I am considering using bamboo countertops in my kitchen. What can you tell me about this?

Any recyclable/renewable resource as a countertop is a great idea. Bamboo has been around for countertops and cutting boards for decades and has stood up well.

There are a few things to consider, however.

• When cutting or doing any other hard work on the surface, it will leave marks.
• The good side is it's easy to sand down and refinish . . . which brings us to that finish topic.
• You'll want to use a finishing material that is acceptable for food, such as various oils that are available. I've seen people use varnishes, which is not a good idea as over time, the moisture from general use and cutting breaks down the finish and gets into your food preparations.
• I've known tung oil to be a good finish -- look for products with low VOCs.