Elanora Residence - Sunshine Coast, Australia

Architectural beauty without landfill - how Reitsma used 6m fixed length Vulcan timber to reduce waste.

Project details

Designer: Reitsma & Associates

Builder: Gray Construction

Product: Vulcan Nexus Cladding (WB12) in Protector - Nero

Vulcan Screening (42x42) in Protector - Nero

Photography credit: Reitsma & Associates

Completion date: Mid 2022

When it came to the timber cladding and screening for this home close to the ocean on the Sunshine Coast, Designers Reitsma & Associates were able to tick many boxes with the specification of Abodo Vulcan timber, in terms of durability, span length and waste reduction.

As its name suggests, the Sunshine Coast receives around 300 days of sunshine each year. With this exposure, plus a location close to the beach, Reitsma had to be conscious that exterior applications for this home could withstand anything the environment threw at them.

Add to this the homeowner’s wish for a low maintenance timber that could flow through from the exterior to the interior, and the product needed to perform in many different ways.

Enter, Abodo Vulcan Nexus. Coated in Protector - Nero throughout the home, both inside and out, the timber is able to withstand the coastal application despite being a dark colour.

Dark colours usually spell trouble for other timber species by contributing to movement and twisting. Vulcan is one of the lowest movement timbers and stable enough to work well with dark colours. The result is the longest period between maintenance coats, leaving the homeowners more time to enjoy beach life.

Reitsma & Associates specified Vulcan Screening(42x42) for the front façade and Vulcan Nexus Cladding (WB12) for the exterior cladding, interior wall linings and garage doors.

Nexus is finger jointed Vulcan timber which allows Abodo to produce a range of set lengths including long 6m lengths. Builders love this because they can significantly reduce wastage of timber whilst installing faster.

Abodo’s Vulcan timber is made from thermally modified softwood, laminated for strength, which meant the designers were able to achieve the longer spans and overhangs required for the design without worrying about boards buckling. It is also a lightweight, straight timber, which enables faster installation, again reducing costs.

This high level of durability and low level of movement meant the product was a trustworthy choice for the exposed timber garage doors, a key feature of the exterior.

Elanora Residence Vulcan Timber Abodo Wood 3

As a naturally secure product, Vulcan doesn’t leach tannins, which was also a benefit when used for the screen battens, to protect the paving and finishes below.

The timber flows seamlessly indoors, where it is juxtaposed against in-situ concrete and textured tiling. With the vertical timber screening visible through the upstairs windows, this creates a consistent sense of effortless beauty throughout the property, important in a place where the sun calls you outdoors year-round.