In an increasingly competitive environment, today’s retailers are seeking more affordable fitouts that still inject a premium brand feel and shopping experience.

Much more stylish than real ‘bricks and mortar’ (or simple plasterboard), and more cost-effective than most premium timber species, many shopfronts are turning to Hemlock – a smooth and sophisticated grain that’s proving perfect for the retail environment.

Light brown to blond in colour, with a smooth texture and relatively straight fine-lined grain, Hemlock is particularly suited to bright, modern retail environments that also want to embody the natural warmth of timber.

Providing serious versatility, Hemlock can be sanded to a silky, reflective surface and is an ideal substrate for coating and staining. It accepts any paint, stain or clear finish with outstanding results and, when dried, it is non-resinous and non-tainting.

Used for internal applications, Hemlock also boasts the durability that a high-traffic environment needs, as it grows harder with age and is unlikely to warp or twist. It appeals to builders because it’s easy to work with and suitable for planning, moulding, screwing and nailing.

Australian company Cedar Sales provides a range of versatile solutions using Hemlock, ideal for internal panelling, joinery, stairs, mouldings and screening.

A particularly popular product is Expresswood Hemlock Panelling, which offers a feast of vogue colours and washes.

The product has become the preferred choice for a number of new and sophisticated shopfronts, including an upmarket gift store in Brisbane’s recently refurbished Westfield Indooroopilly shopping centre.

The store, called Gifts for You, needed a natural, modern look that reflected its brand and enticed customers. A stunning result was achieved by installing Expresswood Hemlock Panelling in an alternating horizontal and vertical pattern.

Distinctive and inviting, the new shopfront was also created within typically tight commercial deadlines, with stock supplied straight from Cedar Sales’ holdings for same-day pick up and installation.

As well as looking stylish, Expresswood Hemlock Panelling:

  • requires no sanding, painting or ongoing maintenance
  • has a secret nail tongue and groove profile for a perfect finish
  • is complemented by matching trims and external corner mouldings
  • arrives pre-finished and ready for use
  • boasts improved GREEN STAR rating PEFC and GreenTag certification.