep marks. It's the most easily damaged surface we have at home. Does look nice where there are no marks :)

Your desk is made from a manufactured bamboo composite

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