The Foodary is a new petrol station concept introduced by Caltex that aims to create a trendy inner-city cafe vibe for customers. Caltex has completely overhauled the traditional petrol station design, replacing fluorescent lighting and junk food with beautiful and comfortable spaces, and offering barista coffee, fresh food, parcel pickup and even a laundry service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Posts, battens and cladding in DecoWood timber finish aluminium were used for the Caltex makeover at four pilot stores in three states: Concord (NSW), Padstow (NSW), South Yarra (VIC) and Jandakot (WA), all featuring DecoWood in American Oak finish.

DecoWood timber finish aluminium was specified because it complemented the look and feel envisioned by the designers of The Foodary. The timber look features heavily throughout the stores, creating a softer, warmer look; DecoWood was preferred over timber due to its durability and low maintenance requirements.

Two of the pilot stores, Parramatta Road in Sydney and Punt Road in Melbourne, are located on some of Australia’s busiest thoroughfares. The continuous exposure to exhaust fumes, brake dust and sun would have caused discolouration on timber while DecoWood would remain as new for many years without the need for painting or staining.

DecoWood is a Super Durable powder coating on aluminium that uses photo imaging technology to create the wood effect. It is 50% more durable than standard powder coating, and comes in 20-plus colours and textures to meet diverse design specifications.